Dodgers News: Dave Roberts Says Max Muncy’s Defense at Third Base 'Hasn’t Been Great'
Max Muncy has transitioned to be the Dodgers full-time third baseman this season. Justin Turner, who manned that hot corner for so many years, is in Boston, and Muncy became the guy to take that spot over. So far, it's been...not very good.
Muncy has struggled at the position through 10 games, already having two errors, and a negative-two defensive runs saved above average. Last week, his manager, Dave Roberts, spoke about the "funk' Muncy was in at the hot corner (per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register).
"So far, it hasn’t been great," Roberts said about Muncy's defense.
However, Roberts also spoke about the new Dodger Stadium grass, that hadn't yet settled in.
"The hops are playing differently," Roberts said. "It’s coming off a little more different than we’re used to. No excuse. And Max is well aware of that. But he’s a good defender. He’s just in a little funk right now."
Muncy agreed that it hasn't been great, but also feels like he's been on the bad end of some tricky hops from the new grass.
"When things are going bad, they’re going bad," Muncy said. "I’m in between on everything and getting some tricky hops and I’m not putting myself in a position to handle them."
However, he still feels confident in his abilities over the course of a long season.
"I feel I’m a very good defender over there, but like I said, when things go bad, they go bad," Muncy said. "You get a couple bad hops, put yourself in a couple bad positions. You get a ball seven inches off the plate called a strike. It’s just one of those things that when things go bad, they go bad. That’s the beauty of baseball."
Muncy finally got things going at the plate on Monday, going 3-for-3 with two home runs and seven RBIs. Maybe that'll help him get some confidence, and start playing better defense at third base. We all know he can do it, he just needs to get the mental aspect of the game back on his side.
