OK...
Some questions:
1. For 1B in particular, is there any rule of thumb about the relative weights of 1st step vs. good hands?
2. Ditto, but for the relative value of being good on hit balls vs. thrown balls?
3. So, the scale you think on goes average/above average/elite, is that right?
4. Is this your scale or some generic scouting scale?
I'd think there would be distinctions between good and very good... it seems like both should be between average and elite, but I know zip about what scales are used in scouting (except for the 20-80 thing for p-quality)...
1. I'd give good hands a little bit of a lead on 1st step at first base (reverse at 3B), but they are both important though with arm strength bringing up the rear at 1st. It's probably something like 50% hands 35% 1st step and 15% arm strength for me at first.
2. Thrown balls (all hands) is probably a little more important since you have many more chances on thrown balls in a game than on batted balls. It's why I weigh hands a little more than first step/range.
3. It's semantics, but it's tied to the 20-80 scale. 50 is average, 60 is above average, 70 is plus and 80 is plus-plus. If you want other terms, you could call it average, above average, very good and elite. All semantics and all based on the same 20-80 though.
4. It's an industry thing, see above.
If I had to grade his hands, Reynolds is probably a 70 for hands(I'm hesitant to give out 80s, they are reallllllly rare, or should be), 60 for his arm, and 40 for first step/range. Total package I'm willing to put him somewhere between 50-60 defensively, the more reps he gets there the closer to 60 he gets. I think if he puts in some work on his footwork and really works hard at trying to develop that first step he might be able to get better and creep on that 70 range, but that would take a ton of improvement on that first step and I don't think he can improve it that much.
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