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

Comments

[jinaz]

Obviously, I don't know the circumstances.

But this is pretty irritating from a fan's perspective.

You weren't giving out any kind of specific scouting-level evaluations of players, and were very clear that you were unwilling to do so. So I don't see any possible way that your running this blog could put the Reds at a competitive disadvantage, which is the only legitimate explanation for their wanting to shut you down.

I was really enjoying this blog, because you were providing an interesting glimpse into the life of a scout. I specifically loved that you were starting to help us learn about the people involved with the Reds organization, and how hard you guys work to help this struggling team. It was exciting, as a life-long Reds fan, to have this simple kind of insight into what happens behind the scenes.

I think this is just another example of the Reds' proclivity towards absurd secrecy. In this case, all they are doing is setting up yet another wall to distance themselves from their fans. Sometimes, frankly, I wonder why I follow them.
-Justin

[Dave from Louisville]

On one hand I really like your blog. On the other I understand that why the blog was shut down. Scouts are escentially the R&D of baseball. Everyone that watches baseball or reads a couple blogs thinks they know baseball, that is until they talk to a scout and realize its their hobby and its the scout's freaking career.

I completely love and respect Krivsky's secret regime. I am a R&D chemist and I really can't talk to people about the stuff I do at work because it has the possibility to put my company at a competitive disadvantage. Krivsky, being way smarter than the average Reds fan gives him credit for, realizes this. Organizational secrecy is especially important given the fact that if the Yankees or Red Sox or the fucking Cubs found out that there was one or two great scouts that found Phillips, Keppinger, Hamilton, Lohse, Burton, or Volquez......they would triple their freaking salary. All decisions have to appear to be made by Krivsky so that headhunters can't take out the go-to decision makers. Given the turn over in baseball, it is that important to keep this info in house.

Scouts are the KGB. There are those that are in the know and then there is everyone else.

Justin - Once you get out of academia and work for a corporation you'll understand.

[jinaz]

Dave, the job I'm starting in August all but guarantees that I'm never going to leave academia.

Thank goodness, as that just sounds like an awful way to live to me. -j

[Chris @ Seeing Reds]

I have to say that I'm with Dave from Louisville on this one.

Intellectual capital must be protected in a competitive environment. Because all sporting leagues are "closed" ( that is, there is a finite opportunity for success due to a capped number of leagues and games ), every advantage must be guarded in order to build or maintain advantage. While I don't believe that Butch to date has written anything that gives away information, often to the trained reader, it's the _lack_ of what it said/written which inadvertently gives away information.

I've been both in academia and in the corporate environment and each have their own benefits and detriments ( which is why I partnered with a friend and started our own company ). Academics, though, have a propensity to be more collaborative than competitive. Then again, their environment is not "closed" as the realm of opportunity for success in academia is limitless. That's opposed to the situation which the Reds find themselves in.

If I were the GM, I'd have shut down this blog, too. As a simple fan, I'm disappointed because I found Butch's posts informative and refreshingly candid. However, if the Reds lose an opportunity to sign another Jeff Keppinger because Butch _doesn't_ write about him but other teams know he's been hot on that player, then all of this refreshing information was counterproductive because the Reds might miss out on a chance to take advantage of another team's inability to scout for themselves.

Butch, I wish you the best. I will miss your thoughts but I'm willing to forego my entertainment, armed with the knowledge that the Reds are keeping your considerable talents to themselves.

Chris

[Rick D in Chicago]

Butch,

I also want to extend a grateful hand to you. This blog has been a refreshing MUST read for this Reds fan.

Is there any chance that the Reds will allow you to continue the blog in any format?

For what it's worth it's an honor to get to know you through this blog. I wish you and your family the best! Travel safe!

Rick D

[Alison]

As I am a baseball lover, I try to watch games whenever I have time. But, for me, and without doubt for thousands of other fans all over the world, I love the Cincinnati Reds and I do my best to attend their games though we notice that Reds tickets got a little pricy and hard to be found especially when we talk about some hot games. The Cincinnati Reds tickets are a little pricy but this should not prevent us from fallowing our favourite team and support it, and this is what means to be a good fan.

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