Tony Perez
Johnny Bench
Boog Powell
Lee May
What was their SPARQ?
How about:
Tony Perez
Johnny Bench
Boog Powell
Lee May
What was their SPARQ?
Tony Perez
Johnny Bench
Boog Powell
Lee May
What was their SPARQ?
I think there’s another way to look at Sparq testing. It is my belief and shared by many in scouting that you can never have too much information on a player.
Many of the points brought up are valid. But I don’t think Sparq testing will ever be the only Information that counts. Nobody needs a lesson in the various things it takes to be successful or be a prospect.
In the end, every player has a “package”. This package includes many things. It even includes things that have nothing to do with specific baseball skills. Once a player is recognized as a good prospect, all other information becomes very important. The bottom line is… Any and all information can be valuable! Everything from tools, makeup, and specific skills to intelligence, instincts and athleticism and everything in between!
I think TR and others made a good point in the fact that testing is not always done on equal surfaces and conditions. This obviously creates a problem comparing scores from one place to another. However, comparisons among a group all testing at the same place and time can mean something. After all, we do testing everywhere under all kinds of different conditions. So everything is never perfectly equal.
Anyway, my point is… if there is a player out there with some ability, I’d like to know as much as possible about that player. There is a reason scouts will go watch a baseball prospect play football or basketball in the off season.. The reason… They might learn something new about that player.
Sparq testing by itself will not tell us who the best baseball players are. No player will get recruited or drafted based solely on their Sparq score. No player will be eliminated from being a major league player based solely on his Sparq score. But it can provide information that sometimes can become a piece of the puzzle.
Many of the points brought up are valid. But I don’t think Sparq testing will ever be the only Information that counts. Nobody needs a lesson in the various things it takes to be successful or be a prospect.
In the end, every player has a “package”. This package includes many things. It even includes things that have nothing to do with specific baseball skills. Once a player is recognized as a good prospect, all other information becomes very important. The bottom line is… Any and all information can be valuable! Everything from tools, makeup, and specific skills to intelligence, instincts and athleticism and everything in between!
I think TR and others made a good point in the fact that testing is not always done on equal surfaces and conditions. This obviously creates a problem comparing scores from one place to another. However, comparisons among a group all testing at the same place and time can mean something. After all, we do testing everywhere under all kinds of different conditions. So everything is never perfectly equal.
Anyway, my point is… if there is a player out there with some ability, I’d like to know as much as possible about that player. There is a reason scouts will go watch a baseball prospect play football or basketball in the off season.. The reason… They might learn something new about that player.
Sparq testing by itself will not tell us who the best baseball players are. No player will get recruited or drafted based solely on their Sparq score. No player will be eliminated from being a major league player based solely on his Sparq score. But it can provide information that sometimes can become a piece of the puzzle.
quote:How about:
Tony Perez
Johnny Bench
Boog Powell
Lee May
What was their SPARQ?
ITS
Don't forget about my all-time Hero
George Herman "Babe" Ruth
Wonder what the Bambino's SPARQ would have been?
Just to play devil's advocate, I wonder what the SPARQ ratings of these guys would have been:
Mickey Mantle
A young Bonds
A young A-rod
Willie Mays
Lou Brock
Ricky Henderson
Probably pretty good I would guess. Of course a SPARQ rating isn't going to tell you who is a good baseball player. It measures athleticism, and all things being equal isn't it better to be a good athlete than an average one?
Mickey Mantle
A young Bonds
A young A-rod
Willie Mays
Lou Brock
Ricky Henderson
Probably pretty good I would guess. Of course a SPARQ rating isn't going to tell you who is a good baseball player. It measures athleticism, and all things being equal isn't it better to be a good athlete than an average one?
IMO its fine for all this SPARQ and other training to occur, but I think people are weighing it way too much. So you can jump high, run fast and are quick... go play football. Baseball isn't a sport that absolute requires these things. Does it help? Yes. And that's why these training mechanisms were originally made, because athleticism and versatility in baseball does help. But its the intangibles that make the difference. The things that can only be seen by the naked eye, not but a bunch of radars and lasers.
quote:IMO its fine for all this SPARQ and other training to occur, but I think people are weighing it way too much. So you can jump high, run fast and are quick... go play football. Baseball isn't a sport that absolute requires these things. Does it help? Yes. And that's why these training mechanisms were originally made, because athleticism and versatility in baseball does help. But its the intangibles that make the difference. The things that can only be seen by the naked eye, not but a bunch of radars and lasers.
I don't think that baseball is going to become a sport similar to football where scouts are somewhat enticed by track athletes based solely on their 30, 40, 60, vertical jump, powerball throw, etc. All of us realize that baseball is highly sport specific and will always be that way, but why should it be looked down upon when there is a system that can judge athletic ability better than any other service to date, and for free? I also highly doubt that SPARQ will break a prospect, and will do very little in making a prospect of one who wasn't looked to highly of before. A few things I'd be more interested in seeing are the opinions of professional and college S&C caoches and scouting directors on the value of SPARQ, because if those we are looking to impress aren't to thrilled with this form of testing, why should we be interested in return? At the same time, if the SPARQ rating becomes a big hit, how long will it be before local, regional, and national baseball combines are held along with other baseball showcases, just like in the other professional sports?
Athletic ability does not necessarily mean baseball ability not football ability or basketball ability etc
Most coaches would rather watch a good solid infield outfield workout
Most coaches would rather watch a good solid infield outfield workout
