Defense Sets The Table

When two teams with equal talent battle for a championship, before it is all said and done, "Defense" will play a major role in the outcome. Let's look at the recent MLB Playoffs from both the American and National leagues.

The Angles recently tied a club record for errors in a postseason game with three, then went on to loose game #1 of the AL Championship Series to the Yankees 4-1. In game #2, Maicer Izturis, the Angels second baseman, fielded Melky Cabrera's one-out grounder (in the hole to his left in the 13th) and, instead of routinely flipping it to first, turned and threw wildly to second in an attempt to get the lead runner on a force play, allowing the winning run to score.

The Dodgers recently took advantage of an uncharacteristic throwing error by Philadelphia second baseman Chase Utley in their come-from-behind 2-1 victory Friday in Game #2 of the NL Championship Series, again proving you must play defense to win.

Defense sets the table for offensive and can fuel a turn around inning at any level. Therefore, setting a line-up strictly around offense, (as some do) is an accident waiting to happen. The game is more than hits and RBIS, it is also assists, putouts, fielding percentage and help from position players. Teaching young athletes to take as much pride in their defense as they do in their offense should be every coaches objective.

Consider this - in the playoffs so far we have seen; a routine pop-up fall for base hit, routine ground ball played off to the side for an error, errant throws, bobbled ground balls, wild pitches, poor choices; to say nothing of base running, bunt defense and managerial decisions.

If professionals can make this many defensive mistakes, how much more important should the emphasis on defense be at the amateur level?