defense is important but costs money. It is debatable wether top notch defense is worth the extra salary cost. In general you want to avoid errors at the high error positons. and be careful about using bad defenders as some of them are terrible.

Here's the fielding ratings for some of the worst fielders in a 1912 Prog league (142 games in)

Obviously, bad fielding will cost you.  How much?  I think some stat-heads here have made the calculations (can't find them, though); but if a error is, generously, a quarter of a run, Hal Chase would have to create an extra 25 runs just to break even... and that's not even counting his minus plays.

I think extreme defense is important, but not defense ratings are the same. A range is not just A range. You have to look at the actual number beyond that. It is fair to say that my sim experience is warped by the Taylor Douthit craze of a few years ago. I have just started playing SIM again (to go along with my HBD addiction) within the last couple of weeks.

I think extreme defense is important, but not defense ratings are the same. A range is not just A range. You have to look at the actual number beyond that. It is fair to say that my sim experience is warped by the Taylor Douthit craze of a few years ago. I have just started playing SIM again (to go along with my HBD addiction) within the last couple of weeks.

Match your defense to pitching.

Defense is the area that admin had the hardest time pricing. Most of the bad fielders are horribly overpriced, and price is what it comes down to. Are you getting what you paid for?

Glad to see you're back to double Hall of Fame status, Amy.  Now come join our Champs League -- six spots left.

Just so nobody accuses me of going off topic, the differential between the runs allowed by an average fielder/great hitter (by SIM standards) and a great fielder/average hitter (by SIM standards) at just about any position and just about any price range is usually a lot less than the differential between the runs created by that same great hitter/average fielder and average hitter/great fielder.  That said, I'm a sucker for those big range guys up the middle and I love my rifle armed catchers.  

I'm back in the sim after almost a three year hiatus and it seems to me that the better managers have moved away from big time D.  I'm starting to wonder if it is worth the cost at the corner OF.  Paying for it at 1B seems pointless.

But a big arm at C makes all the difference in the world.

Even the A+ arm at catcher matters only when you're playing a running team. If you like to micromanage, it makes some sense to spend for offense on your regular catcher but have a backup with an A/A+ arm who can start against base-stealing teams.

I agree with all who say to get solid defense up the middle but don't worry too much about the corners. All else being equal, though, I won't drop below a B/D rating at 3b.

One aspect of this discussion that SEEMS to back up the notion that defense is NOT important is that it seems when you search for a player there is no way to set defense as a parameter.  You can search for batting average, speed, OBP, AB, etc etc.  Yet, the only way you can somewhat "search"  for defense is if you select golden glove under awards, but that isn't a sure fire way to get and A/A player at defense either.  Basically you have to set the price range you are looking for and hope you get lucky OR just go by experience and pick a catcher that you know was great defensively.