[The Return of the 'nut]

The problem I have with your analysis is to be "athletic" you must encompass all factors that you rate. That is simply not true and it's an unfair analysis if your competition or sport does not require you to use that factor or is even capable of using that factor.

I realize this is for "team sports", but team goes out the window when you break it down to individual athleticism. If you put a tier one collegiate rower (Harvard, Washington, Cal, Princeton, etc) or an Olympic rower against pretty much any of the positional players you chose to analyze, he'd do pretty poorly based on the factors you consider are signs of athleticism. Yet, I would make a strong argument that the rower is significantly stronger both in strength and aerobically than pretty much any of those players.

Also, in the other thread it was brought up that someone never "felt winded" after playing baseball or a baseball practice. Well.... baseball itself should not wind you if you are in shape. Baseball itself will not get you in shape. It is the shape you put yourself into before the game that makes you great during the game. If you were never winded during a baseball practice its because you did not properly train. Baseball practice is not simply ground balls and batting practice and bullpen sessions. It's also weight training, running, sprints, core work, etc. The out of shape players many people harp on to say baseball doesnt require athleticism are the the exception. If you look at 90% of the players in the major leagues they are incredibly strong and in shape guys. As gay as this is, their uniforms dont do them justice. If you have seen Alex Rodriguez or Derek Jeter or even bernie Williams without a shirt on you'd swear they had the same build of ripped NBA stars. Andy pettite's legs look like they belong on horses. Nolan Ryan was as successful as he was because he worked like a fucking lunatic. His strength and conditioning program would awe most athletes in most sports considered significantly more intense.

The problem some people here, notibaly Kichaha have, is that baseball is a game that can be played on many levels. It's what makes the game great. You don't have to be huge to have fun playing it. Kids can pick it up fairly easily. However, baseball does have the most intense paths to getting to the professional level. It is not easy and requires a severe amount of play, practice, training, and patience.

A few more things
1. Someone said pitchers were overrated on stamina because they only have to run to a base on the rare triple. You have no idea the wear and tear on your arm and body throwing 90-110 pitches at 85MPH does. It's one of the most unnatural movements in sports, hence all the injuries. It's also one of the most violent on muscles, tendons, and ligaments. It requires a great amount of muscle and ligament stamina. And any pitcher who has pitched in 90+ degree heat will tell you that pitching is surprisingly aerobic as well.

2. I see baseball players are rated very poorly for endurance and physical abuse. I remind you that baseball has the longest season out of any professional sport. It is also the only professsional sport that is played every day. there are only a handful of off days in the span of 162 games. Over the course of a season, you get beat up, hurt, tired, worn down, etc. It most certainly requires endurance and involves physical abuse.