Better Late Than Never: Futures Game Weekend Part 2 of 3 (Baseball Prospectus Panel Discussions)

Hey everyone. I really wanted to get these pieces out sooner, but I've had some pretty serious stuff to deal with since my last piece. A very good friend/mentor of mine died from heart complications, a condition he had been fighting for about six years, at the young age of 37. Obviously, baseball hasn't been the first thing on my mind. Its been as much of a time issue as a mental issue as well, with the wake, funeral, graveside service, reception, etc., plus the fact that I've played five concerts in the last eight days (and I have another one tonight). But writing about baseball is something I've really taken to. It is something I want to be serious about, so I knew I had to set aside some time for it. So, with no further delay, here it is: my recap of the Baseball Prospectus panel discussions from Kansas City.

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The first panel consisted of former Dodgers GM Dan Evans (who has recently accepted a position as a writer for BP), SABR President Vince Gennaro, Pirates Director of Player Personnel Tyrone Brooks, Cardinals Assistant GM Michael Girsch and Orioles Director of Baseball Operations Tripp Norton. Just from reading the names and titles of these men, you can tell they know their shit. And it showed. Some of the highlights:

- There was some discussion regarding how someone could get into working in baseball, specifically geared toward getting jobs with MLB front offices. Gennaro said, "The teams I consult for hire people who can make a contribution on day one...Interpreting the new CBA and really understanding it; if you wrote a piece on that and sent it to every team, that would be an eye-opener."

- Girsch fielded a question regarding Oscar Taveras by saying, "Taveras wasn't a big July 2 guy. He was a $150,000 sign guy who just started hitting and never stopped. When Beltran's contract is up and Jay hits arbitration, he'll be a big part of our team, probably hitting high in the order." I found this to be an extremely candid remark from an Assistant GM, as he basically came out and said that at least one of, and implying both, Beltran and Jay would be gone by the time Taveras is ready.

- Norton was asked about the recent Adam Jones extension, and responded with, "If we don't sign Adam Jones to that deal, we probably have to trade him." Interesting glimpse into the mindset of a mid-market team with a disinterested fan base right there. No way they were locking up Jones long-term if they let him hit the open market.

- Vince Gennaro really opened my eyes to the genius of the second wild card implemented this year by MLB. I had been mostly indifferent until he said, "I love the new wild card system. There's finally the inequality and rationalization that the playoffs never had. All these teams are not equal. It makes being a team hunting a wild card berth kind of a sucker's bet." As a fan of hockey as well as baseball, this really struck a chord with me. In recent seasons, the NHL playoffs have seen a slew of low-seeded teams tearing through the playoffs riding a hot goalie and making for lackluster matchups in the Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Finals. We don't want that in baseball, at least not regularly. The more rare those scenarios are, the more intriguing they are when they do pop up.

- Evans discussed the player personality and clubhouse management aspect of working in a front office by telling a story about one day when he casually asked a player how he was doing, and the player responded, "I saw myself hit into the game-ending double play eight times on SportsCenter last night." Sometimes baseball fans, especially sabermetrically inclined individuals like myself, need a reminder that these are human beings and not robots.

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The second panel of the day included former ESPN columnist and current SB Nation Baseball Editor Rob Neyer (a last-second addition to the panel), Kevin Goldstein, Jason Parks, Rany Jazayerli, Bradford Doolittle and Jeff Euston of Baseball Prospectus, along with VP of Stats for MLB.com and co-host of the Fantasy 411 podcast Cory Schwartz, and Jason Martinez, the founder of MLBDepthCharts.com.

- This panel was very lively, starting with the introductions. Each panel member was told to introduce themselves and tell the audience what he does. Schwartz: "I was told I had a minute to introduce myself, so I'd like to take the next 45 seconds in silence." Parks: "I say offensive things on Twitter and teams contact me and tell me to stop. *Long pause* Thank you."

- Parks discussed the impact of fantasy baseball on prospect analysis, saying, "Fantasy baseball has led to unrealistic prospect expectations because people are constantly asking, 'When's this guy coming up? Should I add him to my roster now?"

- Someone in the audience asked about baseball's "new market inefficiency," which prompted Parks to say, "Talking about the new market inefficiency is the new market inefficiency!" If you read my piece on the Arlington BP event, you already know that Jason was way more active in this panel than that one.

- Goldstein talked about the shift in MLB toward either one-year or extreme long-term contracts. "The Cespedes deal was fascinating to me. Most guys either get deals like Pujols or they're clamoring for a one-year deal. Nobody does the four-year, $32-million deal anymore. And that's [a contract] every team can defend, its just that those contracts don't exist anymore. And maybe that's a good thing, because Julio Lugo got a contract like that."

- A question came up about the future of baseball journalism, to which Neyer said, "Edwin Encarnacion is having this amazing year. Don't you want to know why that's happened? I know I do. So you search on Google and in the first ten results, you find a story about all the adjustments he's made. I think that's the future of baseball writing. I think the game story will die off because we don't really need that anymore." I found this to be a particularly interesting response when I thought about beat writers who have to turn in a story about each night's game. Perhaps stories like that will give way to more advanced analysis as the baseball-viewing public becomes more attuned to the advanced aspects of the game.

- Parks got the whole auditorium busting out laughing a couple more times. In response to a question about teams overhyping their own prospects, he said, "It's like saying your kid's going to grow up to be president. Your kid is not going to be president. Your kid is going nowhere." Finally, when Goldstein was discussing Taveras, saying, "The way Oscar Taveras plays, and this is not a comp--" Parks interrupted, exclaiming "Jesus Christ?" That was officially the first time I've heard a player comped to Jesus, that's for sure.

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I'd like to apologize again for the delay in getting this piece out. I think the content is still completely relevant, I just would've liked to get it out sooner. Life tends to get in the way sometimes, though, especially for someone who has his fingers in as many pots as I do. I am playing shows tonight and tomorrow night, but will try to have Part 3 of this series up on Sunday or Monday. Speaking of, if you would like to check out my music page, go to www.myspace.com/scottstrandberg. I recently posted my new acoustic EP/demo as well as a work-in-progress track from my upcoming debut solo studio album. There is also a calendar of events for those of you who happen to live near Oklahoma City, and I keep it updated with out-of-town gigs as they come up as well.

As always, you can follow me on Twitter @scottstrandberg. Feel free to give me feedback on my writing, ask me fantasy baseball questions, music questions, really whatever strikes your fancy. Until next time, be well.

Futures Game Weekend Part 1 of 3: Scouting Reports

Last Sunday, I attended the MLB Futures Game and the Baseball Prospectus event in Kansas City. In that one day alone, I recorded more than nine pages of notes in my scouting notebook. Realizing that a single piece about this day would be absurdly long, and also stylistically difficult, I decided to split the article into three parts. For those of you keeping score at home, the first is a compilation of my scouting notes from the Futures Game itself. The second will be a recap of the panel discussions from the Baseball Prospectus event. The third will be a less baseball-specific narrative non-fiction piece about the weekend experience as a whole, much like my recap of the BP event in Arlington last month. With that, I give you my scouting notes from the Futures Game, in (mostly) chronological order.

- Jurickson Profar's first inning home run off Jake Odorizzi was on an inside fastball; Profar showed very quick hands through the zone to be able to catch up with the pitch and blast a line drive over the right field wall.
- Yordano Ventura looked very good in his start for the World team; his fastball was sitting comfortably in the 98-100 mph range.
- Gerrit Cole's outing started off very impressive. Xander Bogaerts was way out in front of Cole's 88 mph off-speed pitch and got blown away on the next pitch, a 98 mph heater. However, after issuing a walk to Jesus Aguilar (who is listed at 6'3", 250 and looks much bigger), Cole hung one belt-high to Jae-Hoon Ha, who smashed it over the right-center field wall. Jae-Hoon Ha homering off Gerrit Cole ranks very high on the "Scott did not expect this to happen at the Futures Game" meter.
- Christian Bethancourt has the best arm I've ever seen for a catcher. I'm talking at any level. His throw to 2nd to catch Jonathan Singleton stealing was absolute FIRE. True, Singleton isn't known for his speed, but he got a tremendous jump off Jose Fernandez and a perfect throw was all that was going to get him. Later in the game, he snapped a throw behind the runner at first so hard that the sound it made when it hit Aguilar's glove was reportedly heard as far away as Rolla, Missouri. If only Bethancourt could hit...
- Billy Hamilton isn't a shortstop. He showed good hands on a tough pick on a one-hopper to his right, but sailed a weak throw about 6 feet up the line. I've heard a lot of people say he could be a great center fielder, but I wonder if he has the arm strength. Obviously, outfield throws and infield throws have different mechanics, but it still made me wonder. If nothing else, Hamilton showed that he could probably be a solid-average defender at second base. Later in the game, he barreled up a triple into the right-center field gap, showing that he's not just a slap hitter. Granted, the ball was misplayed by Ha and probably could have been caught, but regardless, for a kid of his size and reputation, seeing him whack the hell out of the ball was a very good sign.
- The highlight of this game was without question Anthony Gose's defense. He made a great read on a gapper to his left, showed insane closing speed and made a fully extended head-first dive to complete an over-the-shoulder catch. As if this wasn't enough, he got up and rifled a throw that would make grown men weep back to first to nearly double off Profar, who isn't exactly slow. At all. I really wish Gose had played the entire game in CF so I could've gotten a better look at him, but seriously, this moment was the clear-cut highlight of the entire game. Jason Martinez (the founder of mlbdepthcharts.com who accompanied me to the game) and I talked about this one play at least 20 times over the course of the game, and I don't think that's an exaggeration.
- Dylan Bundy was a bit disappointing. He looked very hittable, giving up three hits in his inning of work, and maxed out at 95 mph on the gun. I thought he threw harder than that...
- Enny Romero was a pleasant surprise, as the lefty sat at 95 mph throughout his inning.
- If Gose's defensive masterpiece was the highlight moment of the game, Jonathan Singleton's offense was one of the more impressive aspects of this game as a whole. His swing is so beautiful. Quick through the zone, incredibly smooth with a level plane, basically everything you want to see from a prospect's hit tool. Singleton reached base four times (three hits and a walk) in five plate appearances and, as mentioned earlier, even attempted a steal off the battery of Fernandez/Bethancourt. Big props to Singleton for trying to steal a base in this game, especially against Bethancourt. He was thrown out by a slim margin (he's quicker than I'd expected) and really played the game as its meant to be played, as a showcase.
- Oswaldo Arcia was impressive as well, showing very good defense in right field, making excellent reads with clean routes to the ball. He also smacked a double down the line in one of his two plate appearances.
- Jameson Taillon didn't look as good as I'd hoped. He has a good live fastball, but he had absolutely no clue where his off-speed stuff was going. No command with anything other than the heater in this outing at all.
- Manny Machado is awesome. He had a classic "Hey look, I'm a shortstop!" defensive play, running back and making a leaping catch over his head that led to a double play. He also had a "Hey look, I can rake!" moment when he smashed a double down the line. This kid is going to be fantastic.
- Side note: My enjoyment of the game was tempered a bit by the douchebag frat guys sitting in front of us. For reference, they were all wearing matching blue polo shirts with what appeared to be polyester shorts, ranging in color from white to salmon to lime green to bright pink. They chanted "USA! USA!" every time the US team did anything remotely notable (as if national pride is what the Futures Game is about), and were so stupid that at one point, as a group, they mistook Mike Olt for Wil Myers, chanting "Wiiiiiiiiil Myyyyyyyers!" repeatedly during an Olt at-bat. Olt and Myers don't even really look much alike. At any rate, back to baseball...
- Speaking of Wil Myers, Royals fans are going to hate me for this, but here it comes: Wil Myers is NOT a center fielder. He started the game in right (where he didn't look great defensively to begin with), but when he moved to center it got ugly. His reads were terrible, his routes were maybe even worse. On one routine can-of-corn fly ball, he ran back, then to his right, then forward, then to his left, then forward again, finally making a shoestring catch on a very routine fly ball. There's no way he plays center in the majors. He's a corner outfielder all the way, and not a good one at that. Sorry, Royals fans.
- I felt so bad for Ariel Pena. He was a last-minute addition to the World pitching staff, which was probably the greatest moment of his life. In this game, undoubtedly the first time he'd played in front of anywhere near 40,000 people, he gave up eight runs on seven hits and a walk while retiring one batter, which was probably one of the worst moments of his life. He didn't deserve to be there and it showed, but no one deserves to be embarrassed like that. Bernie Williams should've removed him from the game far earlier than he did. You can't go leaving a kid out to dry in a showcase exhibition game like this.
- Nick Castellanos is really good at hitting baseballs. In the 6th, he started the madness against Pena with a single and homered off Julio Rodriguez in the same frame. The at-bat against Rodriguez was especially impressive, as Castellanos worked a 3-2 count and then blasted an inside fastball out of the park. He finished the game with three hits and showed everyone why his prospect status has been skyrocketing all season. Castellanos deservedly took home the MVP award for the game.
- Bruce Rondon was absolutely amazing. He registered the highest marks on the gun of anyone who pitched in the game, lighting up 102 mph with regularity in his 2/3 inning. From what I'm told, the radar gun at Kauffman was not juiced for this game, so that 102 was legit. This guy has "future closer" written all over him.
- Zack Wheeler was maybe the most polished-looking pitcher I saw in this game. His delivery is very clean and smooth, and he was delivering 97 mph heaters with very little effort. The Giants are going to deeply regret that trade for the next decade.


That's it for my Futures Game scouting notes! Next up will be my recap of the Baseball Prospectus event panel discussions, which I will hopefully have up in the next couple days. I really wanted to get these pieces up sooner, but my music career got in the way as I played two shows this week and have another tonight. Plus there's that stupid part-time job I have. Hopefully sometime soon I can get rid of that and focus my energy exclusively on music and baseball, but for now, the occasional delay is inevitable. Thanks for reading and keep an eye out for my next piece, coming soon! As always, you can follow me on Twitter @scottstrandberg.

"Just getting one shot to prove myself is all I'm after at this point" - Life in the Independent Leagues

Jake Laber isn't the kind of guy you hear about every day. He's not a major-leaguer, he's not a top prospect. Jake is a 25-year-old left-handed pitcher who has spent his entire professional career playing in independent baseball leagues, starting in the Frontier League in 2008 before moving to the Northern League (now part of the American Association), where he currently pitches for the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks. His baseball career started at North High School in Fargo, ND, where he was named the North Dakota Senior Player of the Year in 2004. From there, he attended North Dakota State University, where he spent his junior and senior seasons as the Friday starter. Upon graduation, Laber's efforts to latch on with an MLB-affiliated organization failed to pan out and his journey through independent baseball began. In 2011, he was #2 on Baseball America's Independent League Top 10 Prospects list: http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/minors/independent-audit/2011/2612459.html

You can follow Jake on Twitter @jakelaber. As always, you can follow me on Twitter @scottstrandberg.

Scott Strandberg: Jake, when you texted me just now to let me know you were ready for the interview, you said you were walking back to your hotel room in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I found that to be a pretty telling tidbit on what independent league baseball is like.

Jake Laber: Winnipeg is actually the only city I've ever been able to do that on the road. We stay right downtown and the field is less than a 10-minute walk. So, instead of waiting for the bus, i.e., the last player in the clubhouse, I'm able to leave when I want. Any other city though, I have to wait for the bus. Reminds me of a sweet ZZ Top song...

SS: [Laughs] We'll get back to the bus in a bit, but first, walk me through your early career and what led you from NDSU and into the indy leagues.

JL: It was definitely a rocky transition for NDSU from Division II to Division I, and I was a part of the first four years of it. We faced some tough competition and it showed with our poor records. My stats weren't great, but scouts always liked my stuff; however, not enough to even take a late-round flyer on me. Having the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks in the same city, and stadium [as North Dakota State], was my foot in the door to independent baseball. My college pitching coach, Steve Montgomery, was also the Redhawks' pitching coach, so that didn't hurt either.

SS: I remember one specific instance in your college career when I saw you pitch in person at the University of Oklahoma. You pitched well that day, but the defense behind you absolutely killed you. There were so many misplayed balls that got counted as hits that I don't think I could have even counted them all. Is that kind of a snapshot of why your college stats were what they were?

JL: It was a factor, I suppose, but I still had some maturing to do as a pitcher, myself.

SS: Do you feel that pitching in North Dakota was a disadvantage as far as your professional career is concerned? I can't imagine there were too many scouts, if any, at most of your high school or college games.

JL: I cannot recall any in high school ever, but I had some chances in college. Of course, most of these were all on the road against big-name schools. I think what held me back most was just the stigma of going to school in North Dakota, which, in my opinion, leaves doubts in scouts' minds, like, "Well, if he's at NDSU and not a Big Ten school like Minnesota, there's something they didn't like about him."

SS: Did you have any interest coming out of high school from bigger schools, or were you just written off because you played high school baseball in North Dakota where the quality of competition is so low?

JL: Actually, I did not, for whatever reason. And I'd say it wasn't the North Dakota thing because the same year I graduated, a player from Minot, North Dakota, went to play at the University of Nebraska.

SS: What's the life of an independent-league ballplayer like? From the bus trips to the crappy clubhouses, etc., give me the rundown.

JL: The bus trips for Fargo honestly aren't that bad. That is, if you're not a rookie, or one of the younger players. We have a sleeper bus that sleeps 14 people at a given time. A few trips exceed 12 hours, but we rarely get into a new town later than 3 a.m. and still have to play a game the next night. As for the games and your own preparation, pitchers especially are in complete control of their throwing regimen and workout routine. In affiliated ball, players are sometimes limited to a particular number of throws on a given day, and have to mandatorily throw bullpens. In indy ball, you have the choice of when and how much to throw, and how much to workout. That being said, I do throw and run daily, and I lift weights the days after my starts. I like to think I'm dedicated. [Laughs]

SS: I know you have a borderline-ridiculous offseason training regimen, can you go into a bit of detail about that?

JL: [Laughs] Well, I don't know how ridiculous I get per se, but I lift weights four days a week, while doing explosive resistance and running training as well. With a season beginning in May, I typically begin throwing in late January/early February. Once I start throwing off the mound regularly, I lift weights less.

SS: Going back to the previous question very quickly before moving on, what is the worst ballpark you've ever had to play in and why?

JL: Selfishly, I would say my home ballpark when I played in the Frontier League for River City because of the short porch, especially in right field. But for sheer crappiness, Amarillo was pretty bad earlier this season. Tiny clubhouse, the showers weren't even in a separate room from the lockers, and I had to share a locker with another pitcher! The surface had about nine different grass colors as well, and the hops in the infield were just as unpredictable as the turf color.

SS: Last year, you were named Baseball America's #2 Independent League Prospect. What did that honor mean to you and did it change your perspective on your career? Did you expect that to get you more attention from scouts than you have?

JL: It didn't change my perspective on my career, but it was pretty cool to see. I thought I might finally get the shot at affiliated ball that I feel has undeservedly eluded me in my career, but here I am.

SS: The fact that you haven't gotten a shot with an affiliated organization must be pretty frustrating at this point. How much interest do you get from scouts, and what have they said about you?

JL: I rarely speak to scouts directly, but I know there was heavy interest from Arizona and Milwaukee last summer when I was really on a roll. Scouts mostly speak to my coaches and not me directly. I hear little things like, "He can't throw a breaking ball for a strike," or, "I like him, but what's up with his leg kick?" The latter was moreso in college when I greatly exaggerated my hip turn, kind of like Erik Bedard.

SS: You're coming off two very good seasons for a pitcher in what is generally regarded as a hitter's league, but this year has been a major struggle for you so far. Specifically, your strikeout-to-walk ratio has taken turns for the worse in each of the last two seasons. Do you attribute that to mental pressure to get into affiliated ball, or is there something physical like what you just said about scouts' opinions on your breaking ball?

JL: I would be lying if I said I didn't put at least a little pressure on myself, but as a competitor by nature, I'm constantly striving to achieve and set new goals. I think it's definitely more of a mental issue than physical. Granted it's easier to say than do, but I need to be a little better at trusting my stuff and not trying to do more than I am capable of when I'm on the mound.

SS: What is your current arsenal, and do you see yourself projecting best as a starter or reliever in the long run?

JL: I throw a fastball (two- and four-seam), slider/slurve and a four-seam changeup. I've said for a few years that I project better at the next level as a reliever. I say this for a couple of reasons: 1) My arm never, knock on wood, gets sore, so I could pitch every day. I've been lucky to have never had a major arm issue. 2) I throw harder out of the pen with better stuff, probably because I'm not pacing myself as I do when I start.

SS: Do you think you would be a different/better pitcher if you had been playing in affiliated ball this entire time? In independent ball, as in college, managers play to win the game, whereas in affiliated ball, the emphasis is on player development and oftentimes the manager doesn't even really care about the result of the game.

JL: [long pause] Wow, I've never thought of that. My instant reaction is, yes and no. I love that the emphasis in independent ball is on winning. It definitely feeds my competitiveness and helped me pitch to win games. Perhaps the player development emphasis in affiliated ball would have helped, but I suppose it depends on the right learning environment and the people around you. You got me good there! [Laughs]

SS: This year, you're playing with Nic Jackson, who was once considered not only one of the top prospects in the Cubs' system, but in all of baseball. What is it like playing with someone who has taken the opposite path to where you're collectively at today, and what have you learned from being his teammate?

JL: It's often very interesting how people's paths cross in the game of baseball, that's for sure. Nic is a true professional and a man I respect greatly. This is actually my third year playing with him, and it's been an honor being his teammate. The biggest thing I've learned from him is his professionalism. He's also a great guy to have a good professional wrestling conversation with.

SS: [Laughs] Favorite professional wrestler?

JL: Currently Dolph Ziggler, barely edging out Daniel Bryan, CM Punk and Chris Jericho. Of all-time, Stone Cold Steve Austin.

SS: Excellent. Back to baseball, at this point, what are your expectations for your career?

JL: It's tough to think about, given the way this season has gone thus far. Short-term, I expect to turn this season around and give our team a chance to win every time I take the field. In the long-term, finally put together a string of starts that are too good for one team to ignore. Just getting one shot to prove myself is all I'm after at this point.

SS: Does the thought of giving up the dream ever enter your mind, and what would make you decide to finally hang up the spikes?

JL: It's hard to think about what life would be like without baseball in it, but with starts like my last outing, some serious doubt seeps in, but quitting is still not an option at this point. I'm still in a good situation with my personal life to afford to continue chasing the dream.

SS: You play on the same team that Chris Coste played on for years before finally becoming a World Series Champion with the Phillies. I have read his book, The 33-Year Old Rookie, and have seen his bat in the Louisville Slugger Hall of Fame in Kentucky. Does his story inspire you and keep you going in rough times?

JL: Absolutely. From time to time I think about Coste and about conversations I've had with him personally, and I know I have to keep going.

SS: What do you do for work in the offseason?

JL: I have an accounting degree, a rarity in pro baseball no doubt, so I've prepared income taxes in the offseason, and also done a couple different office jobs helping out companies with temporary projects. I'm pretty damn good at Excel. [Laughs]

SS: Final question...

JL: Drumroll...

SS: You have a lot of travel time. What do you do to pass the time, and what's currently on your iPod?

JL: I literally have zero songs on my iPod. It's actually my mom's, but she doesn't use it. It's all about podcasts; the Adam Carolla Podcast, the WTF Podcast with Marc Maron, Fantasy Focus (baseball edition) and B.S. Report with Bill Simmons. Those are my top four. I should probably listen to Fantasy Focus a little more often with the way my fantasy baseball team is fading right now. [Laughs]

SS: I'd also highly recommend Up and In and The Prodcast. Well, with that, thank you so much for your time and best of luck to you this season and in your career!

JL: Thank you very much, I appreciate it!

"...and that's how I ended up drinking vodka with Jason Parks in a hotel lobby until 1 AM" - A tale of shenanigans in Arlington

I like to do all kinds of writing. I was a journalism student for two semesters back in college, and I have written countless film analyses as well as several short stories and screenplays. Yesterday I attended the Baseball Prospectus event at the Ballpark in Arlington, which I had been planning to write all along. However, on my drive home, I realized that this was a journey so epic that it could not be approached in a way that even resembles journalism. It is a story of #want, a tale of masculinity at its finest, a ripping yarn full of action and adventure. This, my friends...this was one of the greatest nights I can remember. So I have decided to tell the tale the best way I can, in narrative form. And with that, I give you "...and that's how I ended up drinking vodka with Jason Parks in a hotel lobby until 1 AM."


This tale really begins the night before, after playing a particularly awesome show with my band The Living Dead, when my night was ruined as I was mugged walking the streets of my normally safe and peaceful home of Norman, OK, just three blocks from my apartment. I only lost $40 and was unharmed, but didn't get home until about 5 AM after spending a good deal of time talking to the cops and waiting to see if they would find the guy (they didn't). I awoke to the harsh tones of my alarm clock at 10:30 AM and debated until past 11:00 whether I was going to Arlington or whether I was going to sulk in my apartment all day with the A/C cranked and the curtains down, thus replicating the cold, dark place my mind was at after the previous night's bullshittery. Upon taking my anxiety medication, the decision was made as clear as the bright, hot day hidden behind my blackout curtains. It was time to drive to Arlington.

I stopped twice on the way, once for gas and cigarettes, once for a Subway breakfast sandwich. The sandwich was hot, juicy and satisfying. Anticipation was mounting at seemingly unsustainable rates, until finally I arrived here:

Despite the fact that I live a mere three hours away, this was my first trip to the Ballpark in Arlington, mostly because my deep love of Kauffman Stadium draws me to Kansas City whenever I feel the need to scratch my MLB itch. That and the facts that A) Kansas City is easier to navigate, B) I have friends I stay with in KC and C) KC is not in Texas.

It was a typically blisteringly hot day in Dallas with temperatures soaring into the 100s (its actually 105 right now as I write this back home in Norman, with the AC blowing my greasy hair back, making it look almost cool except for the grease factor), so it was a great relief the moment the doors to the Rangers Hall of Fame opened and we were admitted into its cool, comforting embrace. After receiving my game ticket from BP President Joe Hamrahi, who returns to this story later, I entered the theater and waited for the Q&A session to begin.

The Q&A session was awesome. A cavalcade of stars ascended their somewhat-uncomfortably tall-looking stools at the front of the room and I found myself captivated by the words of Rangers GM Jon Daniels, scouting legend Don Welke, Kevin Goldstein, Jason Parks and Jamey Newberg. My plan for this piece I'm currently writing was to focus on the content of that Q&A session, but it turned out to be deeply Rangers-centric and I realized that it wouldn't appeal to as wide of an audience as a piece of narrative non-fiction, though I'm probably completely wrong about that. I really don't care that I'm wrong about that either, because I'm deeply enjoying writing this as I sip on a cup of hot green tea gazing out the window, thinking about how much I love breakfast sandwiches.

At any rate, lets dive into some actual baseball info right now before I head back into storytime. The highlight of the Q&A session was undoubtedly Rangers Special Assistant to the GM Don "The Coach" Welke. Mr. Welke has been a scout since the 1960's and his insight into the scouting world was invaluable. He spoke at length about the importance of scouting makeup, at one point saying "Talent comes first, makeup is a very, very close second." He went on to describe the difference between stateside scouting and international scouting, explaining that makeup is even more important in international scouting because the background the player comes from is often so radically different from that of an American-born player. Coach said that with every player he scouts on a serious level (in other words, someone the team is very seriously interested in signing), he gets to know not just the player on a personal level, but also his parents, friends, coaches--basically everyone involved in that player's life to get a grasp on who the player really is. "You can have all the physical tools in the world, but that doesn't mean a thing if you don't have the desire and the work ethic to turn those tools into major league-level baseball skills." I also really appreciated Coach's insight on drafting and player development, saying "We need high-level guys that can be stars. The guys I like taking are the guys that are boom-or-bust. If you sign ten of those kids and two become stars, you're way ahead of the teams that are taking more polished, lower-upside kids with a more consistent success rate."

The other highlight of the session was Jon Daniels, the architect of one of the most successful franchises in American professional sports. Jon, who is in tremendous shape and is quite handsome, was hired by the Rangers when he was just 28 years old, making him the youngest GM in the history of MLB, and also making me feel like one hell of an underachiever, considering that I am 27 and that my claim to fame is that I wear a stunningly cool Iron Maiden hat everywhere I go. One thing that really stuck out to me about Daniels' comments was the discussion about Jairo Beras. For those of you who don't know, Beras is a Dominican outfielder surrounded by a boatload of controversy. Beras submitted a birth certificate to MLB stating his age as 16, and therefore eligible for the July 2 international signing date. However, on February 29, Beras performed some serious leap-year shenanigans by providing MLB with a new birth certificate claiming his age to be 17 and signing with the Rangers for $4.5 million. The Rangers have caught a lot of heat from the other major league clubs, as well as the media, for this action. Many clubs seem to feel that the Rangers pulled a fast one and yanked the rug out from under the rest of the league by signing this kid before July 2, when their international signing pool would undoubtedly be far too small to sign Beras. Daniels, speaking about Beras, said "We did everything right with [Beras]. We did not break any rules. We gained information indicating that he was a 17-year-old and signed him. It is Major League Baseball's responsibility to gather reliable information regarding the accurate age of international players." Personally, I find this a bit questionable, seeing as Beras himself submitted the allegedly incorrect birth certificate claiming he was 16 and then all of a sudden signed with the Rangers with his shiny new 17-year-old certificate. Regardless, whether the Rangers pulled a fast one with Beras or not, Daniels said what he had to say about the situation. Its not like the guy's gonna come out and tell 200 fans, "Yeah, we broke the rules. But hey, this kid's a monster, so who cares." After Daniels discussed Beras, Welke chimed in with his opinions: "You watch this kid Beras take BP...he looks like Josh [Hamilton]," at which point many of the Rangers fans in attendance left the auditorium briefly to change their underpants.

After Welke poked some fun at himself for having graduated from "Harvard...Illinois high school" (a joke directed at Daniels, a Cornell grad), a fan asked Daniels about the offseason battle over Prince Fielder. Daniels responded that while Fielder's bat would obviously look great in the Rangers lineup, saying "That is in no way a knock against Mitch [Moreland]," he also stated, "I don't think we even came in second in that race, and probably not third either."

I had the opportunity to pose a question to Daniels myself. I asked, "How much interest did you have in signing Roy Oswalt in the offseason and what was the process that led to him pitching in Arlington?" Daniels responded, "We watched him pitch several times in the offseason and, although we were interested, we never made an offer to Roy. We felt at the time that we had options in-house that were as good or better for our needs [...] When [Neftali Feliz] went down, we had seen Roy pitch either earlier that day or the day before. It was a total coincidence, it wasn't like Feliz got hurt and we went and watched Roy. But when that happened, we decided it was in our best interests to bring Roy here to Arlington."

One last note on the Q&A that I found particularly interesting was the discussion of Jurickson Profar, the Rangers stud SS prospect, and what will happen when he's big-league ready. The person asking the question was wondering whether the Rangers would move Elvis Andrus to 2B and move Ian Kinsler to the outfield, to which Goldstein responded, "That's a great problem to have. There are a lot of teams out there wondering, 'who could we possibly put at shortstop?' The Rangers have the luxury of having multiple options. Also, the way Andrus' contract is structured, it doesn't buy out any of his free agent years. When that contract is up, I think he will be gone." I expected this comment to ruffle some feathers in the crowd and especially with the Rangers staff on-hand, but no one said anything and they moved right on to the next question. That's pretty telling right there.

After the Q&A finished, a group of us gathered up front, where I met Parks and Goldstein and we took a photo which overflows with masculine handsomeness. It was at this point that the day started shifting from just plain awesome to an absolutely astronomical level of awesomeness. I was approached by several Up and In podcast listeners, who recognized me and my broken wrist from my Tales of #Want email, including a really nice guy named Joe Tetreault. Joe told me that he and his friends listen to every podcast and that one of his friends had started following me on Twitter. When they saw my posts about my show with The Living Dead on Friday night, two of his friends drove all the way from Dallas to Norman to attend my show. That is some SERIOUS #want and I was beyond flattered.

At this point, podcast legend Juan Villarreal (better known to listeners as Juan from Monterrey, Mexico) introduced himself to me and we hit it off immediately. We went upstairs for dinner, where Juan and I chatted with Tetreault over a meal of lukewarm hot dogs and chips until well after the first pitch of the game. We discussed our incredibly different lifestyles (me, a musician/writer/part-time caterer; Juan, an employee of the Mexican government in the anti-drug cartel efforts; Joe, a self-described "office drone") and how despite these differences, we shared a love of all things baseball and the opinion that financial security is way less valuable than happiness and friendship [insert touching comment about humanity here]. After dinner, we talked with Goldstein and Parks for awhile (highlighted by Kevin's comment, "I'm pretty sure that on April 4, Ron Washington brings his lineup card to his secretary and says 'Can I get like 100 copies of this?"), and Parks showed me the miniature donkey figurine he had purchased at a truck stop (more miniature donkey photos to come):

After retreating outside for a smoke with Goldstein (pretty sure we were the only smokers at the event), we finally went into the game. I sat with Kevin until the 5th inning, during which time we discussed Matt Harrison (Goldstein: "What's not to love? He's a big powerful lefty. How much more do you want?"), Michael Young's offensive regression and Ian Kinsler's defensive regression. At one point, Parks turned around from the row in front of us and made the observation, "Look at [Alex White's] delivery. Its so slow you could probably time it with your stopwatch." Not surprisingly, White was removed after 2.2 IP after allowing 4 runs on 6 hits and 4 walks, and was subsequently optioned to the minors today.

I asked Kevin about my good friend Jake Laber (who I will be interviewing for an upcoming article), a 25-year-old independent-league pitcher who was #2 on Baseball America's Top 10 Independent League Players list last year. He responded, "He's 25? Man, that's tough. But a lefty with a good fastball and slider...if he gets a bite from an org, you never know." Kevin also made at least five cryptic statements regarding the possibility of the podcast ending at episode 99, often just throwing them into a completely unrelated conversation. During the 5th inning, he left to go sit with some friends and I moved down a row to sit with Parks, Juan and Joe Hamrahi.

Parks and I enjoyed a few Coors Light tallboys while discussing their excellent ability to hold a chill even on a hellishly hot day. After awhile, Parks also left to go talk to some friends, leaving me, Juan and Joe to have a wonderful conversation that lasted until the end of the game. Topics ranged from baseball to the inner workings of BP to how completely badass Ian Miller is. Joe is seriously one of the nicest guys ever. He gave both Juan and myself his contact info and told us that if we ever have suggestions about how to improve BP or if we ever need anything at all that we can feel free to contact him at any time. Joe left in the 9th inning, leaving me and Juan to discuss our opinions on Rangers Ballpark (we agreed that we appreciated its intimate setting but were somewhat disappointed by its generic feel), politics and our mutual love of metal.

At the end of the game, the awesomeness really kicked into high gear. Parks, Juan and I, accompanied by two very cool people named Phil and Holly (sorry if I got your names wrong!!!), headed to Juan's car where he gave Jason three bottles of mescal, as well as a tortilla press for Jason to give to Kevin. This really struck me as an indication of Juan's character: He not only flew all the way from Mexico to attend this event, but he brought some very nice gifts. Juan gave me a hug and told me he would come see me play music sometime, to which Jason commented, "He really might do it, man. He's that kind of guy. Don't be surprised if he books a flight to Oklahoma City." Juan left to go back to his hotel room as he had to catch an early flight back to Monterrey and Parks invited Phil, Holly and myself back to his hotel to have some drinks in the hotel bar.

We met up in the lobby bar at the Hyatt where Jason was staying, accompanied by the miniature donkey, and immediately started ordering rounds of vodka cranberrys. This is where things got completely awesome. As we were sitting down at our table, Parks said "Hey wait guys, I have to face the lobby in case someone who recognizes me walks in." We entered into a conversation about film, music, TV; basically all things pop culture, while taking frequent breaks to make fun of every single person who entered the hotel lobby. Highlights of Jason's comments on the hotel guests:

Tall, emaciated man with moustache: "Holy shit, its Randy Johnson!"
Well-dressed 40-something man with well-coiffed hair enters with shirt half-open: "Did you see that? That guy's got style. Just waltzes right in with his shirt flying open and then does a completely unnecessary 360 degree turn just so everyone can see how awesome his hair is."
Group of middle-aged Mennonite women: "Mmm, show me some ankle, baby. I want to touch your calves."

Jason also displayed his remarkable ability to turn on the handsome whenever he damn well pleases when our waitress, a young blonde girl named Destiny, came to our table to get us another round. When she asked if we wanted singles or doubles, Parks leaned in, turned on the charm and said seductively, "Destiny, could you make them doubles and charge them as singles? That's what the other bartender did and I'd like to see you do it too." Clearly amazed by Jason's impressive display of handsomeness, and flattered that it was directed at her, she agreed. This led to a debate between the four of us as to how many kids we thought Destiny probably had (my guess: 0, Jason's guess: 3). Jason asked me to explain the phrase "drunken sexual mishap" from my email on Up and In and revealed that he and Goldstein had a long conversation trying to figure out how I could've possibly ended up with a broken wrist from a sexual escapade. It took me about 10 full minutes to make them understand what happened (admittedly, the accident rated high on the bizarro meter), at which point Parks suggested that we ask Destiny up to his room to see if the incident could be recreated successfully. Unfortunately, Destiny's shift was over and she had gone home, so I guess we'll never know.

Parks and I started discussing our various musical projects and he revealed the nature of a project he just started: "Its a concept album. Have you seen the movie Iron Eagle? Its a collection of songs written from the perspective of Jason Gedrick's character to the rest of the cast. Like, a bunch of love songs from Gedrick to Louis Gossett, Jr." Genius. Bizarre, unique genius.

At this point, I decided it was probably time to call it a night as it was 1:00 AM. I said goodnight to Jason, Phil and Holly and departed, basking in the glow of an absolutely incredible nine hours of baseball, conversation and camaraderie. I stopped at McDonald's for an egg McMuffin, thus completing my day the same way it started, with a hot, tasty breakfast sandwich. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go make some eggs.

My Conversation with Keith Law

While at the Big 12 "Baseballl" Tournament, I had the pleasure of meeting ESPN's baseball guru, Keith Law. We had a 45-minute conversation about all things baseball (along with some non-baseball talk as well), and this conversation was what actually inspired me to start this blog. I had been planning on starting one for a long time, but meeting KLaw was definitely the catalyst.

First off, I know that many people get the impression that Keith is too snarky/negative/etc. Let me just say that is absolutely not the case. From the moment I sat down with him until our conversation ended 45 minutes later, he was friendly, humorous and (obviously) extremely intelligent. He never made me feel awkward or that I was bothering him in the slightest. The conversation flowed as easily as when I meet up with a buddy at the bar. The only time the snark came out was when an older fan in front of us turned around and asked him what he thought about Texas A&M, except instead of asking him about the Aggies, he turned it into a homophobic slur. After KLaw gave the man the response he deserved, I told Keith "Welcome to Oklahoma, Klaw."

Mr. Law did not know that I would be blogging about our conversation and honestly, at the time I did not either. I will only quote him directly from the notes I wrote immediately after we finished talking and will paraphrase anything else. I am also using my discretion and leaving out parts of the conversation that I know he would not have told me had he known I would be writing about it. With that, I give you a day at the ballpark with Keith Law.

- The most fascinating part of our entire conversation was when we discussed bad managers on the major league level. Bad managers are a frequent topic on Baseball Today, so I brought up the example of the Twins/White Sox game on May 22. The Sox were down 4-1 in the 4th inning with runners on 2nd and 3rd and 2 out. Ventura chose to intentionally walk Joe Mauer to load the bases for Josh Willingham, putting an extra runner on base without even creating the possibility of a double play. Willingham hit a 2-run single and Justin Morneau followed with a 3-run homer, putting the Twins up 9-1 and essentially ending the game in the 4th inning. Keith responded, "That's a great example. [Ventura] took his team from maybe a 25-30% chance to win the game to a 1% chance. Plus, Willingham is having a better season than Mauer and is a great OBP guy, so regardless of who's hitting in front of him, its a terrible decision because you put yourself in a situation where you could easily walk in a run."

I then asked Keith what kind of impact a manager actually has on a major league team's performance. His response was both surprising and enlightening: "A good manager can gain his team about three extra wins over the course of a season. A bad manager can cost his team ten wins with the possibility of further damage in future seasons because of misuse of players and putting them into the wrong roles, possibly affecting their development." This reminded me of the Futurama episode in which Bender becomes God and makes a mess of the opportunity. Later when Bender meets God, God tells him "When you do things right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all." I think that reference sums up Keith's point very nicely.

- This led us to the next topic, which regarded pitchers blowing out and who, if anyone, is to blame. Specifically, the subject was centered around Kerry Wood and Mark Prior. I asked Keith if its fair to blame Dusty Baker for these two phenoms' careers being cut short by serious arm injuries, and he said that it is impossible to not place at least some of the blame on Dusty for the way he overworked them so early in their careers. "Would they have blown out anyway? Sure, its possible. But it certainly didn't help that Dusty abused them the way he did." We discussed Prior's latest comeback attempt with the Red Sox organization and agreed that it would be a great day for baseball if Prior could make his way back to the bigs, even if it was just for a couple appearances. At the time of this writing, Prior has pitched 4.2 IP for AAA Pawtucket, allowing no runs on 3 hits with a ridiculous 10:2 K/BB ratio. Tiny sample, but we all know the Sox could use some bullpen help...here's hoping, Mark Prior.

- We went on to talk about Chris Sale and how the White Sox moved him to the bullpen instead of to the DL when he experienced elbow soreness, and then jerked him right back into the rotation a week later and let him throw absurd amounts of pitches after returning him to the rotation. I asked Keith if Sale could be the next Joba Chamberlain (obviously not making a physical comp, but a comp of their situations/usage), and he said that he would not be surprised at all to see Sale blow out at some point. He also said that his arm slot is a big part of the concern to go along with the strange management of a very young pitcher with elbow soreness.

- We spoke a good deal about the game we had just watched between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, specifically about the starting pitchers, OSU's Andrew Heaney (the 9th overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft) and OU's Dillon Overton, a sophomore. On Heaney, Keith said that he was disappointed that he didn't pitch off of his fastball more, instead relying on his breaking pitches to dominate OU's relatively weak lineup. When I replied that at this level, Heaney probably doesn't have to pitch off his fastball (after all, he had a 2-hitter going through 8 IP), Keith looked at me, gestured at all of the other scouts sitting nearby, and said "Yeah, but he does for us." On Overton, Keith said that he really liked what he saw and that if he could get a little more consistency/movement on his slider and refine his delivery a bit, his 2013 draft stock could climb significantly next season.

So there you have it, a day at the ballpark with Keith Law! I hope you found it as insightful and entertaining as I did. Seeing as people who listen to the Up and In podcast know me as the Norman, OK "Tales of #Want" guy, I will wrap things up in the spirit of that very fine podcast (another huge inspiration and #want catalyst for my baseball blogging adventures) by telling you what I've been drinking while writing this. I'm drinking an ice cold Boxer lager, brewed by the Minhas Craft Brewery in Monroe, Wisconsin. It honestly tastes a whole lot like a PBR, and is even cheaper. While I usually prefer a good, hoppy IPA or Bushmills on the rocks with a touch of filtered water, a dirt-cheap lager like this goes down real nice on a hot summer evening like this one...and it definitely holds a chill.

As for what I'm working on next, I'm compiling data for a statistical analysis of Miami's Josh Johnson to attempt to answer the question "Is he really back?" I will also be conducting an interview with 25-year-old independent league pitcher Jake Laber to get some insight on what life is like in unaffiliated semi-professional baseball. The other piece I will definitely be writing is my take on the Baseball Prospectus event at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on June 24. Until next time, thanks for reading!

Observations from the Big XII Tournament

I attended the Big XII Baseball Tournament this past week and although I was unfortunately unable to see Texas A&M play, I did manage to get a good look at several prospects, most notably from Oklahoma State and Oklahoma. My notes on them below:

1) Andrew Heaney, LHP, Oklahoma State.

This kid has some serious polish. After seeing him pitch, I was not surprised one bit that he is pretty much a consensus top-15 pick for the upcoming MLB draft. Heaney allowed two soft singles with one walk and eight strikeouts on just 86 pitches in the first 8 innings before Garrett Carey, a .210-hitting utility player, ran into a fastball and hit his first home run of the season in walk-off fashion to lead off the bottom of the 9th.

Heaney was pitching on short rest, so his fastball wasn't clocking in the 92-94 mph range as I had heard, but he was hitting 91 consistently. His fastball has late, arm-side movement that adds a good amount of deception to the pitch. He also throws a wicked mid-80s slider that had OU's hitters absolutely flailing. It is a very consistent offering and has the chance to develop into a plus pitch. He also has a good enough changeup (clocked in the 78-82 range) to keep righties off-balance.

My final impression of Heaney was that he is a very consistent pitcher with good velocity for a lefty and an easy, repeatable delivery with little wasted effort. This kid absolutely has the potential to be a mid-rotation starter in the majors for many years once he gets there.


2) Damien Magnifico, RHP, Oklahoma.

You like heat? This kid's got heat to spare. I've seen him pitch several times, and I'll be focusing on the other times I saw him this season instead of his god-awful start in the Big XII title game on Sunday, when he threw just 1/3 of an inning and looked absolutely terrible. No way he'll ever be a starter in any level of pro ball because, quite frankly, he doesn't have any off-speed offerings. Well, okay, he has a "slider", but it moves more like a cutter and he has absolutely no clue where its going.

Aside from having by far the best name in this year's draft, Magnifico throws an astounding 102 mph. The first time I saw him pitch this year, he was pitching to OU's backup catcher, who had just been inserted into the game due to injury. Magnifico's first pitch registered at 101, and that poor catcher was in obvious pain just from catching the damn thing. If he can ever develop a second pitch, he's got the potential to be a lights-out late-inning reliever simply because he throws so god-damned hard and can actually locate the thing sometimes. With a couple years of professional instruction, he could be a very special bullpen arm.

I spoke with a scout about Magnifico at the OU/Dallas Baptist game earlier this season, he said "We're very high on this kid. Any time that radar gun lights up 102, you can't help but pay attention." Look for Magnifico to go in the 3rd or 4th round, although I wouldn't be too surprised if someone reached for him and took him in the 2nd just because he throws so hard (and because the 2012 draft is a pretty weak one compared to the past few years).


3) Steven Okert, LHP, Oklahoma

Oklahoma's closer really came into his own this season after transferring from juco, where he was a starter for two years. The move to the bullpen did him wonders. He is well-built at 6'3", 220, and reportedly can hit 97 mph on his fastball. (Note: I have never seen him throw this hard in person, though he has sit comfortably at 95 when I've seen him). Okert possesses a pretty good slider and changeup to complement his high heat, and has clean arm action. The problem with him is his command, which is spotty at best (33 walks in 69 innings...and that's against college hitters). If he can harness his command in the minors, look for him to be a quality late-inning reliever or lefty specialist in the bigs someday.


Looking ahead to 2013:

Dillon Overton, LHP, Oklahoma

I really, really like Overton. He was inconsistent as hell in the mid-portion of the 2012 campaign, starting out as OU's Friday starter and getting demoted all the way down to Sundays before regaining his ace spot, but when he's on, he's lights-out. For example, in the Big XII matchup against Heaney, he matched him every step of the way, cruising through the first 7 innings before running into some trouble in the 8th and being bailed out by Okert. His final line against the Cowboys was 7.1 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K.

His fastball sits comfortably in the 91-94 mph range and his slider, while inconsistent, has the potential to be a plus secondary offering with some polish. Really, that's what Overton comes down to for me: he lacks polish. He reminds me of a certain Andrew Heaney circa 2011 in that he has the tools but needs to clean up his arm action and overall delivery to be able to really command his pitches on a consistent basis. Remember though, that's what everyone said about Heaney last year and look at him now. If Overton can refine his delivery and work on his secondary pitches, he could be a first-rounder in 2013.


Thanks for reading my notes on Big XII draft prospects! I am disappointed that I didn't get to see Texas A&M RHP Andrew Wacha (a sure-fire first-rounder) or OF Tyler Naquin (another possible first-rounder), but my schedule prevented me from attending either of A&M's games in the tournament.

In my next post here on Chen Music, I will be talking about something undoubtedly far more interesting to the average fan...my 45-minute conversation with ESPN's Keith Law!!! Until then, stay tuned and thanks for reading!

-Scott

Introduction

Let me start by saying that I am by no means a baseball insider, nor will I pretend to be. I am simply a man with a healthy obsession with baseball and a pair of eyes who have seen plenty of it. I am not a scout nor do I have a scouting background, but amateur scouting is a hobby of mine and I feel that I have a pretty good ability to analyze ballplayers, especially pitchers. This blog will contain no bullshit or unsubstantiated viewpoints; I am writing this blog to share two things: 1) What I have seen with my own eyes, and 2) What I have heard from industry insiders who know way more than me (such as scouts, media members, etc.).

I thoroughly hope you enjoy my musings on the most beautiful game in the world. As Billy Beane says in Moneyball, its hard not to be romantic about baseball.