Scout says sub 7 sec. 60 yd. is what counts.

Is this Chucky or the Bride of Chucky?

Can't the scout make up HIS mind?
Trick or treat to ya!

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The big dude that opens up his hips and drags the bat through, muscling up on the ball can enjoy his days playing HS ball, but at the next level, the major league scout says "speed and quickness and the ability to make contact with a short swing will allow them to be successful."

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The big dude that "drags his bat through" has never created draft interest. Guys like Brian Doparik, Prince Fielder, Ian Stewart, Brad Nelson and many others are enjoying success beyond high school. They don't specialize in speed and they want much more than to just make contact. Speed will not get you drafted all by itself, but hitting will and has.

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Northeast scouting director for one of the major league teams today spoke to a group of local HS baseball players and told them that if they cannot run a sub 7 60 yd. dash, then they are wasting their time if they want to play at the next level.

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This is one very poor scout who would make the above statement. Speed is one tool and it's fairly worthless if a player can not hit.

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Today, my husband confronted him and asked him why he changed his mind to go for speed again. His answer-He now had a bunch of guys in the minor leagues who can't hit and who can't run. He said that he is better off with players that can at least run.

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If he signed some guys based on their hitting ability alone who can't hit in the minor leagues, why does he still have a job? Everybody has to be able to hit, but those who don't run must be the very best hitters. Scouts signing players who can't run and can't hit are usually called former scouts.

If you can't hit... You can't play... No matter how fast you can run!

If, for one minute, you think hitting is not important then take a look at the just concluded World Series...David Ortiz, not know for his overwhelming speed or defense, was cosistently left in the game for his bat...he even replaced Millar at first in order to hit when the DH postion was eliminated in St Louis...look at Manny Ramirez...another example of poor running skills...mediocre defense but hits...Johnny Damon, while possessing great speed, was left in till he overcame his slump...you can have the most awesome pitcher on the mound but if there are no hits then the game is awash....The Wicked Witch of the East

Excellent point, PG!

What I'm gathering limom, is that your son can't hit a baseball.

I've made that same observation, Krakatoa.

I am curios which last place team this guy scouts for?

Krak....

I hold you responsible for my damaged keyboard. Laughing with a mouthful of coffee is a bad combination, for he keyboard.

Be good,
David

I will say it again, very simple

If a kid can hit he will play especially with a DH in use

limom

where has your son who cannot hit been seen ???

Please answer--
who does he play for in the sumnmer and fall?

what showcases has he attended ?

Here's what I find interesting about this thread. Not claiming to be an expert on scouting, but I do know a little about it .....

If I see a player that can really hit but does not run all that well I still may send in a report on that player. Especially if he has another tool to go with his hitting. Maybe he is a solid defensive catcher, or has a good throwing arm, maybe he has nice feet and soft hands at first base .... so many things.

BUT ... if I see a player that can run a blazing time to first base but cannot hit or as is noted above (drags his bat -- has a long swing with no bat speed) chances are good that I will not send in a report on that player, unless I was specifically asked to go look at the kid. Now if the player can run and maybe he has big time power when he runs into a fastball the process changes some.

Here's a common scenario when watching high school players: A player can run a low sub 7.0 sixty, he can send the right fastball out of sight, on the right occasion, his arm is average -- probably projecting as a left-field arm. This player has two obvious skills and a report will be sent in .... after that it is the job of the area scout to watch this player, evaluate and then decide if the up side is worth a visit from a regional cross-checker.

A couple of players that I have personally seen that probably never ran a sub 7.0 60 but could hit and had power that come to mind ... Todd Helton and Kasey Kotchman.

I know that is a very simplified explanation and so many other elements can come into play .... just my 2 cents worth

Bob---

YOUR 2 cents is worth a WHOLE LOT MORE than that! Thanks!

I can think of more major leaguer hitting well and not running well, than the other way. Pujols comes to mind first.

Just made a post on "limom comes clean" about this. Guess we have two threads going about basically the same thing.

limom84,

Any good scout is going to look at all the skills a player brings to the table and then evaluate the player based on his position. A sub 7 60 is a starting point, but to be honest a 6.8 is not that uncommon and if someone's time is in that range they better bring something else to the table such as hitting or excellent defensive skills.

I think everyone should ignore LIMOMs stupid posts from now on. What a DA!

RIGHT!!

Come on people, Limom84 can voice her opinion. After all we've been listening to the Kerry/Bush bull for the last 2 months and this thread kind of follows suite, empty and unfulfilling.

You dont have to be a sub 7 60 guy when you can mash. It does not take alot of speed to jog around the bags. And most doubles in the gap I could reach second base on. People that say velocity is overated have a son that can break wind. And people that say hitting is overated have a son that just cant hit.

The last scouting bureau tryout I went, the head director gathered all the players and said they should run a 7.0 If not, they better be able to really hit, cause baseball isn't a track meet.

Perhaps this thread should be retitled, "Which is more important, High School batting averages or speed?". I, like most other members, feel that if you say a kid can hit, that means he is a quality hitter - based on his hitting ability and not HS batting average. I believe that most people understand that batting averages are not the measuring stick. It is not uncommon for a kid with a high HS average, playing in a weak conference to be a weaker hitter than a kid with a MUCH lower batting average, that plays in a very competitive HS conference.

HS hitting stats can be misleading - the spectrum on the quality of pitching is pretty wide ... good hitting stats in leagues like Mickey Mantle, Connie Mac, along with State/National level tournaments, where the teams you face are deep in quality pitching from a much broader geographical area ... these are probably a good yardstick of hitting ability. If a kid can consistently put up good numbers against pitchers with good offspeed/breaking stuff that throw hi-80's to low-90's ... I'd say he qualifies as a good hitter. You just won't see the HS kid that's a good BP hitter on these travel teams.