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