Fielding had a way of looking harder for Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed last year. His hands seemed less sure, his throws less accurate. He has some thoughts as to why that is — and he is working this spring to keep it from happening again.
Ahmed is a two-time Gold Glove winner. At his best, he plays defense in a fashion that can be described as spectacularly unspectacular. That is not to say he does not make great plays — he makes them often — but he almost never made bad ones. His hands were so trustworthy, his throws so automatic, that his excellence often could be taken for granted.