American League 2011 Best Tools
Aug. 10, 2011
Managers pick the best tools in the American League. [...] Continue Reading »

Finding Five-Tool Players: By The Numbers
Aug. 10, 2011
When we talk about five-tool players, we typically mean five above-average tools. How many big leaguers consistently meet the standards for hitting for average, hitting for power and speed? [...] Continue Reading »

National League Best Tools
Aug. 10, 2011
Managers pick the best tools in the National League. [...] Continue Reading »

Major League Best Tools
Aug. 19, 2010
MLB managers pick the best fastball, power, hitting ability and many other tools. [...] Continue Reading »

Scouts On Scouting: What They Look For In A Player
Aug. 18, 2010
BA assistant editor Conor Glassey spent the past year interviewing area scouts, talking to them about specific aspects of their job, with a specific focus on the skills they look for in players and how they judge them. [...] Continue Reading »

Major League Best Tools
Aug. 20, 2009
Picking the best in the big leagues. [...] Continue Reading »

One Tool That Can Be Learned
Aug. 18, 2008
When you think of Best Tools, at first blush you tend to think of them as easily quantifiable physical skills. A player either runs fast or runs slow. He has a strong arm or he does not. He can crush balls over the fence or he cannot. On closer examination, though, all the supposedly simple physical tools have a subtler element, the certain something that translates physical ability into successful application on the diamond. [...] Continue Reading »

All The Tools
Aug. 18, 2008
It makes perfect sense that Joe Mauer would relate playing behind the plate in baseball to standing behind center in football. After all, Minnesota's all-star catcher was named the Gatorade national high school football player of the year a few months before the Twins made the St. Paul, Minn., product the first overall pick in the 2001 draft. [...] Continue Reading »

An Infielder's Best Friend
Aug. 18, 2008
Derrek Lee may be a great hitter, but his glove may be his best attribute, as his fellow Cubs infielders will attest. [...] Continue Reading »

NL Best Tools
Aug. 18, 2008
National League managers pick the best tools among National League players. [...] Continue Reading »

AL Best Tools
Aug. 18, 2008
The Best Tools for the American League, as selected by American League managers. [...] Continue Reading »

Major League Best Tools Slideshow
Aug. 6, 2007
Photos of some of our major league best tool winners. [...] Continue Reading »

American League Best Tools
Aug. 1, 2007
A rundown of the best tools in the American League including which players are the fastest, best pitchers, best hitters and best with the glove. [...] Continue Reading »

The Cream Rises To The Top
Aug. 1, 2007
John Manuel looks back at who has been on our Best Tools lists for more than a decade. [...] Continue Reading »

National League Best Tools
Aug. 1, 2007
National League managers select their picks for the best hitters and pitchers and the tops with a variety of other tools. [...] Continue Reading »

The General Managers Best Tools Survey
Dec. 12, 2006
Alan Schwarz looks at which general managers rate best in a variety of job requirements for a GM. [...] Continue Reading »

2006 Major League Best Tools Slideshow
Aug. 24, 2006
The 2006 Major League Best Tools Slideshow consists of photos of some of the majors' biggest stars along with quotes about what tools they have and/or would like to have. [...] Continue Reading »

Best Tools: American League
Aug. 10, 2006
A rundown of the American League's best tools, as voted on by American League managers. [...] Continue Reading »

Best Tools: National League
Aug. 10, 2006
A rundown of which players have the best tools in the National League, as voted on by National League managers. [...] Continue Reading »