Found an interesting story about men still scouting in their 70s and 80s: Baseball’s oldest bird dogs refuse to give up the hunt.
The term “bird dog” is used to label members of a loose network of part-timers who keep their eyes open for talent overlooked by the full-time scouts. They’re typically not staff members on the organizational payroll. Most of them are college and occasionally high-school coaches who have never played or coached in professional baseball.
As such, I think it’s a bit misleading to use this descriptor for these older scouts, many of whom were professional ballplayers and/or full-time staff in their younger days. For example, Dave Garcia was longtime minor-league ballplayer, and later, an MLB manager for the California Angels (1977) and Cleveland Indians (1980-82). A few years ago I met him here in Salt Lake: he was watching some 3rd base prospect from UCLA.
After the Angels released Darrell Miller and most of the scouting staff, Garcia got picked up by Buddy Bell and the Colorado Rockies. Garcia said Bell always saved a spot on the roster for his old manager, which allowed Davey to collect benefits and some change. I noticed that when Bell moved to Baltimore and then Kansas City, so did Garcia. I’d wondered what happened to Davey when Bell retired and found this news story on the Internet. Bye for now!
May 31st, 2008
I realize that there are plenty of football, basketball, hockey and soccer fans who proclaim baseball=boring, no matter how you slice it. As a fan of sports in general, the last two in particular, I think it’s time to open some eyes and change some minds.
For a comparison, let’s take a look at ice hockey. What makes it exciting is the players are always on the move. (Hey, I love on-the-fly line changes.) Not that it’s particularly productive movement, since final game scores are usually in the single digit range, even if both teams are added together. The total number of shots attempted by each side is usually around 30-40 per game, pretty close to the number of batters each pitcher faces during a 9-inning baseball game.
Experienced hockey fans know the best action happens in between the spinning red lights. Similarly, there’s more to a baseball game than HRs and Ks. If you know what to look for, 9 innings of baseball can offer a miniseries worth of drama, action and sometimes even comedy.
As proof I present exhibit ‘AAA’: the Salt Lake Bees, triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. At this level, players are literally just one phone call away from the show. So on any given night you’re likely to witness a highlight-reel play–a shortstop snagging the game-saving line drive or clean-up hitter sending one over the fence with bases loaded–complete with crowd noise and other sound effects. In addition, it’s highly likely you’ll be able to watch the same players make the same spectacular plays on ESPN in another year or two.
Let’s not forget the biggest advantage–you get to watch some pretty darn good baseball. AAA is the cream of the minor-league crop. The overall quality of play is polished and professional; you won’t see many baserunning mistakes, poor throws or misjudged catches. Pitches are thrown harder and for strikes. Homeruns go sailing out into the night, with authority. Diving catches and double-play outs are (almost) routine.
For those who prefer a little soap to go with their sports, I recommend getting a portable radio with earphones and listen AT THE GAME. Good broadcasters fill you in with lots of interesting facts (and if you’re lucky, gossip) about players, coaches and umpires. How might you change your tune about the *$&^@#!!! pitcher who gave up last night’s winning run after you hear he wears the same uniform number of a brother who drowned three years ago? Or how would you feel about a player who married an NCAA softball star? (And imagine what their kids will be like?!) My recent favorite is a pitcher who declared he is going to choose his uniform number to match his age for as long as he’s in organized ball.
Hey, who says baseball is boring? Not moi. Bye for now!
May 29th, 2008
