The Challenge of Being a Modern-Day Scout

That is interesting, thanks for posting the article,much appreciated!!

At the same time, the most recent Sports Illustrated has an interesting article about the Boston Red Sox and how they are built more on contact hitters, defense and athleticism.

Several of the most recent World Series champions, in particular the Royals & Giants, were built on pitching, contact hitters, athleticism, and defense.  I'm convinced that is the best way to succeed in the postseason.  If you sit back and wait for HR's, a great pitching team can bounce you out of a series in a hurry.

Not a scout, but assume they earn their living and get to continue working by having a few picks turn into superstars and less on identifying solid, role playing players (which when pieced together by an organization form a strong team).  Perhaps they need to start doing more analytics on scouts' picks and look at the body of work as it supports a particular organization.  If you are recommending a player for a 1st round pick, you expect him to be a superstar.  Perhaps that is what the author is trying to get across.  If so, I can sort of see his point of view.

I wonder how many scouts have said "Him, he's got the stuff" and the head office has said "nope, his exit velo is too low". I think all of this exit velo, spin rate, and other fancy toys are kind of taking the fun out of scouting.

CaCO3Girl posted:

I wonder how many scouts have said "Him, he's got the stuff" and the head office has said "nope, his exit velo is too low". I think all of this exit velo, spin rate, and other fancy toys are kind of taking the fun out of scouting.

Maybe.  It seems to me that the measurables are the new "gatekeepers" to a certain degree.  More than ever they are the prerequisites in terms of playing at various levels.

First you have to get your foot in the door with the measurables, then the scouts determine if you can actually play Baseball well.

Have you read https://www.barnesandnoble.com...53?ean=9781492765073

Years ago I sat a a College game with a famous veteran scout - Lloyd Christopher. I ask Lloyd what do you see? He said Bob I am looking for the player who can play in the World Series with 85,000 fans watching and competes with everything he has, including the "6th Tool".

Bob

CaCO3Girl posted:

I wonder how many scouts have said "Him, he's got the stuff" and the head office has said "nope, his exit velo is too low". I think all of this exit velo, spin rate, and other fancy toys are kind of taking the fun out of scouting.

I have been wondering how Kyle Hendricks of the Cubs made it to the MLB. RHP that tops out at 87-88...with measurables seeming to rule the world, not necessarily effectiveness, how did he do it? Granted, I haven't been wondering hard enough to actually go look it up...but I have been wondering.

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4T2 posted:

CaCO3Girl posted:

I wonder how many scouts have said "Him, he's got the stuff" and the head office has said "nope, his exit velo is too low". I think all of this exit velo, spin rate, and other fancy toys are kind of taking the fun out of scouting.

I have been wondering how Kyle Hendricks of the Cubs made it to the MLB. RHP that tops out at 87-88...with measurables seeming to rule the world, not necessarily effectiveness, how did he do it? Granted, I haven't been wondering hard enough to actually go look it up...but I have been wondering.

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It's a great question, but you are selling him a little short. His first stint in the majors in 2014, he averaged 90 mph on his fastball (well, 89.9) See www.brooksbaseball.net/landing.php?player=543294. Here's a prospect report on him from 2013 describing his fastball as 87-91: 

www.fangraphs.com/blogs/prospe...atch-kyle-hendricks/

It doesn't change your overall question (how does a lower velo righty make it through the minors?), but if he were topping out at 87 or 88 (averaging, say, 85 or 86) when he was coming up, it would have been that much harder to have been taken seriously.

Kyle Hendricks:

a few years ago I was discussing with the SF Giants GM, as to why they traded for a MLB pitcher with a "losing" record. He said Bob, he is an "inning eater". He pitches 200 innings per year for the past 3 years. This save our relief pitchers. It was the 1st time I heard the "inning eater"

statement.

The successful teams have "inning eaters".

Kyle has pitched 180 innings in 2015 and 190 innings in 2016. 2017 will be similar.

Bob

Please don't misunderstand--I'm not knocking Hendricks, I love how effective he is! The comment was more directed at the current metric-driven definition of who's good, rather than the eye test.

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I'm sure there are plenty of college football and basketball players who are 6'4" plus and chose their sport over baseball. Plenty of tight ends and small forwards who will never play in the NFL or NBA.  But I bet they can swing up at a ball.

If Tebow does nothing else, he might show the way for some of these guys to get a shot. And at 21-22 years old instead of 29.