What is your favourite tool in a baseball player?

Not defined as one of the tools...but there is nothing prettier than a well-turned DP.

Cool.I guess you could add a certain play inot the mix. I just love seeing someone throw the ball real hard. Everyone seems to be fascinated in the long ball for some reason. But I choose differently. I think throwing is just as or almost as important as hitting the ball.

My favorite tool is speed--if you have that a lot of things can happen

My favorite tools that I don't see often enough with my catcher/son is a rake and lawnmower....

What I like, although it can't be measured or really defined, is mental prowess. The game takes split second decision making at times, especially under pressure. The ability to field a ball -- split second reactions -- and then what to do with the ball while actions are going on. I've seen a few players make plays that the coaches and umpires have to stop the game, figure out what just happened and decide that the player made the right move. That's baseball!!

The Masher.

He who hits, plays. Period

I like to see players that "do the little things" necessary to win.... are fundamentally sound. Much of what they do goes unnoticed by the casual fan. This could be anything from hitting the ball the other way to move up a runner, to smart baserunning. I guess you could call it "old school baseball".

As much as I dislike the Yankees, Derek Jeter is that kind of player. Surprisingly enough, Julio Franco also fits that mold. I never really got to watch him play much "back in the day" because of how tv coverage was, but I've enjoyed watching him with the Braves the last couple of years.

I just love good baseball! I love to see an OF throw someone out at home. I love to see that kid that can consistently hit them out, yet I love to see the player that can spray the field too. However, like the posts above mention without the unofficial tool of "head strength" a player doesn't get nearly as much attention from me. I like the kind of kid 2-Seamer talks about playing "old school". This is as hard as the trying to pick "5 people you want to meet" thread! I love all the parts of the game!

The Cardinals have been employing the squeeze a lot this season --- there's some excitement!

As for hitting, my fovorite is a triple (attempted or successful, depending on who I'm rooting for, of course)....it's a race between the speed of the runner and the skill of the fielders.

I like to see a pitcher who can pitch AND hit!

Sticking to the question about your favorite tool.........POWER. It is also the hardest one to find.

When I look at a college prospect I would say I'm drawn to his arm, being a pitcher myself might have something to do with it But if a kid can straight rake we will find a place for him no matter what his arm is like Not one of the 5 tools but a players mental side and instincts are very important to me as well.

To see the heart and tenacity in players is pretty cool to see. But for a skill, I like to see some love-glove.

I like a strong arm even though speed is the "purest" tool and usually the best indicator of talent. Why? My son has a strong arm but nothing special when it comes to wheels.

I like power and arm strength .... they just seem to be "gifts" given to some players.

Arm Strength...there is nothing like seeing a right fielder charge on a baseball crow hop and gun a runner out at third base. Like a missle has been shot out of his arm.

Speed...It is amazing the type of pressure a player with after burners can put on a defense.

Out of the two, arm strength is my favorite!

My short answer is power. I love to see the long ball. But when I see a play like Jeff Francoeur made yesterday, throwing out Beltran at the plate from right field, man, what a gun! That was beautiful! I believe that was his 11th assist this season. He is truly a 5 tool guy and I enjoy watching him display all 5!

VERSATILTY!
I love to have players that move around and can help a team. Perhaps that's because my son is a man of many talents and master of none

Favorite tool .. fielding. I love the athleticism of smooth hands in the infield, hustle, range, thinking on their feet.

Favorite play ... a great pick-off on a good runner.

I also have to say that I love seeing the little guys who can do the things that big guys can do. For example,I like watching Ken Griffey hit because he can hit just about as hard as Sheffield who is twice Griffey's size. I also like players who make things look easy but not to show off.

Mr3000,

I agree completely, but you might want to use a different example. Sheffield is not twice the size of Griffey. In fact, I think Griffey might be bigger.

I don't know how big Sheffield is, but last year when I ran into Ken Griffey Jr. in a downtown Cincinnati Sporting Goods store, he was much smaller than I anticipated.

And BTW, he was gracious enough to sign an autograph for my son on the spot.

Justbaseball,

Ken Griffey Jr is listed 6-3/220 on the Reds roster on MLB.com.

He is listed 6-3/205 on thebaseballcube,com

Sheffield is listed 6-0/215 on the Yankees roster on MLB.com.

He is listed 5-11/205 on thebaseballcube.com.

Ken Griffey Sr was listed at 6-0/210, roughly Sheffields size.

While 6-3/200+ lbs may not be big by MLB standards, Ken Griffey is not a small man! And Sheffield would certainly not be one of the bigger players.

By any standards Ken Griffey is not half the size of Gary Sheffield. I guess that was the point I was trying to make.

There are many MLB players much bigger than both, including other outfielders on their own teams. If you happened to see Griffey along side Adam Dunn, he would look small.

Oh I wasn't questioning what you said at all. Since my son is 6-3/190, I would say having seen them side-by-side that Mr. Griffey is, well, not as tall (or big?) as his listing. That was what suprised me...I expected Barry Bonds-2. Of course, maybe its just another demonstration of unreliable eye-witnesses can be.

Relative to Sheffield, I have no idea.

BTW, I like the "Baseball Cube" site. I only recently found it and use it often. I've also emailed those guys a few times with corrections/new information on players and they're pretty friendly and happy to take the input.

I love the power tool...

There is nothing like sound of wood and watching the trajectory and the speed of the ball coming off the bat and knowing in an instant the that ball is gone.

Hit for average. Also being able to take the walk.
Got to love the guys who can hit .300+ with a .400+ OBP. Luckily for me, I get to watch Albert Pujols do that every year with 40 HRs.

For a pitcher, it's knowledge. If you can find a pitcher in high school or college that just flat out knows how to make his pitch everytime, you've found a special pitcher.

My favorite tools are as follows:

A perfectly thrown slider or breaking ball crossing the plate, accompanied by the look in the batter's eye that shows he knows he was just schooled

A full extention grab, where it seems as if the ball is caught in the glove by the player's fingertips

A catcher's 'pop' as he makes that fluid catch, extend and throw to second for a put out

Also, it may sound odd, but I love to watch a pitcher's follow through -- what happens after the ball leaves the glove

urkmb, Greg Maddux has a nice follow through.

URKMB...

"A catcher's 'pop' as he makes that fluid catch, extends and throws to second for a put out".

As the mom of a catcher....MY personal favorite too.....not so cool when the ball goes sailing into center field tho!

...and when the ball is just slightly ahead of the runner sliding into second, and the ball is ahead, then the runner, then the play is over...........and you know the ball was there wth the perfect tag.

And you look up and the ump is standing there trying to figure out what the hell happened.

It's nice to see the best individual tools, but, I've always been a "jack of all trades, master of none" kind of guy. This is the group that the team leaders come from also.

Got to see Omar Vizquel play yesterday at SBC park and he has seriously superb defensive tools. Watching him on TV does not come anywhere near doing justice to his defensive skills. He makes playing shortstop look effortless, even on the most difficult plays. Made the play far into the hole, the smoked line drive right at him that hits about 8-10 feet in front, made the play behind second, and finished it with an over the head catch in medium deep center field running away from home plate. He is as good defensively at SS at JT Snow is at 1B.

infielddad,

He is easily the best I have ever seen on a consitent basis. Of course have seen Ozzie Smith as well but not as much. He should be in the HOF someday imho. He is one of my all time favorite players and one of the main cogs in the Indians championship runs in the mid-90s.
Funny thing is, he is still that good and you are seeing him at the tail end of his career.

ClevelandDad,
I agree that he should be in the Hall. I think he has had better offensive numbers as time goes on and that should help. Playing most of his career in Cleveland and now in SFO with teams that did not win will not help.
And then there is JT Snow. Cannot imagine there is/has been a better defensive 1B. He is magic. If you rate defensive tools on a 20/80 then he is a 90.

I'll take athleticism any day. You can teach an athlete to play baseball if they are willing to work, but you can't really put more athlete into a baseball player. The kids I've had that were very athletic just seem to make plays...and every coach loves those kids!

My favorite tool is speed.

Because it is the 1 I didn't have

Speed is one of those things you can't teach, you can improve, but blinding speed is nature not training.