When watching a game....

Tools...

1. Speed
2. Heart/ Aggressiveness
3. Arm Strength
4. Glove
5. Bat Control
6. Power

This is just personal preference... With the right heart/ agressiveness & attitude the other tools can be developed.

 

Tools most admired

What gets my attention first is a players make up. How do they approach the game? This starts before the first pitch is thrown. Do they bust on and off the field in pregame. Do they take infield like its the game itself? Do they have that bounce in there step so to speak. Do they hang there head when they boot a ball etc. Kids that look and act like there is no place else they would rather be than on that field are the first ones to get my attention. If they have a great arm and can really run I tend to have a hard time focusing on this if they are lazy or look bored by the whole deal. As far as actual tools my first is arm strength. I love to see a posistion player with a hose. I love to see the ball jump out of a kids arm. Then I love to see a kid that attacks the baseball in the box. When he gets a pitch to hit he explodes on it. I love to see kids that can mash the baseball. Its just fun for me to watch. I really like speed but not if they dont know how to use it. I would much rather see a kid that really understands how to run the bases. And if he has speed too then thats really fun. JMO

 

I agree with COach May... I also look to see the little things that players do to prep themselves. Their pregame routine tells me alot about the makeup of them as a team, and as an individual player. How loose are they? Are they too loose? That all depends on their personalities too, don't always read too much into that though, cause being l little loose before a big game reflects that thay may have been there before... I also observe them as the game goes on... How are they between the lines? Being loose before a game is one thing but do they really turn it on when the game starts?

Just something to think about also...IMHO

 

Love that speed....being the dad of a pitcher I love to see that Center Fielder run that ball down in the gap the would easily drop in for a double or triple....you can't coach speed....it's a beautiful thing!

 

There are so many things that makes this game the best. The Big Bopper...chicks dig the fastball (my son told me that)...speed on the basepaths...coaching strategies...the chess match between batter vs pitcher..Hot Dogs and (root) beer...a triple...a play at the plate...Hot Dogs... Spring weather...green fields...gamesmanship..and of course, banana pudding at The Townhouse.

Another area, that as I've gotten a little older, I appreciate more..sitting with a friend that understands the game and agrees with my observations

I Love this game!!!!!

Now back to "tools"

 

the tools

OK... so now we are getting into the recruiting aspect of baseball. This is one of the toughest things to determine.

I look at pitching first because that is what wins games ultimately. it starts and finishes games, no question. From a pitching standpoint... I want to see if I believe if a pitcher can get a hitter out. If he has a pitch that will either progress into a pitch that will dominate or has a pitch that will dominate a hitter at our level. I like pitchers that don't get phased by tough situations. I like guys that can work both sides of the plate with both off speed and hard stuff.

As for the hitters I first like Defensive skills. Most of the time speed goes along with Defensive skills from my perspective. From that point on I am not going to lie I like speed. I like the ability to handle the gameplan of the head coach.... Whether it be the three run homer or speed on the bases with good stick handling... I don't care regardless of the coach.

I think you need Pitching, Defense and Timely Hitting to win a championship, regardless of what level you are at.

 

the intangibles, & defense

I edited Coach May's quote to leave in what I consider the "intangibles". I like the way he said this.
I played HS baseball in the mid-late 70's with a guy that could have been the cover boy for what is said in Coach's quote. He was a baseball guy. He shined his black cleats before every game ; he never seemed to tire of coach hitting him hundreds of ground balls at practice and ever play was made with the same precision and fundamental technique. He seemed to have the same enthusiasm at practice the same as at games. He was also a leader and had a certain knack for how to handle that difficult part of the TEAM process; he was a leader to those players older & younger. A true player-coach on the field that guys respected. I was not a full-time starter , but this lead player really had a positive lasting impression on me as a person and later as a youth coach. He went on to be a very successful major D1 college coach, a true calling for the way I knew him in HS. He told me once concerning the D1 college that he chose for his playing days that "he liked the way they ran out onto the field from the dugout", not lolligagging around, but instead everyone running full speed out to their positions. Add that to your list of considerations when being recruited.

Oh yeah, I really respect great defensive plays .

 

You gotta have heart!

Every tool mentioned so far is a plus, and always a great asset to the game. However, if you don't have that burning desire that we call heart,then your're just talented, but if you have heart, you will be a champion!

 

A great pitch in an important moment in the game likewise a great defensive play or a grreeeeeeeat at bat and hit! All in the clutch separating the clutch gamers from the other players! Just my two cents...