One of my favorite parts of the tables I throw up is that they often tell a story you aren’t meaning to tell. In this case, we are looking strictly at fielding numbers, but in the case of both the Braves and the Nationals they tell a story of why both team is in the current predicament they are. In both cases, the obvious fielding numbers are secondary to the other information in the table.

For instance, when we look at the Nationals table we will see that only three of the eight regulars have 700 or more innings. That number alone indicates that the Nationals have had both health and ineffectiveness issues. Therefore, even with their superlative pitching staff they are running second behind the Braves. The Braves have one more player with 700 innings or more and a fifth with 690 innings. Obviously, continuity is on their side.

We will start with the Braves and you will immediately see a couple of things jump out at you. These things have a direct impact on how we view players in terms of fantasy baseball. When we see these things it is best that we meet them head on so that we don’t inadvertently fool ourselves.

Atlanta Braves

Both Andrelton Simmons and Jason Heyward stick out like a sore thumb. In Heyward’s case, it would be more pronounced if he spent the entire season healthy. I hate to use terms like insidious when looking at superlative fielders, but that dominant fielding has a way of seeping into our brain and effecting our better judgement. Casual observers of the game will hold these players in high esteem because they are good offensive players and great defensive players. That makes them look great.

Unfortunately, their fielding does you no good in the fantasy game. Heyward in particular has been considered elite by some so-called experts even though he has never performed as an elite player offensively. He has been good and even very good at times, but he has never been great. Yet, when you add in the defense it is easy to consider him to be a great player overall (when healthy). Treating him as if he were great is a fool’s errand.

Simmons is alarmingly good with the glove and he was a year ago in limited time. Offensively, you could say he regressed a little, but it would be more accurate to simply say he has leveled out. Going through the league more than once will do that. Now, he is a middle of the road offensive shortstop. When you add in the fielding you see a top shelf shortstop.

These two player’s effect on their team is not what you think it would be. Of course, you are also balancing out the negative effects of both Dan Uggla and the Upton brothers. Their overall team DER is .701 as compared to the league average at .693. So, they are good, but not as good as you might think with two all-world fielders.

Washington Nationals

The Nationals are a tremendous example of the serendipity of championship baseball. They played at that level a year ago and since they were young, people assumed they would be there again. Sadly, the magic doesn’t always come back the next season and that fact only reinforces those that questioned sitting Stephen Strasburg a year ago.

Anthony Rendon took over at second for Danny Espinosa because the latter could not hit a lick. Yet, if we were to take a look at Espinosa’s fielding numbers we would see that they are really suffering defensively. His continued presence alone might have vaulted the Nationals above average considering their collective DER is at .690 (one three one thousandths of a point less than average).

Otherwise, you see the normal things that derail all good teams: poor health. Bryce Harper and Jayson Werth have missed considerable time in the outfield and thus their offense has suffered. Adam Laroche, Ian Desmond, and Denard Span are the only players living up to their full potential, but none of them are setting the world on fire either. So, what you get is a general malaise that has the team in the playoff hunt, but nothing they have done so far comes out and grabs you.

In terms of trades, the Nationals are likely done on the position player front. They’ve painted themselves into the corner of playing Rendon out of position in order to get his bat into the lineup. Double his innings and you could be looking at the worst regular fielding second baseman in the league. Unfortunately, with the inconsistencies in the outfield, they need his power bat in the lineup.

The Braves present a more interesting dilemma. If it were me stewarding the ship I would be looking for a third baseman immediately. Chris Johnson leaves a lot to be desired on both ends of the spectrum. Second base also appears to be a gaping hole with Uggla performing as both butcher and Mario Mendoza with the stick. Yet, his contract will be difficult to move and he does provide enough power to warrant consistent playing time.

So, we continue to cede to the rumors that both clubs are looking for pitching. The Nationals will have to walk the thin line between seeking fly ball pitchers and taking in pitchers that will be homer happy. It’s a fine line to cross, but ground ball pitchers would likely be less than successful with their current defensive grouping. Ground ball pitchers would do well overall in Atlanta even though Uggla and Johnson are sub-par.