Notes from today's AskCoppy event

[nsacpi]

What has to be kept in mind is that run prevention and run creation are equally important. And the run prevention part is a mix of pitching and defense. Run creation is entirely a function of hitting and base running. So offense is more important than defense, even aside from the issue of how good the statistical measures of defense are.

 

[smootness]

What has to be kept in mind is that run prevention and run creation are equally important. And the run prevention part is a mix of pitching and defense. Run creation is entirely a function of hitting and base running. So offense is more important than defense, even aside from the issue of how good the statistical measures of defense are.

This is an oversimplification, I think. When a ball is hit to a defender, run prevention on that play is all about the defender at that point. In the same way, run creation has nothing to do with any one hitter 8 out of every 9 AB.

As has been said, being a good hitter is generally more valuable than being a good defender. But at the same time, I could argue it's easier to hide a SS offensively than defensively. I'd rather have a ridiculous defensive SS who can't hit than a great hitting SS who is a complete butcher in the field.