Kyle Boddy's post reaffirms my thoughts on the topic. It is much less about Bartolo and more about the willingness and experience of the scout or recruiter to watch him and understand the value he could bring to a program. It doesn't take much skill to hold a radar gun, point it, release it and write a number down. What does take skill is understanding what the pitch is doing, and dedication to see as many possible prospects as possible. Sure velocity or good looks is sexy (like Tom Selleck in Swampboys example), we all get that. But the best scouts and recruiters will see the diamond in the rough. JMO.
We all agree that pure, unadulterated velocity is highly sought after but how many guys in one class can a coach sign? Maybe one or two? After that, coaches are looking for pure, unadulterated "pitchability." Can a guy consistently get outs? There are tons of high 80's guys who can carve and they are pitching every weekend for D1's.
fenwaysouth posted:Kyle Boddy's post reaffirms my thoughts on the topic. It is much less about Bartolo and more about the willingness and experience of the scout or recruiter to watch him and understand the value he could bring to a program. It doesn't take much skill to hold a radar gun, point it, release it and write a number down. What does take skill is understanding what the pitch is doing, and dedication to see as many possible prospects as possible. Sure velocity or good looks is sexy (like Tom Selleck in Swampboys example), we all get that. But the best scouts and recruiters will see the diamond in the rough. JMO.
The scout who discovered Jimmy Rollins exaggerated his height and weight on the report so the Phillies would send a crosschecker. He believed had he not exaggerated the Phillies would have passed.
Saw an article about the Mets drafting philosophy on Right Handers. They have started to draft body type - guys that fit the mold and have passable velocity on the bet they can coach them up. It showed a few dividends this year when Lugo and Gsellman saved their season and Fulmer for Cespedes transformed the team last year.
They kept Colon because he proves to deGrom, Syndergaard, Matz and Harvey the value of throwing the fastball for strikes and his demeanor plus they needed to fill the hole for Wheeler in the rotation. Turns out it was a good thing they did, it kind of makes up a little for letting Murphy get away.
The one thing we are all ignoring in this conversation is technology and how it will revolutionize pitcher recruitment both at the college and pro levels. Spin. Rate and direction. As this is measured precisely by things like tracman it is no longer a mystery why certain pitchers are 'sneaky' or 'crafty'. Movement is simply a factor of spin and velocity (setting aside environmental factors for the moment and of course scuffing or other cheating). So that guy who throws 87 with spin axis completely perpendicular to the path of the pitch and a spot on average spin rate... Batting practice. Nobody looking for that guy. But how about the guy who throws 84 and has an extremely low spin rate and the bottom falls out of his two seemer. And it gets a little tail or run due to a spin axis which is not perpendicular to the path of the pitch. That = great pitcher. The smart coaches and GM's will win championships recruiting this way. The old tobacco spitters will wave it off, grab their crotch and spit. "I know a pitcher when I see one" they will say. "I don't need no stupid physics guy to tell me who can pitch (spit), that guy ever play baseball? (insert condescending chuckle here followed by a spit). Just like the other thread on automated strike zone baseball people have to keep up or get out. Disclaimer I am an old guy - 54th birthday today in fact. But even us old guys need to realize time moves forward not backwards. Embrace technology don't swat it to the side.
If you assume that he has met the entry requirements for college or is close, there is no doubt any college would be interested. No education, no golden arm in college. Pro or bust, with nothing to fall back on. This is why so many opt for PEDs. The MLB created the baseball factory in the DR and spends millions in an attempt to get the best talent, often at the expense of the player and his future after baseball ends. The baseball academies are trying to become something more so that regardless of the baseball success, the players can come out with skills and a HS equivalent education. I wonder if the player comes out of the MLB academy in the DR, is he still eligible for college, assuming he does have the HS equivalent education and can meet college entry requirements?
Go44dad posted:Dominik85 posted:Florida State Fan posted:That's the funny thing with baseball, you just never really know until you know. I sometimes wonder how some of these guys playing pro ball ever got a second look. Great example of this is the kid from the Giants, Hunter Pence how he gets up there to hit and goes through his swing. He does everything wrong yet he's successful. I would love to have seen him play when he was 16/17.
According to the zepp app he has Close to 100 mph batspeed (not sure if that is accurate). I would guess pence hit .500+ in HS albeit I have not seen stats. he probably also hit 90+ from the OF with a crow hop.
You may already know this, but Pence has a congenital back defect that gives him no flexibility in much of his spine.
yeah I read that he has almost no thoracic spine mobility. impressive how he generates that kind of power, thoracic mobility is very important in rotating especially in throwing.
pence having one of the best arms without thoracic mobility (which greatly increases the arm lay back I was the ER phase) is impressive.
pence
normal
http://overheadathlete.weebly....763/4475002_orig.jpg
pence probably is losing 20 degrees of range of motion here and still able to throw 90+ from the outfield.