Contreras being behind the plate was not the only factor, of course. But it was huge.
The whole point is that D matters, but for some reason, many fans simply can't see it. Maybe it comes down to being able to quantify it. If a guy has errors, they scream, but otherwise.....nothing.
For example, if a guy goes 3 for 4 at SS and can't get to ground balls, many fans praise the crap out of him. But if he gobbles up everything, and K's three times, they think he is killing us and should sit.
There are more defensive stats readily available these days, but it's nowhere near as obvious as what a guy does at the plate. The argument comes around constantly, people base their opinion on who should play solely on offensive contributions.
