Sarah’s Take: Defense wins championships

Most casual baseball fans often overlook the importance of defense.

There are 10 National League teams with winning records, and most of them have good defense. Most teams realize that without good pitching they shouldn’t expect to go to the postseason. However, without also having a good defense, teams rarely have winning records.

Everyone who watches baseball highlight shows enjoys seeing amazing defensive plays. This year I have seen many memorable defensive plays that took my breath away. However, what impresses me the most is flawless defense day after day. This is what helps teams win championships.

At the beginning of the season, no one thought the Philadelphia Phillies would have a winning record in mid-May, but they do. During this past offseason, every knowledgeable person in baseball thought the Phillies would have one of the worst records in 2016. They didn’t sign anyone who was well known since they elected to give their youngsters valuable experience on the Major League level, and many thought these young players weren’t ready to play in the Majors …

continue reading in source mlb.mlb.com