What Position is the 'Quarterback' of the NHL, NBA, MLB?

[Orange]

I'm sitting here watching the Avalanche game, and it got me to thinking about what the 'Franchise QB' position is in the other big four (and soccer, too, for our soccer fans) sports.

For those that might not watch football and don't know what I'm talking about; some people feel that, in football, the Quarterback is the most important position. While all of the players come together to form a cohesive unit that makes winning possible, having a great, or franchise, Quarterback is highly desirable and the glue that holds a team together.

So, because I'm not nearly as knowledgeable about positions in the NHL, NBA or MLB, I was just wondering if there was a position that was considered "more important" than others like Quarterback is in the NFL. For the NHL the first thing that came to mind was Goalie, but I don't know.

So, yeah; for fans of multiple sports, is there that one position that takes importance on teams, or is this something that's fairly unique to football?

[Jedi-El of Tomorrow]

It's pretty much central to the NFL.

For the NBA, the point guard is usually the court general, but you've had so many players that didn't play PG that were their team's generals.

For the NHL, maybe Center.

For the MLB, about the only one I could think of is Starting Pitcher. Yeah, the number 1 only gets the ball every 5 games, but he's calling the game along with the Catcher. Teams know for a fact they need pitching to win.

[Red Impact]

The difference with football is that the roles of each player on offense are carefully delineated, and most of the other sports in your example aren't structured that way.

Basketball doesn't really have one, because all five positions are capable of being scorers. If you had to pick it on the sense that they lead the offense, though, it's usually the point guard since they bring it down the court. But the guards are usually more responsible for the scoring, unless you have a good center, then you throw it to him and he gets baskets down low.

It's 1 vs. 9 in baseball every at bat, so offense is pretty much an individual sport. But the 4th batter is typically the most important.

[Deleted]

I would say center in the NHL. A true number one centerman of a team creates the most offense and carries the puck longer then most forwards and have to win faceoffs. Plus they have to be the most defensively responsible since they practically have more zone coverage to cover. It's rare to see a winger to be the franchise offense player of a team or to rely on creating offense for the team unless they are once in a generation exceptional players like Ovechkin, Jagr, Hull etc. Hell Mark Messier started as a winger but became great when he became a center

[Brood Lone Wolf Funker]

Baseball I feel its a combo of pitcher and catcher, if you're pitcher doesn't have the chemistry with the catcher bases are going to get full, runs are going to get scored and the team will have to face an uphill struggle

[Vice honcho room temperature]

Goalie, pitcher, and for the NBA who ever the star player is offensively.

A great QB makes your team look great then it is. So can a goalie and pitcher. At least that's how I look at it.

[Clash, Never a Meter Maid]

For baseball it's a combination of the picture and catcher. The pitcher gets credited statistically with wins and losses, while it's the catcher's responsibility to work with the pitching staff in calling the games.

[RedSmile]

In baseball it's the catcher, he's the link between dugout/players and pitcher/rest. Watch Yadier Molina, and you'll see what I mean.

[Deleted]

Not sure about hockey, but I'd go with catcher in MLB, and Point Guard or Point Forward depending on how the team operates offensively.

[triplethreatmark]

For hockey, it's the goalie. The guy is on the ice the whole game and can carry a team to a victory by himself sometimes. There's a cliche that actually holds true for the most part among NHL GMs where they say that you have to "build from the net out". In other words, you build a franchise with a goalie, then defensemen, then forwards.

[h]

Center, Point Guard, Catcher.

[Deleted]

Mar 1, 2014 0:22:45 GMT -5 triplethreatmark said:

For hockey, it's the goalie. The guy is on the ice the whole game and can carry a team to a victory by himself sometimes. There's a cliche that actually holds true for the most part among NHL GMs where they say that you have to "build from the net out". In other words, you build a franchise with a goalie, then defensemen, then forwards.

If we are talking about the most important player to build a team around it would have to be getting an elite #1 defenseman that can play 25+ minutes any night.

[Deleted]

Feb 28, 2014 23:19:44 GMT -5 RedSmile said:

In baseball it's the catcher, he's the link between dugout/players and pitcher/rest. Watch Yadier Molina, and you'll see what I mean.

It's the only reason Tyler Flowers still has a job with the White Sox. He can call a good game from behind the plate.

(Actually, aside from Pierzynski, Sox catchers are typically crappy hitters and can't throw out anybody.)

[AFN: Judge Shred]

It depends on how you mean. If you mean who can take over and nearly win a game alone? Goalie and Shooting guard. If you mean controls the offensive play? Defenseman (they often say they quarterback the offense) and the Point Guard.

[RedSmile]

Feb 28, 2014 23:53:14 GMT -5 @akeem said:

Not sure about hockey, but I'd go with catcher in MLB, and Point Guard or Point Forward depending on how the team operates offensively.

In hockey it's the center, though each line has its own center. ex: Jonathan Toews is the "QB" of the Blackhawks. No way it's the goalie; he's basically on an island.

[Can you afford to pay me, Gah]

Feb 28, 2014 23:19:44 GMT -5 RedSmile said:

In baseball it's the catcher, he's the link between dugout/players and pitcher/rest. Watch Yadier Molina, and you'll see what I mean.

Great example. A good catch does this what he does. Plus when you have amazing control on defense catching runners and able to stop wild pitches. Those are huge game changing deal. I think catcher and a #1 starter are kind it. Some would say it would be a big bat but that's not true.

[Fundertaker]

In football/soccer is whoever the coach decides that deliniates the offensive plays. It's usually a midfielder (all the way back from Johan Cruyff and Maradona, passing by Guardiola, Zidane, Totti, Rui Costa, Deco, Ronaldinho Gaucho (when he played it more in the middle), Kaka, to Ozil, Sneijder, Xavi Hernandez, etc.) although there are fowards that can do it (Dennis Bergkamp was one of them), even wingers may do it (Figo did it sometimes).

[The Trashman]

Point guard for basketball definitely but in hockey at least on the power play it is whoever the point man is, usually a defensiveman.