THOUGHTS

TR,
I think that in this day and age, all teams are going to be careful about who they draft.
I find it interesting that one of the Clemson players who tested positive for marajuana use was not drafted (football).
I like the policy of testing before the NFL draft and should be instituted for the baseball draft as well. Why shouldn't a team know in advance if they are going to waste a pick or not. JMO.
Welcome back.

TPM...I agree, but since there is no combine etc, all players in all sports should be tested before a contract is agreed upon or a $$ amount is set. Then you would see alot of squirming and things would get noticeably better in sports.

Personally, if it is possible for steroids (I know it is for other drugs) I would like to see "hair testing" ... that way, a player can't escape a positive result by stopping for a while. Hair testing can show usage from several months, as I understand it. Just don't know if it can be done for steroids.

By the way, if it CAN be done for steroids, do you think that might be why some of our better known major leaguers shave their heads these days?

Very interesting thought TR. With the baseball draft being 50 rounds and 30 plus teams, the rapid fire nature and volume of players from high school to JC to college makes the type of insight gathering you talk about very difficult I am sure.
If it is any consolation, on a cold, blustery, snowy Saturday night when baseball was cancelled, my wife and I had the pleasure to take 6 of my sons teammates to dinner. Wonderful young men and very solid citizens. You know you are dealing with fine young men when the discussions include how one player can use some of his bonus to pay for his parents travel to see him play this summer, one discusses talking with his Dad 3 times per day on the phone, and not one of them ordered a beer--game tomorrow.

infielddad,

The scouts who are really working take the time to talk to the player and his parents. They talk to coaches and to teachers about him. I suppose it is like any other endeavour, the really good ones go the extra mile.

VaDad, There is a wide variability and a large population of players available for the draft. If you are talking players in the first 5-8 rounds, most scouts had best do their homework. But maybe two illustrations show the variability.
In our area there is a top lefty pitcher who signed early with a Pac 10 school. In a recent article, one scout said he could go in the first three rounds and a a second scout said he had never heard of the player. In my son's experience, the scout who signed him saw him play at least 10 times, spent numerous practices watching him and talked with him for hours. Also had the national crosschecker for a visit. On draft day, a scout he had briefly talked with the previous year called him to say his team would take him next round. While he was on that call, his draft selection was announced. The baseball draft is nothing like football or basketball. They select over 1500 players in less time than football selects about 200 players. They are picking high school, JC and college players. You would like to think the values TR speaks to will be an integral part of the process but I think the process itself clearly indicates the wide variability from team to team and scout to scout.