Welcome to the first installment of The Opener, where every weekday morning you’ll get a fresh, topical column to start your day from one of SI.com’s MLB writers.
At a time when fewer balls are put in play than ever, Major League Baseball’s oldest franchise is conducting a thoroughly modern baseball experiment: How much does defense really matter?
Over the last two offseasons, the Cincinnati Reds have bolstered their offense by worrying less and less about their fielding. They signed Nick Castellanos, one of the worst defensive outfielders in baseball, and third baseman Mike Moustakas to play second base because they are both productive hitters.