Baseball is one of the most specialized sports there is. In order to be the top in the game, you need to have "the 5 tools of baseball": speed, power, hitting for average, fielding, and arm strength. With competition growing and players striving to be the best, being an all-around athlete is important.
Today, I read an article about building a 9 position field team using only 1 player. Taking 1 player, making identical copies of them, and putting them at all 9 positions on the field. A lot of names come to mind. Young, athletic talent is everywhere in the league today, but who would you choose?
Lets take a more in depth look at some of the most talked about players that made the list...
MIKE TROUT:
Pros: It's Mike Trout. He currently leads the Majors in in multiple hitting categories and he's got the size and speed of a tight end. Do you really think there's anything on a baseball field he wouldn't be great at?
Cons: Hasn't played any position other than outfield since he was a junior in high school.
WILLIANS ASTUDILLO:
Pros: The Twins fan favorite stands an extremely stout 5-foot-9, 225 pounds, he hardly ever strikes out and he can play every position on the diamond. In his first eight games with the Twins this season, Astudillo has played everywhere from catcher to center field to pitcher. He's clearly proven he can play anywhere on the diamond.
Cons: He's not a strong hitter. He's put up just a .699 OPS over his brief stints in the Majors.
BRYCE HARPER:
Pros: Harper's been ensconced in right field for the Nationals for so long that it's easy to forget how versatile he really is. Remember that famous Sports Illustrated profile? The one that hailed him as the next LeBron? That was about Bryce the 16 year old catcher that threw out runners from his knees, was clocked at 96mph on the mound, and could hit a ball 500ft... He's arguably one of the most explosive and fun to watch players in the game from flashing leather to cracking home runs in front of the home crowd at the HR Derby.
Cons: He's been strictly an outfielder during his Major League career.
DANIEL ROBERTSON:
Pros: Robertson had a strong case already: He's played all four infield positions, left field in parts of two seasons with the Rays, and he's got an impressive 124 OPS+ so far in 2018. Back in April, he pitched a perfect inning against the best team in baseball.
Cons: No catching experience, and he has over 162 games on his resume.
There is a lot of controversy over which MLB player would be the perfect fit for every position. Is one tool more important than another? Which statistics come into play when deciding? Are you thinking of someone that didn't make the list? Who would you choose?