Secret weapon: Fowler improves Cards in left

ST. LOUIS — With the acquisition of Dexter Fowler, the Cardinals secured a new leadoff option as well as a fresh clubhouse voice. The club also instantly improved its defense.

The latter point may not seem so obvious, as advanced defensive metrics reveal that Fowler has been, at best, an average center fielder during his career. In fact, the numbers suggest he just peaked defensively in 2016 — at age 30.

Fowler projects to cover about as much ground in center as Randal Grichuk did a year ago. Though Grichuk posted a higher Defensive Runs Saved figure (seven) than Fowler (one), Statcast™ data shows that their center-field range charts nearly overlap. These catch-rate charts illustrate how similar the two were in center in 2016:

To understand the illustration, it’s important to know that catch rate is based on a fielder’s distance from the ball, the ball’s hang time, and the performance of all Major League fielders at that position. The above chart plots batted balls with a catch rate of 25-75 percent, which is the range where fielders can distinguish themselves at the position. (For this exercise, we’re exluding the 0-25 percent range because those are overwhelmingly hits, and the 75-100 percent range, which are overwhelmingly outs.)

But while the Cardinals’ center-field defense may not have been upgraded with this acquisition, their left-field coverage …

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