Simon: Which teams are the most improved defensively in baseball?
From SABR member Mark Simon at The Athletic on August 22, 2019:
For all the frustration Phillies fans have had with their team this season, they should keep this simple observation in mind.
The Phillies are the most-improved defensive team in MLB. And it’s a herculean improvement that got them to 12 Defensive Runs Saved this season. We’ll go through each of the teams on this list.
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Let’s take a moment to remember just how bad the 2018 Phillies were.
They finished with -146 Runs Saved, the worst team total in the then-16-year history of the stat. Outfielders cost the Phillies 52 runs. Infielders cost them 64 more. (Remember their issues with shifting?) Pitchers and catchers combined to cost them another 30. The Phillies were 46 runs worse than any other team, 69 runs worse than any other National League team.
Read the full article here (subscription required): https://theathletic.com/1153685/2019/08/22/which-teams-are-the-most-improved-defensively-in-baseball/
Originally published: August 22, 2019. Last Updated: August 22, 2019.