Baseball Thru Baccala's Eyes

Blog 3-0/Reds Scout Greg McClain/Lou Seal/Michael Duca/Joe Salvadore/Marty Lurie

     Some things just can't be stopped, there meant to happen. A Cincinnati 3 Game win streak was inevitable. The Blog being the leader of this POSITIVE force meant to be. Don"t mean to be preaching to the choir but I TOLD YOU SO. Such confidence I have in the RED squad. So Confident put a BENJAMIN on it with pre game radio announcer of the Swinging Athletics Marty Lurie. Its a joy waking up with a smile on your face-winning does that for you.
   
For our great Cincinnati Reds fans, I think this would be great reading for you. Greg McClain one of our Northern California scouts last year lost his wife to a rare disease called Amyloidosis. They have two young sons Ellis and Charles. Ron Kroichick wrote a story titled Life and the Single dad. There is a great picture of Greg and his boys on the front of the titled magazine San Francisco Chronicle Magazine Sunday edition. Great article about Greg's everyday life with his boys and just his battles without his wife. It's must reading. Greg is a mans man and somebody I have a ton of respect for. He puts his family before this game and their are so many that don't.    

San Francisco is a great place to scout besides the cold. My good friend Keith Boeck is in town from AZ to watch this series, didn't bring enough jackets so I have to remember to bring him one tonight.

    

Boeck in about the 7th inning last night in front of the other scouts got set-up so hard, you couldn't help but laugh. Rockies Pacific Rim Coordinator for the life Of me I can't remember his name right now was at the game with his girlfriend. Keith didn't know his girlfriend, so he sent his girlfriend down into our section and she sat next to Boeck and asked if he remembered her, it was the funniest damn thing, she kept pushing him until he finally said I'm sorry I don't know who you are. Marcel Lacheman was part of the gag on Keith- but all of us scouts got a big kick out of it.

    

When your at AT&T you have to watch your head late in the game for seagull in comings. Last night was no different-there was probably 5000 people left in the stadium when Fred Nelson-the Houston Astros scout was narrowly missed in the seat in front of him. He is a smart man though as he pointed out he had put his hood over his head.

    

For my money I'm taking Lou Seal as the entertainment package for mascots at ML games. The Seal can flat ass dance and that seal always gets the good looking ones. Great Balance as he scales walls and just good rthymn overall.

    

I like the friendly people at AT&T, and every day I meet more. I have for years talked with Joe Salvadore one of the voices of KCBS radio 740 in San Francisco. Whenever I'm in Oakland or SF Joe is always there smiling happy and wanting to talk shop. I really like Joe. Good Guy.

    

I first met him as the Official Scorekeeper, but Michael Duca is somebody I search out when I get to AT&T because of his knowledge and wisdom. He appears to be a very sharing person, great historical stories and he reminds me of my grandfather Milt, because when your around him you learn.

      Last but not least is Marty Lurie. Marty loves being the pre-game announcer for the Oakland A's. Boy his enthusiasm is contagious- he loves baseball and the people involved in it. I know he's a good guy because Shooty Babbitt likes him and talks to him. Shooty from what I can see is very respected among the media and I know having worked with Shooty-Marty's got to be a great guy, plus he mentioned Gary Hughes the Babe Ruth of Nor Cal scouts.

     Last Year the Giants gave LHP Barry Zito one of the largest contracts ever in the game. This season Zito has struggled and been lit up everytime he goes out. Right now he has lost all his confidence and he is pitching like he is gonna lose. Let the guy return to doing what he loves-surfing-I'm sure he will regain some of his old form- but number one he can relax,

      I wrote my pitching reports of the Rockies pitchers when I got home last night, this morning at 8am pst I'm having breakfast with two of my former Coaches at Petaluma High School Frank Wright and Steve Ellison. It will be great to see them again. I can't wait to hear about their grandchildren. Thats when you know we"re all getting older.

    

Until tomorrow lets keep the winning streak afloat. I know I'm a RED, but I think there is no stopping Dusty and the Boys. Tonight Cook versus Linecum. It will be fun to watch Sea Biscuit.

Keep It Real

Butch Baccala

ML Scout

Cincinnati Reds

bbaccala@vzw.blackberry.net

2-0, Vic Fauser, Flying, Tom Davis/Deron Johnson and the Rodeo

       Blog 2-0 after 10-1 win. Now to St Louis- Get the brooms out baby. After this week we will be back to 500 if not over it. KEEP IT POSITIVE. How about Volquez- he has been amazing. A good trade for both teams.

      My family lost a great friend yesterday Vic Fauser. The Smauser we would call him. He apparently died of a heart-attack in his favorite chair watching the NBA Playoffs. Vic, loved baseball-he was a pitcher in Iowa growing up as a young boy and when I was enjoying success as a youngster he always tried to teach me some trick pitches. This was a real tough one for my parents because Vic is there age. Really the first person to die and somebody they used to go to dinner, movies play golf with weekly. May Vic rest in Peace and his wife Elaine and there 2 children Mary Gail and Peter relish in the fact that they had a great dad.

      Just as players have get away days scouts do also. Yesterday in San Diego was scorching hot 94 degrees. When your right next to the Pacific Ocean and there is no sea breeze, but a breeze warm- your covered in nothing but sweat.

      As the Padres and AZ were finishing up there series yesterday the Webb and Peavy 6 innings were outstanding. I and other scouts are at the game scouting but at times you can't help but be a fan when Peavy throws a 86 mph slider for strike three-wooo did you see that pitch, Webb when anybody gets into scoring position against him,  the velo goes right upto 92 and the sink sticks to the bat if the hitter can make contact. We as you sometimes marvel at these players skills and abilities- thats why their Big Leaguers- not many of us that have those special kind of abilities.

      Apparently there was a high profile college game going on at the same time and free-agent scouts who were trying to see the player and then run to the airport to get home because most everywhere in the country on Mondays there are no games. The San Diego airport was a mess yesterday, the lane into security was a nightmare. Yesterday tested your patience.

      As I sat into my seat one of the last people on the plane is the Seattle Mariners West Coast Cross-Checker Tom Davis nicknamed the Cowboy. Tommie is one of my favorite free-agent scouts, he is a former HS Principal. he is the guy you should use along with another scout named Larry Doughty of the Rays that if you want to train new scouts how to do the job right. These two men have incredible work ethic, great professionalism and always have time for the young scouts- they are true mentor scouts. Tommie I love him, he is so damn competitive, he will work as long as he has too and he is one of the old fashioned scouts who were trained to do tryout camps. Tommy can run a tryout camp. We talked about Matt Walbeck who is now a coach for the Texas Rangers-Tommy signed him as a player. And just the happiness he feels with Matts success, its almost as if its his own kid.

      The flight also had Deron Johnson on it. Deron is the new Scouting Director of the Minnesota Twins. Deron is a great guy that will do a great job. His travel schedule is unbelievable, Derons a good looking guy, but even he has lost some weight from the rigors of his job. There were alot of Scouting Directors in San Diego this weekend. I heard as a scout always have your ears open, there is a kid in San Diego for next years draft that has touched 103 miles per hour and they say his CB is his best pitch. Apparently he struck out 23 of 27 guys a couple of weeks ago and this weekend only struck out 13 and the last pitch of the game was 96- that will get your adrenaline flowing.

      The scouts at this last three game series I was at was my new clothing advisor the Dauper Dick Balderson-Braves, Polo slick former Big Leaguer Mike Paul-Rockies, Tim Schmidt-AZ,Matt Slater-Cardinals and New York Yankees scout Jay Darnell, saw Grady Fuson the Padres guru at the game yesterday also.

      I drive to the Bay Area again and watch the Rockies vs the Giants three game series, I love the Bay Area my favorite spot in the United States.

     My son got to go to the Rodeo yesterday. Real Cowboys and horses. I'm glad he has some good friends that take him places when I'm gone and he has a real nice girl friend Jayme and her parents are great the Kirbys. Thanks for letting him travel with you.

     I'm watching Julie making lunches, she just showed me a full pan of boneless chicken she used bar b que sauce on. She just said to me eat em will ya. So on my restrictive diet I will do that. Have a great day everybody.

     Keep It Real

      Butch Baccala

      ML Scout Cincinnati Reds

     bbaccala@vzw.blackberry.net

Bill The Media Hall Director.The Forming Years- Working for the Braves

       First today I want to thank Bill. He runs the media area and food hall for the San Diego Padres. He does a great job looking after everything and I want to thank him for the way he treats the scouts. Tim Schmidt -AZ D Backs scout personally went up to him and shook his hand and told him thank you. I thought that was great. Bill likes the Reds and he's excited for May when we come to Petco for 4 days. I would recommend a vacation for everyone-San Diego is beautiful, the ball park is a great place to be and by that time our Reds from the help of the BLOG will be near First Place.   

     As we call them the forming years, before we grow up and have some kind of assemblance of what we are really doing. I was fortunate to work for the Atlanta Braves in my forming years. I was fortunate to work for the great John Schuerholz and  Asst GM Dean Taylor. Never really got to work under John and learn things from him but when he set up an organization- he let the people that ran those dept's run them.

    My first Boss with the Braves was a man named Chuck LaMar. I Love Chuck. He is by far the best motivator I have ever been around, he was outstanding-he used to make me want to be the best scout in the universe. Quick story when I had left Baseball the first time-Seattle Mariners, my friend Bart Braun an outstanding scout for the Tampa Bay Rays called me at 10PM PST , he said to me call Chuck LaMar right now he's looking for a scout in the Northwest. So I called him immediately, I told him I would be the best person for that Northwest job and he shot back at me-Mr Baccala I'll be the judge of that. WOW! hit me right in the face. I was flown to Atlanta a week later and then given the job the following day. Chuck LaMar went on to be the GM of the Devil Rays and is now the Pro Scouting Director for the Philadelphia Phillies. Chuck had the reputation of being militant, but I saw a different person-I like Chuck LaMar.

     We had an unbelievable scouting staff. Here's a list of the stars. Dayton Moore-KC Royals General Manager, Dave Wilder-Asst To GM Chicago White Sox. Scott Nethery-Asst To GM Cincinnati Reds, Roy Clark Scouting Director-Atlanta Braves, Deric Ladner-KC Royals Scouting Director, John Flannery-Cross-Checker with KC and Steve Jongewaard a cross-checker with the Seattle Mariners, thats just to name a few were all spread out over the baseball world.

     We were a very competitive group of scouts always wanting to out do the other, but always remaining competitively friendly. We were on a hunt for ANIMALS, players that were gonna be strong enough mentally and physically to someday play in Turner Stadium.

     Our Organization was built around Pitching and Middle field defense. Animals on the corners that could hit and have sock in there bats and a manager Bobby Cox that had the respect of the normal player as well as the Superstar.

     Its pretty easy to preach pitching when you have Steve Avery (in which we named our son after) Tom Glavine, John Smoltz and then Greg Maddux-an unbelievable staff two home grown Avery And Glavine. We also developed Jason Schmidt, Jason Marquis, Kevin Millwood, Joe Nelson,Bruce Chen,Rob Bell and many others that I'm just having a recollection problem right now, but the key was they were all strong minded and it didn't hurt that we had guys like Bruce Del Canton,Jerry Nyman and others raising our pitchers.

      The reason I wrote about the Braves was because I see many similaraties beteen our club and there's, I can say it because I was there from 1990-1999. Thru the championships, the good scouting, the good player development. I'm happy to say with pride our Reds organization is so close to doing what they did-have a solid Major League team and a consistent flow of Minor Leaguers that you could use to trade for players to help your club, or the Bruce's, Cueto's, Bailey's that u want to keep for your club.

      We are at that point. Our player development is doing a good job, because now were getting them good players- You can't make chicken salad out of horse shit. From 2000-2003 our drafts were I'm sorry to say horrible. We weren't a team. I felt sorry for Kasey McKeon- great scout, great instincts but didn't have the people helping him as the Scouting Director that u need.

      Were developing Pitching now because we have a Pitching Coordinator named Mack Jenkins that loves and cares about the players, plus it helps he can coach. We have Teddy Powers, we have Joe Ayrault an ex Braves player- he gets it. The Cincinnati Reds are a united group- I couldn't say that when I joined the staff in 2000.

       Well I'm headed home tonight after the Game. Get to see the family for late dinner then the morning. I go to the Doctor again Monday morning- My Doctor is awesome Dr Fox- he wears one of those things around his head with a light coming out the front and his office is in an old house right above the Downtown area of Colfax. went to the DR for the first time in 20 years last week not a good thing to do-my blood pressure was sky high, they gave me some pills and had me give blood. Looked good blood wise-no high chlosterol or Diabetes but I had some abnormality in my EKG-the Pumper so after I see the Rockies, I have the old stress test to determine whats going on. Truly feel like I will be fine- I'm overweigth. I have begun to lose weight and last night for the first time in 3 years I slept thru the entire night. Man that felt good. Looking forward to watching Peavy and Webb- a matchup of the two premier pitchers in the NL West.

     Until we talk again from AT&T park- Good day everyone. After we win today in SF the Blog will be 2-0. National Holiday noy yet, but the writer from Sports Illustrated left me an e-mail again-he is going to ask the Reds permission at my insistence if he can write an article about the blog. Could be alot of fun, maybe my wife ill start liking me again. You know in baseball season your on waivers everyday, thats why ther's no mailman or milkman that come to my house.

    And the one golden rule I've had my entire Married Life- call home before you go home, to show up without warning. that would be terrible if something really happened, I'll go with what I don't know won't kill me. You All knopw why by now. THERES NO CRYING IN BASEBALL.

     Keep It Real

     Butch Baccala

    ML Scout Cincinnati Reds

     bbaccala@vzw.blackberry.com

Keeping It Positive: Two Rocks of our Organization/Mann and Chapman

      Why does everything with the Press have to be negative. My family tells me I'm always overall optimistic about everything. I just can't believe the Reds press group can't see all the great things that have happened around here the last 3 years but want to continue to write about whats happened since 1999. Boys thats the past. Today is today I'm glad to be alive. Happy to look out my room window at the Sun and know we still are going to win the National League Central-why because we have the Best Manager Dusty Baker, We have the best pitching staff once David Homer Bailey is ready to be brought to the Major Leagues and we have a lineup full of All-Stars and a Farm system to match. 

     I hate negative, I always surround myself with happy positive people because we only live once. Who wants to be around prunes. Let me name them all again so you can smile-Harang,Cueto,Volquez,Votto,Bailey, Thompson,Affeldt,Cordeiro, Burton, Bray,PHILLIPS,KEPPINGER,ENCARNCION,Griffey, Dunn,Hairston,BRUCE,Roenicke,Lutz, Vailiaka, Stubbs, Mesouraca, FRAZIER, WARING, J Smith, T Wood,Watson, Ravin, Griffin, Bolivar,Viola, Tatum, Avery, LeCure, C Fisher, Turner, Dorn, Lotzkar, Soto, FRANCISCO, Phipps- Thats 43 Names that make me smile- Thats now , Thats our future lets look at them not back in 1999-2003 those were lonely dark years that all organizations go thru-but you wish you didn't have too.

     I started this blog because I love Journalism, I worked for the Petaluma Argus Courier when I was in High school for the now Famous writer Casey Tefertiller. I love to watch and write about people. Doing my job working at games, I take notes on every player I see. I write down notes on the pitchers I see-arm action, delivery, arm slot the freedom of the shoulder/could he be a future arm injury waiting to happen. I watch the hitters hit-I look at the position they put there hands in before releasing the bat, I look at there strength, there bat speed and I listen for sound.

     There are many things that go on during a game that must be documented. Just like keeping organized, I want to write about 2 people in our great organization today and thats Wilma Mann who is the Free-Agent scouting secretary and Keith Chapman one of my best friends in this world who has worked as a part time scout by title but a full time worker.

     Mann is the mother of our Trainer Mark Mann. Wilma as she is affectionately known bye is the spoon that keeps the soup stirred. She keeps a pulse of everything going on with all the free-agent scouts all over the country as well as our World scouts,  Wilma is a tell it like it is person-a very loving, sweet person, but when you need a swift kick in the butt she could also be the kicker.

     She protects  all of us as hers, a great story about Wilma. years ago I went out to an establishment in Cincinnati to relax and have some fun. I was meeting Rob Bell downtown for a beer after a game and it just happened to be when I was in there preparing for the draft. I had known Rob as a player for the Atlanta Braves when we were both there he as a player and myself as a scout.I'm down there and I meet some people with Rob and they want tickets, well its a couple of girls. I go in the office the next day and ask Wilma for the tickets and she tells me I'm gonna call your wife- I'm not giving those floozies any tickets. You had to love Wilma. This is my way of telling her I miss her and I miss her teasing-daily.

     One last thing about Wilma- she and her husband Millard are both great people. Legendary Red scout Larry Barton came down with Cancer years ago. He lives in So Cal but could have his surgeries back in Cincinnati. Well guess who would be there letting him live in there house, at the hospital taking care of him and treating him as family- Wilma and Millard. I know Larry appreciated everything they did for him, because I heard him talk about it many times. Your lucky in your life when you get to meet people like this.

     Chappy one of our Nor Cal /Northwest scouts has been with me since I was a HS coach at Casa Grande HS in Petaluma. We have a dear relationship. I trust him as much as any person in the World- he is a friend. Chappy loves baseball-he would drive 500 miles a day to see a game-he's crazy. He came to work with me when i started with the Braves in 1990. I moved up to the Northwest to be the Northwest area scout and he lived in Petaluma, so he became a bird dog for now Chicago White Sox Asst GM David Wilder.

    Chappy's first profession was as a California Highway Patrolmen, I can remember meeting chappy for breakfast at 3am at some greasy spoon in Petaluma to talk about baseball usually once a week. When i got the job with the Braves he was one of the first people we hired. He is very loyal, loved baseball and loved to scout ballplayers and was very eager to learn. His wife Deb was all for him getting to do this too-that really helps when you have wife's like we have-supportive.

    Well Chappy has been a scout for now some 17 years. He signed Chris Dickerson, Jacob Long, Curtis Partch- I'm really proud of him- believe me he and I have had some doozy arguments about players-me telling him he was crazy- him telling me to wash the pancakes off my glasses that guy can't play. He has now joined forces with another friend of ours Dick Adams. Its unbelievable the energy level these two have- and believe me when I tell you they are representing the Cincinnati Reds in a positive way. Chappy is first class guy and I'm glad he is a Cincinnati Red.

    Every Sunday I will write something about our scouts, next week I'm going to write about Mike Keenan the scout that discovered Travis Wood and one of the Reds National Cross-checkers the hardest working man in Baseball  My friend Mark Snipp.

    Just for my blogger friends, it is great speaking with you- I love the interaction and the energy. Again I will never do anything to cost the Cincinnati Reds a player or the whereabouts of myself if I thought it would hurt a deal. I'm strictly doing it for fun and if the Reds ask me to stop I WILL.

    It's a big day for my daughter Lauren and my wife. Lauren today begins her journey to start college next year At Azusa Pacific University with an orientation and class signup down in Sacramento. I know there excited because my wife told me not to call last night because they were going to bed. There both night Owls-so I know this is a big deal and important for both of them. Love you guys.

     I'm not sure if the e-mailer was being serious but he approached me about doing a story for Sports Illustrated on our Blog. That would be amazing, but I did do this for something other than baseball and for the hope thru my love of the game that my family would forgive me for the time I'm gone from home. I don't care what anyone says-we love our families so much it hurts- but as I always say to you--

THERE IS NO CRYING IN BASEBALL

KEEP IT REAL

Butch Baccala

ML Scout

Cincinnati Reds

bbaccala@vzw.blackberry.net

Dinner Hall- A Great Place To Meet Your Heroes

      What a day. Sunshine galore at Petco Park, 13 innings of baseball and a Walk-off Home Run for the Padres and a well deserved victory. Padres 8- D-Backs 7.   

     We all meet people in different places. Being a ML scout alot of those times its in the Mess Hall 1 hour before games-the dead time at the stadium when there is no BP or infield going on.

      Thursday Night in San Diego I was lucky enough to sit next to the great baseball announcer Jon Miller. Jon Miller is my Vin Scully. He was sitting with former Big Leaguers Duane Kiuper and Mike Krukow. Duane a little bit quieter, Mike the very talkative one of the two friends.

      Apparently in San Diego u eat fish tacos-well Krukow and Kuiper had them spread out all over at the end of there table. They were munching. I was at the other end in the corner and in walks Miller with a bunch of Sushi. These guys were in the middle of a fish feast.

      Jon Miller turned to me and introduced himself, what an unbelievable person. After exchanging stories and people we knew for about 10 minutes, I told him how great it was to be with a person who is so happy and that it carried threw to his on air voice-his excitement to be covering a ML game. He responded to me in that great voice-I have the greatest job in the world hy wouldn't I be happy.

     I guess I'm not the only one who thinks he has the best job in the world- but I think alot of us in baseball feel the same way-we are very fortunate. Thank You for going to the games and supporting our teams.

     I also need to mention Oakland A's announcer Ken Korach. I met Ken when I was a youngster growing up in Petaluma-the booming metropolis of Petaluma all 14,000 of us Now Over 70,000. Ken worked at the local radio station KTOB-the home and voice of the great Ron Walters-he used to sing happy birthday to you over the radio. Ken was just beginning in  the business and now is the lead announcer for the Oakland A's Network. Still remembers me and is always very cordial when  we see each other.

     Got the chance to see the great Greg Maddux pitch the other night. What a Pitcher, can make the ball dance and really hit his spots (command the ball) and the area's he wants to put ball in. I remember when I was working for the Braves and the scouts were in Spring Training, Greg was warming up for a spring training game in West Palm Beach when the announcer announced a 7 hole hitter named Rondell White. At this point Maddux had never heard of him, without missing a beat in his warmups he asks Leo Mazzone who is that name he didn't recognize it and if so how am I gonna pitch him. Unbelievable a Hall of Famer in a Spring training game wants to know how to pitch this Rookie. Thank God one of our scouts the great Hep Cronin had seen him in AA, and Mazzone asked Hep to come over and tell Greg how to pitch him. Recognize the Cronin name-great Cincinnati guy whose son Mick is the new Coach at University of Cincinnati Basketball Program.

     Can't wait for tommorrow, Webb vs Peavy. Power Life vs Power Slider. How lucky am I-baseball in a sun splashed location-SAN DIEGO. Monday go back to freezing my ass off at AT&T in San Francisco.

     Goodnight everybody. To my Friends at Home see u Monday at Coffee. I never believed it but time does fly as you grow older.

     Keep It Real

     Butch Baccala

     ML Scout

     Cincinnati Reds

     bbaccala@vzw.blackberry.net

    

Tonight The Streak Ends-The Baccala Blog is Back!

     Every streak must come to an end, the days this blog has been down is over, the days that the CINCINNATI REDS are gonna lose is over now and the black cloud laying over our Baseball team is gone.

     I have missed writing and talking with all the Reds fans the last week, I learned alot from you and hopefully I've been able to educate you on some aspects of baseball and just the fun I have out here in this Big World representing the Cincinnati Reds.

    It has been a bad week for the REDS, but were gonna change that right now. Instead of being mad at our players we are gonna slap them on the ass and give them an atta boy. WE as the greatest fans in baseball are going to fill our beautiful stadium and we are going to INSPIRE and MOTIVATE our players to ask there bodies to go out of there comfort zones and kick ass for us. We are going to Cheer GRIFFEY and DUNN- we are gonna shower so much love on them that they will become inspired-motivated and lead our young players-inspire them to be something maybe there not but something that would be great to be.

     My friends you may think I'm crazy, but I still to this night hour feel like were gonna win the National League Central. I feel like we have the best players and the best Mananger. I feel like we have the best owner and support staff. I feel with the right Kick In the ASS- Love, encouragement winning will happen. Just like in Field of Dreams- People Will Come Ray, People will come, well Mr Castellini-People will come, People will come- No more front running- We the Reds fans are gonna come to Great American Ballpark and were gonna rock the house. The positive love our players will feel will Inspire superhuman play and will lead us to 500 then Dusty Baker our Manager will take the Bull by the Horns and lead us to that Championship. PEOPLE ITS TOO EARLY TO PANIC- Relax have fun-lead positively and I promise you the best players of the Cincinnati Reds will begin to shine ie......Eddie Encarncion.

    We all have been thru alot this week. I'm proud to say my friend Wayne Krivsky was replaced by a talented Walt Jocketty. Wayne as you know, who on this blog I would talk alot about. I am no phoney when I tell u I'm glad Wayne Krivsky is a part of my life- he was great to me-good to my family, he taught me how you really bleed for an organization when he exposed himself in tears at his news conference people that was Wayne Krivsky- he loved the Cincinnati Reds. I truly believe he will be a GM again, he knows players, he scouts with no fear, he's a winner. I warned him many times-just ask him, Wayne we need to make some trades to get certain players-we can't wait I'm an Italian like Mr Castellini-he is not kidding around when he says I want to win now. If I was the owner spending the money he has, I would want to win also. Thats nothing more than a man Mr Castellini wanting whats been apart of his entire life-success. Winners like Mr Castellini have never accepted anything less than success. Winning, Being a Winner.

      I trust Mr Castellini in his choice of Walt. All my baseball friends speak highly of him-people I really trust, I have never met him, I look forward to it, to hear his vision and how we can integrate our talented farm system into our Major League team and help it win. I think we have the parts to win this year-yeh I'm crazy, but then again I'm sitting in Big League Parks everyday. I see teams weaknesses I see there strengths.

     I see our team, I see the players we have, the abilities and potential they posses. We need to give Griffey and Dunn love. JR going for 600 and Dunn just being that 40 HR guy that is in that Animal frame of his. We need to encourage and Love Brandon Phillips-he is our future along with Cueto, Volquez, Encarncion,Keppinger, Stubbs, Vailiaka, Bailey and Bruce. People its so bright I need my sunglasses so i can finish this blog.

    LETS INSPIRE AND MOTIVATE-Not breakdown and destroy. We can still win this Championship. I orked for the Atlanta Braves for 10 glorius years a great ride-championships celebrations. Lets help our team to this goal and be called the 10th man-HOW ABOUT THAT CINCINNATI lets be the 10th man at REDS games. POSITIVE LOVE-Lets make JR and DUNN play to there ability- Let BP's smile light up the stadium.

    Well enough for tonight, I want to thank everyone for supporting my blog. It has been a great hobby for me. I love talking to all of you. Before I leave tonight as I always do.

     I want to mention my competitors-the other scouts away from there families for the love of there organizations. I'm in San Diego watching the Padres and Diamondbacks this weekend. I'm staying at the Residence Inn for the first time-man its great. I got to talk to one of my best friends in HS who lives down here Martin Alejos and his wife Abby, like julie and I they named one of there children after  an athlete-Martin for some unknown reason loves the UCLA Bruins-so he named his now 10 yr old Cade, he also has a beautiful daughter.

      To my scouting friends-at this series. Tim Schmidt-DBacks, Mike Paul-the Silver Fox from the Colorado Rockies, The GM Dick Balderson of the Braves, Dave Roberts of the Rays, Matt Slater of the Cardinals and Kenny Califano the advanced scout for the Houston Astros.

      After this series I'm gonna start my coverage on the Colorado Rockies. I get to begin at Pac Bell Park, so that means I save the ball-club some money and spend the nights at my Mom and Dads. Like always it will be good to see them. I'm lucky I'm blessed with great Family.

     I look forward to seeing my family Sunday night, right now I'm sure my Son and his friend Tom Baldoni are at our house driving my wife crazy, but then again its good for her. Good night Princess.

KEEP IT REAL

BUTCH BACCALA

ML SCOUT

CINCINNATI REDS

bbaccala@vzw.blackberry.net

BACCALA BLOG GIVEN RED FLAG

        This is my last post as I sit in the Airport in Sacramento waiting to go to see the California Angels.

1. I love the Cincinnati Reds, I love working for the Cincinnati Reds and would never do anything to hurt my INTEGRITY or the Integrity of the Team.

2.  I did this blog after talking with some friends, I'm so anal about the way I do my job and with the Proffesionalism that I do it with, they thought this would be good for me- give me another outlet-writing, I wrote from the start I wouldn't talk about our players or manager and keep everything proffesional.

3. I could have done like many of you do- not put my name on the BLOG- but I felt like I wasn't doing anything to hurt anyone. I told other scouts what I was doing, I tried to notice other scouts- we are the forgotten men of organizations.

4. The sad part for me is anyone that would question my proffesionalism or question my work doesn't really know me. We all bust our asses for our teams- were away from home over 120 days a year, I much rather sit in my room writing a blog, then sitting in a bar drinking- what kind of role model is that. I had both my kids read the blog yesterday to see if I was over the top- they both enjoyed and before they went to school said see you Dad- we'll read your blog tonight. NO More.

Finishing my Blog I say to all of you that wrote me it was fun but in the end

               THERE'S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL

                KEEP IT REAL FOR THE REDS

                i HOPE WERE ALL TOGETHER TO ENJOY THE CHAMPIONSHIPS I KNOW WERE GONNA WIN.

PEACE

Butch Baccala

A GOOD NIGHT ON THE FARM IS WHEN YOUR ML TEAM WINS

      As I said earlier today, it is way to early in the season to panic. Dusty and the crew took it to the Cubbies today, with the young guys Volquez and Votto leading the way.

     Some of my scouting friends are beginning to read the Blog, I want to make sure I mention one of our veteran scouts that was trained by the most celebrated of reds scout (Gene Bennett) Steve Kring our South Carolina and Georgia scout who is one of the most relentless workers in the game did a great job of finding our 7th rd Pick last year Brandon Waring, I also want to compliment Wayne Britton one of our cross-checkers that saw Waring play twice, the first time he saw him he knew he saw ability in him so he went back a couple of weeks later and made the final decision on the player and it looks like he and Kringer did a great job of getting this player so low in the draft.

  I want to thank Doug Gray over on Redsminorleague.com- he has mentioned the blog twice on his pages and I just want to tell you I read his page every day- he's on top of his business.

     Last tonight before I start watching BP from Oakland, I leave for Anaheim tomorrow, if you have any suggestions or stories you might want to hear please e-mail me and let me know.

      Remember when your building an organization to be the best, there always divots in the road, but when you have a group of people working there ass's off and have the same goal in their sites it can only eventually become reality. Thank You everyone for the great response your giving me- I hope the Reds don't make me stop this Blog- its a blast.

      Felix Hernandez may be reaching his unbelievable potential as a young 22 yr old. Last night he was as my Bostonian friends may say WICKED GOOD.

      Tommorow the Difference Scouting Major Leagues compared to Free Agents.

Peace

Butch Baccala

Cincinnati Reds ML Scout

bbaccala@vzw.blackberry.net

FREE AGENT SCOUTING-IMPORTANT TO OUR FUTURE

     Way to early to hit the panic button with our club. Were still gonna win the division- I won't except anything less. At my parents house-spent night last night. Love being with my parents. My Dad was the best man in my wedding. Had coffee in downtown Petaluma this morning at the Apple Box. It was alright I liked my Mom's coffee better. Gonna watch our game here soon and bring in a win. Keep rooting for Dusty and the Boys its just a matter of time. I hope you fans will go out and support our club when were home. It really helps the energy level of the Team.

    

Many scouts call it Christmas- the June Free agent draft which will be held June 5th AND 6TH. Cincinnati Reds scouts scanning the globe to find you your future Reds and hopefully a few superstars mixed in. This will be my first year in 20 years of scouting that I won"t be participating in the draft.

     Since 2004 when Terry Reynolds was named Scouting Director in the Dan O"Brien regime, the Reds have had very successful drafts, working for Terry as his National Cross-Checker- were two of the funnest scouting years of my carear. Terry was a great Boss-believed in his scouts and just put you into a working environment that was very fun. Terry's two First Rounders while he was running the Scouting Dept were Homer Bailey and Jay Bruce. Two Outstanding picks-two good people. Terry is now our Farm Director where he is now doing a great job of developing our prospects. I thought I got to work for a gem of a person in Atlanta Braves scouting Director Paul Snyder but Terry Reynolds was every bit of a gem that Paul was.

   In Free-Agent scouting there is a ton of bullshit-backstabbing and guys trying to cover there ass. Guys not wanting to work hard and earn there way up the ladder but just feel like they should get the position.When Terry Joined the Reds I heard from other scouts that Terry was a great administrator but not a great scout. Well let me tell you right here in my Blog- Terry Reynolds was a very good scout-he knew what he was doing-he knew how to break down a player and he was a great leader-a fun leader.

   In 2006 a talented scout from the Toronto Blue Jays joined us as our New Scouting Director Chris Buckley. Again I worked for Chris as his National Cross-checker. Chris has a tremendous feel for players great instincts and as Wayne Krivsky says he's a good picker. Buck was great to work for, he's always training you and he is not afraid to look out of the BOX.

     True story we are on a Free- Agent conference call and Wayne joins the call to see how everything is going and wanted to ask us scouts about a young player from Cleveland named Brandon Phillips to this day many people may try to take credit for this move- I was on the call Chris Buckley fought for this kid when no body else did, Chris also recommended Jeff Keppinger and Jorge Cantu then Chris pulled off his biggest deal getting Josh Hamilton in the rule 5 draft. The Reds used Hamilton this off-season to get RHP Edison Volquez.
     The 2007 draft looks very strong under Chris as we got  a  Catcher we all liked -Devin Mesouraca, then took Rutgers SS Todd Frazier, then Kyle Lotzkar from Canada, Zac Cozart SS from Mississippi, pitcher Scott Carroll from Missouri and the a 3B out of Puerto Rico Soto.
      Scouting Free agents is tireless work, u go all over the country evaluate players everyday for two days in
   I'm sure we will have another great draft and build upon the success we have had over the last four years.

     My last words for today is its a damn shame that at AT&T park that they have taken everything down that has to do with Barry Bonds. I guess they forget that he packed that ball park for 15 years. For my nickles worth- WAKEUP he was a great BallPlayer. He should be celebrated all over that ballpark. My generation may never again get to see a Ballplayer that has that kind of ability

     See you at the Ballpark

     Butch Baccala
     Major League Scout
    Cincinnati Reds.
bbaccala@vzw.blackberry.net                                                                                 

IMPRESSIONS A GREEN SHIRT WILL MAKE

     A sunsplashed day at At&T park. My Little Kamikaze security guard bustin my balls again about having no ticket when I entered the field and the looks I got and the laughs that were made on me today about my Lime Green shirt I bought from Jon Martinez at the Antigua Outlet in Peoria AZ at Spring training.

     First time that I've been at a game when people in the Press Box text messaging me that we can all see you up here today in that shirt. Then of all People Ed Winston a Cincinnati native, who now lives in my families hometown of Petaluma, see's me and spends the rest of the afternoon sitting with me watching Kentucky Native Brandon Webb dominate the SF Giants.

     My friend Ed Winston loves the Cincinnati Reds- he sends me e-mails all the time talking about the Reds and always encouraging me about what deals we should make. He bleeds Cincinnati RED, so it was a great time talking about our club. I'm spending the night at my parents tonight-I'm at the Coliseum getting ready to watch Oakland and Seattle. I'm gonna follow Seattle the next 5 days and watch the great Ichiro.

      It"s amazing the crowd of reporters he brings with him-there are so many media here that the Oakland press room gets crowded. I love watching him take batting practice because he will launch balls out of the park and I'm sure if he really wanted too he could hit Homeruns-I've seen the power.

    I want to thank all the people that e-mailed me today, thats why I have that Blackberry I get your messages during the game I can answer between innings. It was great sharing idea's with a few of you and it made me think that one day a week I'm gonna use the blog to talk about one part of the game-any part of it. Anyone that wants something talked about e-mail me and that week proably every Sunday Night will be basically an instruction night and i will also share with you what scouts are looking for in this specific skill.

     I wanted to thank you and comment to you about the nice comments about Wayne Krivsky and Bob Castellini . There are two other people in our office that deserve notice and thats Bob Miller=Wayne's asst and Dick Williams-Baseball operations . Both great guys-smart guys and good baseball people.

     One last comment for today as I leave you to watch BP here at the Coliseum. I have just watched the SF Giants for 3 days. They are a rebuilding organization with many old players. You can see they are in big trouble as an organization but they have 3 Pitchers that will keep them in games Cain,Linecum and Wilson. Great days are ahead for Us. Can you imagine when we have Harang,Cueto, Volquez, Bailey and Travis Wood it is truly something to be excited about.I visualize Seeing Bruce, Stubbs,Bolivar,Griffin,Vailiaka, Turner, Frazier Waring, Watson Roenicke, Francisco, Lotzkar, Mesouraca, Soto and I know I'm missing some and with great respect to our REDS now but the future is exciting. Thanks for the e-mails and please continue to write, I enjoy talking with you.

PS- The Strawberry Shortcake at AT&T for 6.50 is the best bang for your buck. Whip cream a biscuit- I killed it-the only thing I've had a chance to eat today. If any of you coming out here next week need some restaurant recommendations shoot me an e-mail- I love baseball and really like food.

Peace

Butch Baccala

Major League Scout

Cincinnati Reds