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10/31/16

Mack – ‘Stuff’ – Tommy Lasorda, Baseball Scouts, Garin Cecchini, Curtis Granderson, Dexter Fowler, Lucas Duda




Good morning.


A good friend of mine, and ex-colleague, Barry Martin, wrote this on Saturday -

We're watching WS and it's bottom of the 9th.

Reminds me of a story Tommy Lasorda told me at lunch one time. I asked the Skipper one attribute he looked for in players.

"It's the bottom of the 9th, final game of the world series. Bases loaded, 2 outs, best batter in the league is up and count 3:2. I want players who are saying to themselves "hit the ball to me - I can make the play." I want players with that level of confidence."

          Mack – Old school folks… old school.



I’ve been asked many times what do baseball scouts evaluate when you see them in the stands.


          Evaluating Position-Players:

1. Arm Strength
2. Speed
3. Bat (Hitting Ability)
4. Power (Hitting for Power)
5. Fielding

    Evaluating Pitchers:

1. Arm Strength (Fastball Velocity)
2. Quality Breaking Pitch (Curveball or Slider)
3. Other Pitch (Change Up Preferred).
4. Delivery & Arm Action (Genetic)
5. Body Type & Frame (Genetic)

    Tool Grades:

Scouts use 20-80 scale or 2-8 scale to grade players.
2 or 20 is bottom of scale & 8 or 80 is top.
Scouts grade with "2" numbers. The first number is current grade on 2-8 scale and 2nd number is projected future grade.

    2: Poor
    3: Well Below Average
    4: Below Average
    5: Average
    6: Above Average
    7: Well Above Average
    8: Outstanding


From Prospect Wire Baseball

The truth about colleges and scouts: the vast majority of college recruiters and pro scouts attend most tournaments knowing exactly which players they are targeting. Some coaches perform so much background research that they may only attend one game of an entire tournament to see a specific player pitch and then go home. Contrary to parent's expectations, most college coaches and scouts are not sitting around in large bunches at every game, at every tournament, hoping that they randomly find good players. The point? Colleges usually have a specific plan if they attend an event. If a college coach is scouting your game, chances are he is there to see someone specific in your game. This is a player's best chance to stand out in a live game situation while he is watching! How do colleges get the initial player leads that drive them to a specific game? Word of mouth from someone they trust (scouting service, high school coach, travel coach), social media buzz, videos, camps.

                    Mack – Sadly I can confirm this.

Back in the day (2006-2011), I used to go to Grayson Stadium around 2pm to watch the players warm up before a 7pm game time. The only people in the stands were me and a handful of scouts.

I got to know some of them over the years… Billy Blitzer/Cubs, Joe Giarraputo/Cards, Carlos Gomez/Arizona, Clay Daniel/Arizona, Kevin Reese/Yanks… and many more.

It took a while but I eventually got them to have a conversation with me that led to the reason them were in town that trip. I remember I used to tout to them one of my favorite members of the team, and most of them would just smile. One finally admitted that he was there to watch a specific player that might be included in a multi-player trade between the two teams (BTW, the trade never happened) and I could save my breath.

Every once in a while parents of a particular player would arrive to the stands and I always went out of my way to introduce myself and welcome them to Savannah. The conversation would eventually get around to ‘who were the other men in the stands’ and I would tell them they were scouts and they just might be here to check out their boy.

It was the least I could do to keep the candle lit.



The Milwaukee Brewers have released Mets shortstop Gavin Cecchini’s brother, Garin, who was once one of the Boston Red Sox’ top prospects. You simply have to do more in this game than look good on paper.


You’ve just lost any chance of the Mets releasing or trading Curtis Granderson http://www.outsidepitchmlb.com/curtis-granderson-wins-2017-roberto-clemente-award/55318 - you can’t off the currently most popular person in baseball?


Major League Baseball Trade Rumors (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/10/nl-east-notes-marlins-mets-cespedes-fowler-ruf.html) reports that Dexter Fowler could be a good option for the Mets in centerfield, if Yoesnes Cespedes doesn’t come back. They said that the Mets could sign Fowler, and bring back 2B Neil Walker for the same amount of money it would probably take to pay Yo. I would miss Cespedes but I would love the depth in the starting lineup with this option.


I’m very disappointed that the Mets are going to tender a $6.7mil offer to 1B Lucas Duda (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/). I just thought that Wilmer Flores and a cheap Kelly Johnson could have manned this position in 2017 until Dominic Smith was ready. But what the hell do I know?




15 comments:

  1. Duda is irreplaceable - I won't say how, other than to point out his outspoken leadership style. LOL.

    Mack, on articles, I rank you an 80.

    I suppose Fowler/Walker would be a fairly decent consolation prize, but I want Yo. I want an offensive, power hitting star.

    Alderson surely must be considering picking up the other Cecchini - makes no sense, but it feels like a very "Mets" thing to do.

    Imagine Gavin Cecchini with 2 outs in the 9th in the final WS game wanting the ball hit to him? The only way that would happen if he is sitting in the dugout and it's a foul ball.

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  2. Only in money will Walker + Fowler = Cespedes.
    To make the equation worse.... you are equating 2/9ths of your on field team to 1/9th.
    Cespedes + Flores/ or Rivera/ or whoever will = much more than Fowler and "bad back" Walker.

    As you mention fielder's that want the ball to come to them, it makes me once again think of the inherent flaw of Alderson's hitting philosophy and single minded focus on plate discipline and strike zone recognition.

    I want hitters that want to be at the plate in the situation you mention because they want to get the hit. NOT a walk!

    I look at hitters like Vladimir Guerrero who would get hits, even homeruns, swinging at pitches that practically hit the dirt.

    There is nothing wrong with swinging at a pitch out of the strike zone. As long as you can get a hit.

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  3. Only in money will Walker + Fowler = Cespedes.
    To make the equation worse.... you are equating 2/9ths of your on field team to 1/9th.
    Cespedes + Flores/ or Rivera/ or whoever will = much more than Fowler and "bad back" Walker.

    As you mention fielder's that want the ball to come to them, it makes me once again think of the inherent flaw of Alderson's hitting philosophy and single minded focus on plate discipline and strike zone recognition.

    I want hitters that want to be at the plate in the situation you mention because they want to get the hit. NOT a walk!

    I look at hitters like Vladimir Guerrero who would get hits, even homeruns, swinging at pitches that practically hit the dirt.

    There is nothing wrong with swinging at a pitch out of the strike zone. As long as you can get a hit.

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  4. Bob -

    Just an option if Yo goes.

    If you have to come up with some options if this happens.

    You are welcome to write your own post on this subject :)

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  5. Mack

    True, only Cespedes can have the final decision on where he plays next.

    I am just acknowledging what a steep drop off Cespedes leaving could mean.

    Alderson should have locked Cespedes up last year. Unfortunately his idea of Sustainability by being able to replace players leads to quite the opposite because of constant turn over.

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  7. Hi Mack. I think that for $6.7mm, I keep Duda to start the season. If he can get back to pre-injury Duda, (25+ HR, good OBP) he's still a good value, and a more than adequate placeholder for Smith. If he doesn't, you can still replace him with Flores and Johnson (or someone) 'during the season. Since they're clearly not goi g to bring in a long-term replacement now, his presence isn't stopping you from doing anything. I have a hard time believing that one year at that cost is going to be the difference, say, in signing Cespedes. You could even end up with a pick if he has a decent year and rejects the QO. No sense losing him now for nothing.

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  8. Do yo get a qualifying offer or was that negotiated out of this deal as well? If so let's not draft another tommy john pitcher waiting to happen ala Kay.

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  9. Anthony - agree - returning at top form from TJS is not an automatic, as Zach Wheeler has shown.

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  10. Mack I wouldn't just assume that tendering a offer to Duda means he will be back... He is an asset and at 7 million dollars he is not outrageous... A cash strapped team any feel he would be a solid additon... Think Oakland, Tampa, Minnesota, teams like that...

    I believe if you lose Cespedes you need to add 2 players to compensate the loss but I think you have to do better than Fowlers and walker...
    But everyone i believe feels like we need Cespedes.. Give me the guys who can "Wreck the Game" with one swing...

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  11. Not sure I would resign Walker. He was good but inconsistent - he had some two massive hot streaks surrounded by some really down months. Give 2B to Wilmer F/T (let him get a full season in what I think is his best position hitting against both RHP and LHP). See if Wilmer is our 2B of the near future.

    Unless DW is legitimately healthy, then Reyes should be at 2B with Wilmer spot starting at 1B, 2B and 3B as needed.

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  12. This will be one tough off season to figure out who stays, who goes. So many choices.

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  13. Guys -

    I just don't see any trade value for Duda, and, if Dominic Smith is really the bomb, I would use this money in other areas like a premium prime 3rd reliever

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    Replies
    1. I just don't think the 21 year old Smith is ready yet. Half a season of Duda may be all we need.

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