JG1982 wrote:But at the same time, doesn't what you do with those tools make you an effective pitcher? If a guy has a 100 MPH fastball and a 90 MPH slider but can't throw strikes, does he still have the "best tools" as a reliever? I would say, no..
Meh, it's subjective of course, but I'd say probably yes- the guy still has great tools. Great tools and great performance can be mutually exclusive. 9 times out of 10, they'll go hand in hand... but not always. Command is also a tool used to evaluate a pitcher and that's where it might come in for your scenario.
I think Lidge has better "tools", I think Kerry Wood has better "tools", and I think Carlos Marmol may have the best "tools" of any of those guys (however much it pains me to say that)
Here's another example of "tools" that doesn't neccesarily translate into success..
Doesn't Eric Gagne have some pretty amazing pitches? He's not even closing anymore
He used to. Not any more. Gagne now compared to where he was is night and day.
JG1982 wrote:But at the same time, doesn't what you do with those tools make you an effective pitcher? If a guy has a 100 MPH fastball and a 90 MPH slider but can't throw strikes, does he still have the "best tools" as a reliever? I would say, no..
Meh, it's subjective of course, but I'd say probably yes- the guy still has great tools. Great tools and great performance can be mutually exclusive. 9 times out of 10, they'll go hand in hand... but not always. Command is also a tool used to evaluate a pitcher and that's where it might come in for your scenario.
I think Lidge has better "tools", I think Kerry Wood has better "tools", and I think Carlos Marmol may have the best "tools" of any of those guys (however much it pains me to say that)
Here's another example of "tools" that doesn't neccesarily translate into success..
Doesn't Eric Gagne have some pretty amazing pitches? He's not even closing anymore
He used to. Not any more. Gagne now compared to where he was is night and day.
I guess the next question is this then..
Does Brian Wilson really fall into YOUR top three of best NL reliever tools?
JG1982 wrote:I guess the next question is this then..
Does Brian Wilson really fall into YOUR top three of best NL reliever tools?
I'm guessing he doesn't, but maybe I'm wrong
He wouldn't but that's more out of lack of familiarity. I really haven't seen the guy pitch at all (this is where I fess up that I was just snagging his pitch f/x data for the velocity).