Baseball Thru Baccala's Eyes

The Characters Of Baseball-SD Scout Ray Crone

     Thru my travels, I have been very fortunate to meet many people. The scouts I work with from all 30 teams, the fans that we sit with behind home plate and the many workers that fill stadiums across the country.

    This past week in Texas, I've been very lucky in the people that I have run into. I really enjoy Jon Daniels the GM of the Rangers, his asst Thad Levine and ex Baseball America writer and now head of Pro scouting for the Rangers Josh Boyd. It wasn't a large group of scouts but Jesse Flores the Asst to the GM at Pittsburgh was 2 seats to my right, Sal Butera came in with the Blue Jays and he sat right in front of me as did Philadelphia Phillies ML Scouting Director Gordon Lakey. Accomplished well liked scouts who are all hard workers. Dan Jennings-the man that had originally drafted Josh Hamilton out of HS and now one of the big cheeses with the Florida Marlins added to the conversations the last couple of nights.

    It was a great trip for me because I got to eat dinner with every night and talk with popular Texas scout the "Blondie Loving", its a cookie dessert- Ray Crone. Guys like Ray who have been around the game forever are mentor scouts to guys like me, who are just beginning to enjoy the bustle of being a Major League Scout.

   Ray as I pressed him question after question answered in his humble manner. He signed as a 17yr RHP. Back when he was trying to make it to the major leagues there were 52 leagues which started at level D. Back in his playing days he emphatically said "you had to produce to advance". Ray Crone reached the Major leagues from 1954-1958 and was 30-30 as a major league Pitcher.

     Ray has continued in this great game as a area scout, cross-checker and now ML Scout. He has worked for 2 teams quite an accomplishment in itself the Baltimore orioles from 1976-1995 and the San Diego Padres and Kevin Towers from 1996 until the present. Ray has signed some excellent players- Big Ben McDonald, David Segui, Arthur Rhodes and SS Bob Bonner. Its fun to listen to Ray and how in his eyes how baseball has changed over the years and he lists Roger Clemens and Calvin Schiraldi as the best players he has ever scouted.

    I got Rays number so I could call him, my mentor scout was a man named Lloyd Christopher-who scouted until his death. Ray appears very healthy and I hope he is around for a long time so i can make him laugh and smile when I see him. This is why my job is great because of the people I meet, the baseball people I'm around everyday. There's nothing small in TEXAS. I'm off to AZ to see Diamondbacks and Rockies 1:20. I have a 7pm flight back to Sacramento-where hopefully my wife will pick me up.

     As my friend and Reds Scouting Director Chris Buckley would say it wasn't a good day down on the farm when your big league club loses. We lost tonight to the Pirates again and stranded 11 runners. Tommorrow is another day and another start for our talented team

    Until we speak again- keep it simple-go to a ML game have a beer and hot dog and enjoy the day. See you at your nearest ballpark.

Butch Baccala

Major league scout

Cincinnati Reds

WHAT MAKES A PERSON TICK

Everyday as we go to our jobs and find our way thru life, whether its a good day or a bad day. I can always  have a smile on my face because I know that I will eventually be at a game. Being a scout representing a Major league club is a profession that I would highly recommend.

Major League baseball-opening day, our favorite teams, our favorite players-players we love to yell and boo at. Whatever happens at a ballpark can usually bring you a smile but can also bring you a fat lip. Opening night Texas Arlington Stadium.4/8/08 Josh Hamilton the potential superstar outfielder for the Texas Rangers hitting balls to the moon and into the second deck takes his first practice cut in BP, and to this day I'm not sure he is aware of it, but on his first swing he hit a screaming line-drive into the stands and the ball hit a girl straight in the face and there was blood every where. As Josh continued his batting practice-swinging from his ---, the ball going easily over the fences, the medical group of the Rangers rushed to this ladies assistance. As I watched for a minute-I thought to myself I hope this isn't her first exposure to Major league baseball.

Everyday while I travel the Major leagues I will blog-daily. if I see something funny in a park or I see a performance that should be written about. As scouts we are away from our loved one's about half the year, I hope my kids read these someday and can understand and have the love I have for our great game-BASEBALL. Until Tomorrow off to AZ to watch the Diamondbacks and Rockies for a day before following the D-Backs to SF and my Mom's loved SF Giants.

Baseball Baccala's Way

Butch Baccala