Battier's offense has been subpar this year, but I've noticed he's been consistently making key blocks and steals in crucial moments of the game.
I think a good role player (in the traditional sense ... not talking about "star" players) is someone who can provide a positive contribution every night even when elements outside his control (number of shots he gets, whether he's hitting or not, the opponent he's playing) aren't in his favor. That means they have to be reliable defensive players, and they understand their team's offense and what their role is in executing that offense. They don't have mental lapses and they play hard every possession. They are the type of players the coach likes to have on the floor, even if they aren't piling up a bunch of stats.
