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Random HS game. Regular Season. Son is having a really good game, both offensively and defensively. Game is in the 5th inning (of a scheduled seven).

An older gentleman (in his 60s) goes up to our dugout and calls my son over to him. He's got a notebook and is carrying a bag with the logo of a MLB team.

He asks my son for his name. Then he asks "And, you're a junior not a senior, right?" My son says yes and the man thanks him and walks away.

Bird dog? Something else?

I'm thinking bird dog because it's just a regular game stuck behind a High School in a small town and there's nobody pitching on either team that would draw an area or cross checker.

And, it's not a media guy because we know all the outlets.

Or, was it something else?

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@Shoveit4Ks posted:

If he's a Birddog, he's an old one.

The old ones are the best ones. Almost all the old guys played the game and often at a high level. I see a lot of young guys at games that are with one scouting service or another (not MLB scouts) that obviously have no playing experience in their history. These guys know a lot more about posting on social media than how to identify a prospect.

@Francis7 posted:

I didn't think bird dogs were affiliated or had any real legit connection to a team? More so, I thought that they were buddies of actual scouts who would sometimes mention a name and maybe get a bottle of wine or some swag if one of the names actually turned into something. This not true?

Nobody credible would approach a kid in the middle of a game.  Most likely, it’s a wanna be scout that the real scouts kind of laugh about behind their back.

There is  a certain segment of the population that, because of something lacking in their own life, try to bring attention to themselves by living through someone else, or trying to be something they are not.  For whatever reason, the sports world has more than its share of that element, between the Baseball Dads and the other fringe elements surrounding the game.

Last edited by 3and2Fastball
@RJM posted:

Associate scouts get paid when the player is signed by the team they’re affiliated. They report to an area scout. I think Coach May is/was an associate scout for an AL East team.

I think the Rays.

I have seen scouts approach a parent but never a player at a game.

Francis, just tell your son to ask for biz card.

Last edited by TPM
@Francis7 posted:

FWIW, my son just answered his questions and walked away because the game was going on.

You were ASKING folks what just happened. Who could it be, your son, you, we, don't really know who it was so NEXT time if it happens, tell him to ASK for a business card.

Then you will know what just happened.

My reference to the Rays was in response to RJM about Coach May.

Last edited by TPM

Funny story, last night son was at a pitching lesson.  A coach approached him and asked if my son would come play for him.  I asked my son who he was and what else he said.  My son said, I don’t know who he was and I was working out so I don’t know what else he said.

Morel of the story, approach kids when they can focus on you.  Not during a game or workouts.  I’m sure this guy was just some travel coach.

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