How important are stats to a professional scout not college? For instance, your win-loss record is on the loss side, but if someone were to analyze the game the pitcher did his job. Just no back up. Do they take that into account or do they just look at stats?

Professional scouts do not look at HS stats. They are looking at current tools; body, mechanics and makeup; and their projection of that player's ability in 5 years.

No Way 90,

HS stats are virtually worthless to pro scouts (and college coaches, for that matter).

I keep hearing on this board over and over how nobody looks at stats. I went to a home run derby and every dad and coach in the place was spewing stat after stat for every hitter that came up. what other way do the people that might be interested find out about a guy if it isn't from somebody relaying his stats to the interested party. I think the stats have to be a part of the process. Ascout doesn't drive many miles to look at a picher just because he is 6'3" 215 LBs. He's got to know the kid has won his last four outings and he's peaking at 94mph. And what about a hitter? Nobody will ever hear about him unless somebody mentions he's gone 4 for 4 (stat) in his last four games or hit five homeruns (stat) in three games or a dozen stolen bases (stat). Stats are looked at they just have to be verified to make sure mom or dad are not cooking the books.

sdballer05 - I think you have the answer buried in your words. A scout does drive many miles to see a 6'3", 215 lb. pitcher who throws 94. If he's got that, they could care less about whether he won his last 4 or 10 outings. Same for a hitter/position player - does he have speed, does he have size, does he hit with power, what does his swing look like, what kind of arm does he have. Don't care if he went o for 4 last game or week.

Dads spew stats because thats all that we know how to do. We're not smart enough about evaluating players to talk about or understand the stuff that projects into a possible MLB player.

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"The only people I ever felt intimdated by in my whole life were Bob Gibson and my daddy," Dusty Baker.

don't think for a second scouts have a great innate ability to spot hidden talent. A few do, most don't.

The situation you mentioned above< disregarding that 6'4" kid's stats because he throws 95 mph> is just one reason why scouts get it wrong way more than they get it right.

Scouts look for talent not stats. They look at bat speed and the ability to make solid consistent hard contact. They look at the swing and how smooth and fluid it is. They look at speed arm strength and body make up. They could care less about stats when they look at a player. Stats are skewed by so many factors they are irrelevant especially at the High School level. There are a ton of High School pitchers with outstanding stats that throw upper 70's low 80's. There are a ton of High School players that mash average pitching and have outstanding stats. Scouts get paid to spot talent that can potentially play at their level. Is it an exact science, of course not. But no one is going to be signed because of stats. Could it get someone to come watch a kid. Sure it can. But stats wont make them come back.

If we thought that coaches and scouts were coming to look because of his stats, or he had more wins than losses, or peaks at 94, no one would have showed up!