The Braves’ most overlooked strength

Photo by Logan Riely/Getty ImagesOffensive lineups and pitching rotations hoard the hype and fanfare. Homeruns and strikeouts get all the glory. And while a great defensive play might get 10 seconds of love on SportsCenter, the casual fan is more likely to be able to cite a player’s number of bombs hit than his defensive runs saved.

However, a good defense can compensate for many inadequacies in pitching and offense. As a former shortstop myself who was (more than once) labeled “all glove, no stick”, I appreciate the beautiful subtleties of getting a put-out on a backhanded grounder in the hole. Baseball defenses are like a kicker in football - they are usually taken for granted until they…