Cubs pulled their scouts this year?

[AlwaysaCub]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=2630122

 

When it became obvious that the 2006 Cubs were as doomed as any character in "Saw III," Hendry pulled his pro scouts and had them concentrate on assessing potential free agents or trade material. He paid more attention to the Asian baseball market. And he decided Baker was no longer the right fit.

 

I'm not sure what to make of that. Hendry apparently understood the need to focus on next year. But pull your scouts? Really?

[Bruce Miles]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=2630122

 

When it became obvious that the 2006 Cubs were as doomed as any character in "Saw III," Hendry pulled his pro scouts and had them concentrate on assessing potential free agents or trade material. He paid more attention to the Asian baseball market. And he decided Baker was no longer the right fit.

 

I'm not sure what to make of that. Hendry apparently understood the need to focus on next year. But pull your scouts? Really?

 

No. What they did was less advance-game and advance-series scouting and more player-evaluation scouting for potential trades and free agents. They did get back into Asia more extensively.

[AlwaysaCub]

Hmm, okay. Thanks Bruce. I still don't understand why they couldn't just hire more scouts though. If the Cubs can hold a 100 million dollar payroll, how much of a difference is 2 more scouts going to make? Scouts don't make that much.

[goonys evil twin]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=2630122

 

When it became obvious that the 2006 Cubs were as doomed as any character in "Saw III," Hendry pulled his pro scouts and had them concentrate on assessing potential free agents or trade material. He paid more attention to the Asian baseball market. And he decided Baker was no longer the right fit.

 

I'm not sure what to make of that. Hendry apparently understood the need to focus on next year. But pull your scouts? Really?

 

No. What they did was less advance-game and advance-series scouting and more player-evaluation scouting for potential trades and free agents. They did get back into Asia more extensively.

 

In other words, their scouts focused less on how to beat the Pirates next week, and more on what players to go after in the offseason.

[RichHillIsABeast]

Good move, Hendry. No need to waste limited resources.

[Laura]

I'm glad to hear that. People who know a lot more than I do about scouting (individually and organizationally) have advocated the Cubs beef up their international scouting.

 

If they want to right the ship, they'll need an infusion of talent relatively quickly. It makes sense to look into importing some.

[CuseCubFan69]

That sounds good along with the putting more time into Asia.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

That explains how the Cubs are considering signing a few different players (besides Daisuke) in Asia.

 

Bruce, any chance the Cubs are considering returning more permanently to Asia/the Pacific Rim a la the Leon Lee era? I hope Hendry sees how beneficial this can be and starts boosting up the scouting in that department.

 

Good to see Jim was flexible in this situation and saw the importance of scouting for 07.

[Mephistopheles]

maybe we can tell the dragons under the table well bid 35 mil on Kosuke Fukudome.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Hmm, okay. Thanks Bruce. I still don't understand why they couldn't just hire more scouts though. If the Cubs can hold a 100 million dollar payroll, how much of a difference is 2 more scouts going to make? Scouts don't make that much.

 

It'd be tougher to do that in the middle of the season, I assume.

[Mephistopheles]

the supply for qualified scouts during the season would be highly inelastic, one would think.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

This was a good move in my opinion.

 

Hopefully, scouting Asia will pay off.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

the supply for qualified scouts during the season would be highly inelastic, one would think.

 

Agreed.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Well done Hendry.

[rocket]

yay it only took 4 seasons

[Ding Dong Johnson]

There's got to be something we're missing. Either that or Jim actually did something smart this past season.

[Balsa]

Yayyy for Hendry.

[soccer10k]

Definitely good to hear. No need to be scouting your opposition late in the season.

[Guest]

Hmm, okay. Thanks Bruce. I still don't understand why they couldn't just hire more scouts though. If the Cubs can hold a 100 million dollar payroll, how much of a difference is 2 more scouts going to make? Scouts don't make that much.

Because unless you know the scout, you don't know how reliable his performance is going to be until he's been in the job for a while. And the scouts that have a track record are already employed by other teams at that point in the year.

[Dirt Dog Sparly]

Hmm, okay. Thanks Bruce. I still don't understand why they couldn't just hire more scouts though. If the Cubs can hold a 100 million dollar payroll, how much of a difference is 2 more scouts going to make? Scouts don't make that much.

Because unless you know the scout, you don't know how reliable his performance is going to be until he's been in the job for a while. And the scouts that have a track record are already employed by other teams at that point in the year.

 

Plus the pool is rather slim to start with too. The only "qualifiers" are former players, as the thinking goes, because they know what it takes to play at that level. Take someone like myself who did not play professionally. I would not be considered for a position in the MLB scouting department, where most scouts start, because I dont know the game well enough. IE; no pro experience.

 

Most teams will hire new scouts out of the MLB scouting department. The teams can look at the reports turned in by the MLB scouts against thier own to see who has "the eye" before making the hire.

[Soriano12]

I wanna know the Cubs scout who was assigned to Ricky Nolasco.

 

:twisted:

[CuseCubFan69]

Now it's time for Mr. Hendry to get the right players and prove he belongs in the GM position.

[frostwyrm]

Given the Cubs' track record in developing position players, I have to believe there are lots of incompetent scouts in this organization. It's time to scout the scouts and get better talent at that position.

[Peoriaman]

Hendry did the smart thing. That is what other teams do also.

[1908]

They did get back into Asia more extensively.

When they were active in Asia previously, the Cubs focused on South Korea. Do you know if they were active in Japan this time around?