Absolutely scouts come to the games.......and sometimes the scout schools bring their students to the instructs games and use the games to teach prospective scouts........
Posts: 462 | Location: Indiana | Registered: January 31, 2006
Interesting, sort of goes along with the advice that they're "playing for all 30 clubs".
Why just 1st & 2nd years? Do the clubs arrange/encourage winter ball for players beyond that, or do they prefer the time to be used for rest and personal workouts?
"They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance." --- Terry Pratchett
Not only for 1st and 2nd year players....they just make up the majority.......Farm directors will invite anyone they wish........be it to work on a particular skill, just aquired in a trade, wrapping up rehab, learning a new position, getting acclimated to pro ball (1st year player) etc... there are many reasons to bring a player to Instructional League....and yes, player development is not only to develop players that can help your own big league club someday but by developing a player, that player may help the club aquire talent via a trade to help the big league club....
Posts: 462 | Location: Indiana | Registered: January 31, 2006
Some clubs will hold a mini camp in Jan. to give players a jump start on start on spring training... Lots of work goes in to developing players. If you get the opportunity to watch what goes on in pro ball it is amazing the time and money that is involved with producing a MLB team.
Posts: 1193 | Location: NJ | Registered: December 30, 2002
Lots of work goes in to developing players. If you get the opportunity to watch what goes on in pro ball it is amazing the time and money that is involved with producing a MLB team.
We tend to complain about the lousy pay that minor leaguers make, however I am realizing the above statment is definetly true.
First thanks for all of teh above info, I got to see DK and he had a chance to tell us about his experience. He seems to be enjoying, two prepared meals a day, nice pocket change for dinners, comfy accomodations, not much to complain about. He is back on the mound and when not in a game, either charting pitches, radar gun, bucket duty, field work. His bull pen is with the pitching director and working on things that he requested to work on. The Marlins have left, so today they went to play the St. Lucie Mets, but got rained out and tomorrow up to Viera to play the Nationals.
The coaches consist of the minor league managers and some of their staff. Day begins at 7:45 and ends around 5 when home and later if they travel, 7 days a week. If they had to do field work they get to leave a bit earlier than others. There are 60 players in all (30 pitchers, 30 position guys), 20 from the Dominican League (16,17 year olds) and they are required to take english class in the mornings. DK says the non floridians have more adjustment to make than the latin players, South Florida has more spanish influence and the heat, and humidity is tough if you are not used to it. His spanish is improving.
The best part, for him, is that he is learning how to bunt, had a tough time at first but can now lay it down pretty well. He loves it. He is close by and we love that too!
I hope for those of you that have players in fall instruction, that they are enjoying it as much as mine is. I have a clearer understanding and it's a great experience.
Posts: 11036 | Location: South Florida | Registered: July 28, 2003
Then he goes to instructionals and hurts his elbow. LOL
So much for instructionals.
You spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball, and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time. ~Jim Bouton, Ball Four, 1970
Posts: 5809 | Location: Huntersville,NC | Registered: December 27, 2002
Just not the way to end a very enjoyable 2007 baseball year.
You spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball, and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time. ~Jim Bouton, Ball Four, 1970
Posts: 5809 | Location: Huntersville,NC | Registered: December 27, 2002
Fall instruction ended today and so did my sons first season as a professional. Not much of a season doing rehab but his first season nonetheless.
A few things to mention. I noticed that my son is looking a bit more like those pitchers on TV. Broader shoulders, more definition, huge calves and legs are not so lanky. Amazing how much time it does take, he's been working on it for three years but really seeing a difference now. Takes a lot of time and effort, that's for sure! I finally saw him in Cardinal Red yesterday.
For those parents of players who pitch continually and those who feel you should not stop throwing, pitchers are instructed not to pick up a ball until January, time for complete rest, workout and conditioning only.
Posts: 11036 | Location: South Florida | Registered: July 28, 2003
For our family and son, it has been an unbelievably positive experience.
It seems strange to say, but the A's have been, are, and would be in a more normal industry, a great place to work.
Matt's first call came through not long after arriving at the A's minor league facilities.
"Dad, this is just unbelievable."
Somewhat dreading the first day, with anticipation like any first day of practice, a practice was scheduled for the afternoon of the day of arrival.
"Practice" was a brief meeting, got paid, and told what time to arrive the next morning.
"Not too bad, dad."
Matt's summer coach is in charge of catchers, so Matt has been "ahead" of the other catchers because his coach had already been working with him as they played their summer schedule.
First day, or two, as I recall, were "Relationships With Umpires 101". Introduce yourself before the start of the game and establish a first name basis, tell the ump who is pitching today and the types of pitches that he can expect to see. Expect him to hit the corners and I'll be catching the ball to take advantage of that and not trying to show you up. With runners on second, I'll be setting up late so that the pitch is not given away. We have a runner on first, so you might want to anticipate a throw down to second or a pick-off at first.
Fascinating to me at the details involved.
They have a meeting every morning, drills, then a game, and if not in the game, more drills, hitting, or bullpens.
It's really hot in AZ so they weigh in before practice and after practice to monitor water loss.
For Matt, about 8-10 pounds difference everyday.
He said the first day of practice he grabbed a cup of ice water and kinda kept testing the taste. looked at the trainer, and, said, "That has fresh squeezed lemons in it". "Yes, it does"
A fine for forgetting to weigh out.
They have breakfast and lunch in the clubhouse everyday.
After catching a game (only 3-4 innings ususally per day) after practice, an up to the chin soak in a hot tub, then alternate in 60 degree water to help their legs recover. (That 60 degree water up to the chin really bothers me)
Most companies invest in the training of their employees, but not like the A's, and the other major league teams.
They flew 38 boys and maybe a dozen coaches in from all of the country. The boys are paid similar to their minor league contract amounts.
I've been to spring training facilities in Florida. I always enjoyed the immaculate fields and wondered why there were so many. I just figured it was because of the number of players. It is, but extra fields allow them to use an a entire field to hit, work the outfield, or the left or right side of the infield, all at the same time.
Another example of how they invest in their future players.
They are efficient at practice the way some companies are efficient in their business.
They make great use of their time, facilities, and use their personnel wisely.
He has received a lot of training related to the mental aspect of the game. Learning to deal with failure, for example.
The most impressive thing to me is the continual positive reinforcement and encouragement that he has received. It is an environment that I prefer and attempt to create in the company where I work. I don't know for sure, but I think it is very likely that atmosphere has to be created from the top down.
For the catchers, one of the drills that they have done is to catch foul balls. Shouldn't be too surprising. But, the way it is done fascinated me.
They use the machine to fire five balls out of sight into the air, sprayed from one dugout to the other. Another ball is fired as the previous ball starts down.
The have to find and catch all five of them. If you ask me, that's practice.
The intereting thing to me was that he said we were laughing and having fun doing it. (With all that equipment on and 108-110 degrees)
The pitching machine is also setup 45 feet away and they catch and frame pitches at the equivalent of about 110 MPH. (Hellaious overtraining if you ask me)
I think they have blocked balls for an hour everyday.
Contrasted by the pitchers (his roomates, they have an apartment that they pay for) that have the day off after they throw and don't travel with the team to play the next day, so they play golf all day. (and make more money)
They have tweaked hitting techniques and worked on calling the games.
He has missed two days of practice.
He was graciously allowed to attend my brothers funeral.
Then, last Sunday night, he called, "I am so sick. I can not move"
I told him to call the trainer. They had him at the doc's the next morning, with ample antibiotics that he felt better by the next day.
He was worried because the GM and the A's manager were coming to watch the practices on that Monday. I think they were there several days, if not all week.
The good news is that Matt was 2-2 and threw a runner out in front of the "big boss". But, more importantly to them and him, his hits were lead off hits, one a line drive on an 0-2 pitch.
Even more than a commercial business (which it is), it is about teamwork and doing your part each day. It takes teamwork with those talent levels to compete against the other teams talent levels.
"Dad, they are here making career decisions this week."
"Maybe, I'll get promoted to high-A, or AA."
"Maybe, I'll get invited to the major league spring training camp."
Posts: 3163 | Location: Texas | Registered: December 27, 2002
-------------------------------------------------- I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain't never been seen by this generation
Contrasted by the pitchers (his roomates, they have an apartment that they pay for) that have the day off after they throw and don't travel with the team to play the next day, so they play golf all day. (and make more money).
It's interesting to hear that teams do things a bit differently, but all have the same goal, to produce MLB players. It's also amazing that while we always talk about the lousy pay, they are well taken care of. Mine didn't get paid, but a room at the Marriot, two square meals a day and plenty of money for dinners. Yesterday he was handed (he wasn't expecting) a hefty check for traveling expenses (on his own) that will more then cover his expenses to drive back to South Carolina.
It's been brutal here, but more humid than dry so they train differently, that's interesting also.
The other day when I was there, all the red fields (you guys know that from PG wood bat) were occupied with something going on, between the two teams of Mets (visitors) and Cardinals.
And reinforcement is always positive, that he enjoyed the most. He was able to work with the head pitching director during rehab and some instruction and then fell under the care of the High A coach and got lots of words of encouragement before he left. It's been a different type of summer for him, but a positive one.
I was sorry to hear of the loss of your brother. I hope you are doing well.
Posts: 11036 | Location: South Florida | Registered: July 28, 2003
great reading this stuff, interesting and very entertaining. fo the first phone call from your son was great, our's called on his first day of mini camp. explained the day's events,uni,workouts, etc. i said how did you like it? he said, dad i could do this the rest of my life. that's when you know they are where they belong. thank you all for sharing this great event in your lifes, and ours to i guess.
"i'm a light eater,when it's light out....i eat." Tommy John
Posts: 1675 | Location: new hampshire | Registered: March 25, 2003
