Just getting back into HBD and wondering if defense up the middle (C, SS, 2B & CF) is still super important?
I realize this might be a dumb or obvious question and depends on your lineup and other factors.

Is it worth it to go with light hitting defensive studs at say SS & CF? (Thinking you can usually get a good defensive C & 2B)

Thanks in advance

I'm a big believer in defense.

I'm probably too heavily reliant on defense and pitching. But that's likely because when I learned to play this, I learned in a world where the best players never get traded, and it was also back when draft scouting was totally predictable. Those conditions made the cost of acquiring a great hitter higher than anything else.
I subscribe to the old Jimmy Johnson "speed" theory of defense. CBs become Safeties; Safeties become LBs, LBs become DEs. In my case, ultra-glove SS; 3Bs and 2Bs who can play SS, and down the line.

Nothing has really changed in the game. Depending on when you left last the only thing I remember changing is projections and the viewing of previous ratings. Maybe viewing others budgeting as well. Might be more but that is all I noticed.

SS and CF defense still very important. 2B not so much. C is debatable.

Thanks

Posted by damag on 8/15/2019 1:16:00 PM (view original):
I'm probably too heavily reliant on defense and pitching. But that's likely because when I learned to play this, I learned in a world where the best players never get traded, and it was also back when draft scouting was totally predictable. Those conditions made the cost of acquiring a great hitter higher than anything else.
I subscribe to the old Jimmy Johnson "speed" theory of defense. CBs become Safeties; Safeties become LBs, LBs become DEs. In my case, ultra-glove SS; 3Bs and 2Bs who can play SS, and down the line.

I like this strategy and also use it a lot. For example, say you have a fringe SS and a fringe 3B who both make no plus plays. You get an ultra glove SS like he said, push your fringe SS to 3b, and your fringe 3b to 1b or lf. You could potentially gain 40-50 plus plays, maybe more. Just by bringing in one guy.

I also think 1b defense is somewhat underrated just because of how easy it is to rack up plus plays there. I'll prioritize that position fielding over lf/rf usually (I also try to run super gb pitching staffs and play in hitters parks where more flyballs go for HRs anyway).

Well I should offer a caveat... this ain't for everyone. When I commit to defense because it's keeping costs down, and I commit to the efficiency of not overpaying for hitters who might not really be that good anyway...

I am doing so with the help of playing in pitcher's parks, and I am doing so with the acceptance that I am going to see how little offense I can win with.

That's really it. I have an unproven suspicion that unless you really work hard at tanking, the game won't let your players produce at less than a certain level. So I kind of aim to see if they can overproduce by about 20-30% just through random distribution.

If you prefer scoring runs, don't do this.

Defense up the middle is important. I'm always looking to have strong defenders up the middle. You can get away with slightly below average defensive players at key positions if they hit well. But a truly bad defensive SS, however well he hits, is really just a third basemen playing shortstop. It kills their value because they are giving up so many runs with their gloves. By getting them away from their weak positions you can really increase their value to the team. I never play a guy at a position if he is going to be a huge liability there on defense, at least not long term.

There are so many skilled plays that happen between SS/3B/2B in baseball and having great defenders is usually the difference between great teams and good teams. It hurts your pitchers, drags the game along, and you just end up giving the opponent way more outs to work with during the course of the game. Gotta get outs on groundballs. Errors at those spots just deflate a team.