1 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: What's up, guys. Welcome into another edition of Crush City Territory. 2 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:12,159 Speaker 1: My name is chandleroame with Tyler Stafford as always, and 3 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:15,760 Speaker 1: we have a special guest today. We've got Astro's assistant 4 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 1: general manager, Gavin Dickie to do a couple of things. 5 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:23,120 Speaker 1: We're gonna preview the spring breakout game that the Astros 6 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 1: prospects will play in is on Friday morning in West 7 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:29,360 Speaker 1: Palm Beach. We'll talk about that a little bit later, 8 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:32,159 Speaker 1: but I wanted to give fans and people that are 9 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:35,239 Speaker 1: watching a chance to meet Gavin Dickie, a guy that 10 00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 1: I'm sure you have seen his name. I'm sure you've 11 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:41,320 Speaker 1: read about him, heard about him, but probably never gotten 12 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 1: to know kind of what he does and kind of 13 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:46,479 Speaker 1: his trajectory within the Astro system. So, Gavin, I appreciate 14 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:48,280 Speaker 1: you taking some time. I know this is a busy 15 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 1: time in spring training for you to join us. Thanks 16 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:52,519 Speaker 1: for being here, no, thanks. 17 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 2: For having me. Guys, excited to do this. Spend some 18 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 2: time with you this afternoon. 19 00:00:56,440 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 1: All right, So we'll get to the baseball side of 20 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: this in a minute. But Tyler went to Texas A 21 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:05,560 Speaker 1: and m I went to LSU, so we're gonna we 22 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:08,560 Speaker 1: have to talk SEC football a little bit, Gavin. Gavin 23 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:11,560 Speaker 1: was a two sport athlete at the University of Florida, 24 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 1: where he played quarterback. At one point, you were a 25 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:17,560 Speaker 1: four star ESPN had you as a four star recruit 26 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:22,920 Speaker 1: committed to the University of Florida played football there. Gavin, 27 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:26,400 Speaker 1: how did you kind of take us through your upbringing 28 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 1: of becoming a two sport athlete when you get to Florida, 29 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:32,200 Speaker 1: how you balance that and how you ultimately ended up 30 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:32,920 Speaker 1: choosing baseball. 31 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, so I actually grew up in Tallahassee. 32 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:40,520 Speaker 3: My dad actually worked at Florida State, and then, you know, 33 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:43,319 Speaker 3: growing up, I always played baseball mostly. 34 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:46,600 Speaker 2: I didn't start playing football probably until. 35 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:49,120 Speaker 3: You know, I was, you know, coming up on my 36 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:53,200 Speaker 3: ten twelve year old age, and I just played it 37 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:55,640 Speaker 3: because of my friends. Really, I didn't really love the 38 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:59,160 Speaker 3: sport as much as I loved baseball, and I just 39 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 3: kind of happened to be good at it. So I 40 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 3: kept playing when I got to high school, and I 41 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 3: enjoyed it. I enjoyed just like playing the game much 42 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 3: less than the meetings. So the meetings really are what 43 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:15,240 Speaker 3: pulled me out of just like the love of. 44 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 2: Football so much when I got to college. 45 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:21,320 Speaker 3: But yeah, I grew up in Tallahassee playing two sports, 46 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:24,960 Speaker 3: baseball and football. Got recruited heavily to play football, had 47 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:28,760 Speaker 3: a lot of baseball offers as well. Decided on going 48 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:31,799 Speaker 3: to University of Florida over a few other schools. Got 49 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:35,960 Speaker 3: there my freshman year and only played football my freshman year. 50 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 2: You know, hey, it was a conversation. 51 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:41,239 Speaker 3: Of Hey, you're in football scholarship if you're not gonna 52 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:43,639 Speaker 3: play baseball, even though that wasn't told to me before 53 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 3: coming up to my next year. 54 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:48,800 Speaker 2: I ended up playing baseball and football. 55 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 3: My rich shirt freshman year, and then I backed up 56 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:54,640 Speaker 3: Chris Leak who. 57 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 2: Became in there. 58 00:02:55,760 --> 00:03:00,360 Speaker 3: And then I was basically essentially the last guy on 59 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:02,760 Speaker 3: the bench for the for the baseball team in two 60 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:05,079 Speaker 3: thousand and four, and then I earned a starting job 61 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:06,799 Speaker 3: on the baseball team in two thousand and five. 62 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 2: We had a really good team. We went to Omaha. 63 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 3: We actually lost to the Longhorns in the in the 64 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 3: National Championship Game out in Omaha. And then, you know, 65 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 3: played my last year in two thousand and six, and 66 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:20,840 Speaker 3: I was fortunate enough to get drafted by the Mariners, 67 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:22,960 Speaker 3: and I played a few years in pro ball, played 68 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 3: a couple of years in independent ball, and twenty eleven 69 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:30,320 Speaker 3: I started scouting. I started working for the Atals. It 70 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 3: was my first real job, honestly. 71 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 4: Yeah. 72 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:38,200 Speaker 5: So do you feel like you follow, you know, like 73 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 5: the Jamis Winston, Kyler Murray when when they're starting to 74 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 5: do that. Do you have like a special place in 75 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 5: your heart for guys that are trying to do two sports? 76 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 2: Yeah? 77 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 3: I do, right, Like I really appreciate it how difficult 78 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:54,800 Speaker 3: it is for guys to do that. I understand the 79 00:03:55,080 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 3: amount of time it takes to be successful on the FIELT. 80 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 2: I mean, those guys were way, way better than I was. 81 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 3: But it's still exciting when you see guys come along 82 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 3: and have the ability to do both, especially in you know, 83 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 3: the ACC or the SEC. 84 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:13,040 Speaker 2: It's special to see. 85 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:16,920 Speaker 1: If I remember, go ahead, I remember the years, right 86 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 1: you lined up and you you transitioned off solely baseball. 87 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:23,039 Speaker 1: Right when Tim Tebow got on campus, Right. 88 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:24,279 Speaker 2: I did, I did so. 89 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:28,360 Speaker 3: I two thousand and six was my my last year 90 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:31,800 Speaker 3: in college. I got drafted that that spring, and Timmy 91 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:35,200 Speaker 3: got to Florida in January that year. 92 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:36,480 Speaker 2: He enrolled a year early. 93 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:38,400 Speaker 3: So we were on campus for like half a season, 94 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:42,040 Speaker 3: half of some we're campus for semester together. 95 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 2: And but we didn't get to play football together. 96 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:47,680 Speaker 3: But I would see him in the weight room lifting 97 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:51,200 Speaker 3: like ridiculous weights as as you know, should have been 98 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:52,480 Speaker 3: still a senior in high school. 99 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:55,560 Speaker 5: Yeah, so he gets to go to spring training with 100 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:57,840 Speaker 5: the Mets as a as a baseball player. 101 00:04:57,960 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 4: You're like, what the heck? What what did I. 102 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 2: Yeah? 103 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean he's a great athlete, right, Like he's 104 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:08,039 Speaker 3: one of the most historical figures of athletes in the 105 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:11,800 Speaker 3: country history. Right, people recognize the last name, you know, 106 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 3: it's a single single name athlete. 107 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:17,919 Speaker 5: Especially Yeah, for sure. No, I mean so much fun 108 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:22,479 Speaker 5: to watch. And this this proves my point that you 109 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:24,960 Speaker 5: probably don't have to experience this, But for for us 110 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 5: normal people when we're watching sports, there's always some uncle 111 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 5: or cousin or friend who's like, you know, why are 112 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:36,159 Speaker 5: why are these people doing this? I could do better 113 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:39,640 Speaker 5: than whatever. My point that I've always made is like 114 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:45,719 Speaker 5: every minor league athlete, right it's the best baseball player 115 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 5: their town has ever seen, is the best football player 116 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:51,599 Speaker 5: their town has ever seen, the best basketball They're just 117 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 5: insane athletes. And the fact that you didn't even like 118 00:05:54,960 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 5: football and you just accidentally end up, you know, because 119 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:04,920 Speaker 5: you're just an amazing athlete. Is my point that at home, 120 00:06:05,279 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 5: I promise you could do whatever it is you think 121 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:09,680 Speaker 5: that you could do on a. 122 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:12,760 Speaker 3: Very true It's very true. Like TV, I say it 123 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:15,560 Speaker 3: all the time. You know, TV doesn't do it justice right. 124 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:19,240 Speaker 3: Even in the draft or when we signed international players. 125 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:21,520 Speaker 3: You know, they were the best player on their little 126 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 3: league team, Like you said, they were the best player 127 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:25,080 Speaker 3: in their town. A lot of these guys were the 128 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:29,040 Speaker 3: best players in their county, their conference, you know, players 129 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:31,280 Speaker 3: of the year. They've been the best for so long 130 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 3: in their life. And then once you get them all 131 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:37,359 Speaker 3: together on a backfield at the minor league complex, you're like, 132 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:40,200 Speaker 3: you know, even the guy that you're taking the fortieth 133 00:06:40,279 --> 00:06:43,040 Speaker 3: round or well twentieth round now is a really good player. 134 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 2: Honestly. 135 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, there's people worries from that, you know, they tell 136 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:49,400 Speaker 3: stories about them, how very sure. 137 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean, they're just insane, insane athletes, And so 138 00:06:56,279 --> 00:07:00,880 Speaker 5: now I for you scouting, now, I'm sure. I feel 139 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:04,839 Speaker 5: like the hard part with scouting is measuring the difference 140 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 5: between like the raw ability that somebody has versus the 141 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:16,080 Speaker 5: actual skills, and especially in baseball, because with other sports sometimes, look, 142 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 5: if you can run a four three forty, well, maybe 143 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 5: we can figure out how to teach you to right. 144 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 5: You know, we'll figure it out. But with baseball, you 145 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 5: have all of these raw skills, but they don't necessarily 146 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:36,120 Speaker 5: translate unless you can put them all together at once. So, 147 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:38,480 Speaker 5: you know, how do you how do you approach that 148 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:43,080 Speaker 5: from a scouting perspective of identifying talent like that? 149 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:47,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, so you know, when I started scouting back in 150 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:52,480 Speaker 3: twenty eleven, the transition for me was really easy because 151 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:55,240 Speaker 3: I was literally on the baseball field playing two weeks 152 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:58,520 Speaker 3: before that I started scouting. So I joke because like 153 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:00,680 Speaker 3: I was a way better scout back then because I 154 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:03,000 Speaker 3: was just right off the field, right like I could 155 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:07,680 Speaker 3: see it. I knew what translated very well, very easily. 156 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 3: In the older that I got, the more experienced I got, 157 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 3: I became like much more lenient, like, oh maybe this 158 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:16,880 Speaker 3: guy's a chance. You know, you know, you start grading 159 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:19,480 Speaker 3: with a curve almost a little bit. I think the 160 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:25,440 Speaker 3: difficult thing about scouting is is profiling a player out 161 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 3: and putting your thoughts into words and getting him on 162 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:29,200 Speaker 3: a on a. 163 00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:30,200 Speaker 2: Correct pref list. 164 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:35,320 Speaker 3: Most people that watch baseball or consume the sport in 165 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:39,080 Speaker 3: any manner can go to a high school field or 166 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:41,679 Speaker 3: a college field and tell you who the best player is. 167 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:44,680 Speaker 3: Right like, That's that's pretty easy to see for the 168 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:45,320 Speaker 3: most part. 169 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 2: The difficult part is profiling the player out. Is he 170 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:52,760 Speaker 2: going to be able to play this position in the 171 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:56,160 Speaker 2: major leagues? This is his tools and skills, profile in 172 00:08:56,240 --> 00:09:00,440 Speaker 2: this position in three to four years to where he 173 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 2: can become an everyday player. 174 00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 3: Where is he going to be a bench player? If 175 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 3: he's going to be an everyday player, where should we 176 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:09,880 Speaker 3: take him in the draft? Taking your thoughts and put 177 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:12,040 Speaker 3: him into words and get him in a proper spot 178 00:09:12,120 --> 00:09:13,959 Speaker 3: an evaluation on him is. 179 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 2: The hardest part of scouting. The evaluation part is probably 180 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:19,200 Speaker 2: the easiest part. 181 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:23,520 Speaker 1: Honestly, before we get into some specific names, I want 182 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:25,960 Speaker 1: to take you, I want to get your insight on 183 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 1: you have a very rare viewpoint of the Astros as 184 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:33,200 Speaker 1: a as an organization. You've worked for four general managers. 185 00:09:33,800 --> 00:09:36,200 Speaker 1: You came in at the tail end of Ed Wade's tenure. 186 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:39,240 Speaker 1: You're here for Jeff Luno, for James Click and now 187 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 1: Dana Brown. You've worked for a lot of different farm directors, 188 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:44,600 Speaker 1: You've worked for a lot of different and you've seen 189 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:48,520 Speaker 1: kind of how this thing has moved a little bit 190 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 1: from you know, a lot of in person scouting to 191 00:09:51,200 --> 00:09:54,240 Speaker 1: maybe a lot more analytics heavy leaning, and now it 192 00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:58,160 Speaker 1: seems like Dana is very much swaying back toward the middle. 193 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:03,440 Speaker 1: How would you characterize the evolution of scouting within the 194 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 1: Astros or since you joined in twenty eleven. 195 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:11,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, I definitely think the game, you know, the pendulum swings, 196 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:15,040 Speaker 3: if you will, one way or the other, and it's 197 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:18,440 Speaker 3: just just not just the Astros, it's probably baseball overall. Right, 198 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:21,680 Speaker 3: Like we you know, I can remember when we first 199 00:10:21,800 --> 00:10:24,960 Speaker 3: you know, reduced the amount of scouts that we had, 200 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:28,240 Speaker 3: not on the amateur side, but the pro side as well, 201 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:32,400 Speaker 3: and we went to you know, we started having edgotronic 202 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:36,040 Speaker 3: cameras and we you know, we were sending guys out 203 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:38,720 Speaker 3: with our cameras to take high speed video at games 204 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:42,800 Speaker 3: of prospects and quite frankly, you know, we'd reduce scoutings 205 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:45,160 Speaker 3: and then we we sent out guys with the cameras 206 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:47,239 Speaker 3: and we saw the stuff that was going on Twitter. 207 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:48,960 Speaker 2: All the astro scouts they just have a camera at 208 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:50,520 Speaker 2: the game. Ah, it's funny. 209 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:52,960 Speaker 3: And then you fast forward like three or four years 210 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:56,480 Speaker 3: and every organization and it in baseball has editronic cameras now, right, 211 00:10:56,800 --> 00:11:00,280 Speaker 3: So it's really not funny. And I think I think 212 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:04,280 Speaker 3: that's a part of just like the evolution of being 213 00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:08,360 Speaker 3: here over time is you know, we continue to push 214 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:15,240 Speaker 3: the limits of you know, player evaluation, valuation development, and 215 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:18,440 Speaker 3: believe in you know, the fabric. 216 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 2: Of our organization. 217 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:22,319 Speaker 3: We want to be, you know, a forward thinking organization, 218 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:26,080 Speaker 3: and that's something that's remained constant since I've been here 219 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:30,559 Speaker 3: the entire time. We we want to take chances and 220 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 3: maybe go off on a project that other teams aren't 221 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:38,400 Speaker 3: aren't doing, to figure out if there's something to gain 222 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:41,320 Speaker 3: that we can get an edge and you know, player 223 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:45,280 Speaker 3: evaluation development, if there's something there that's that's you know, 224 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:48,480 Speaker 3: tangible that we can go onto, that we can hold 225 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:50,840 Speaker 3: on to that would help us, you know, continue to 226 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:51,920 Speaker 3: be better as an organization. 227 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:55,520 Speaker 1: You since you mentioned it, I'm gonna ask, and this 228 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:57,280 Speaker 1: may be this may be kind of an odd question, 229 00:11:57,360 --> 00:12:02,120 Speaker 1: but as you as you see in those early days, 230 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:06,240 Speaker 1: the reduction of the number of in person scouts. I guess, 231 00:12:06,280 --> 00:12:09,600 Speaker 1: first of all, how worried are you about your kind 232 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:12,000 Speaker 1: of standing? And then did that force you to kind 233 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:15,199 Speaker 1: of evolve a little bit and maybe learn about electronic 234 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:18,480 Speaker 1: cameras and track Man and things that you probably didn't 235 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:21,079 Speaker 1: have or didn't know about it University of Florida, And 236 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 1: how much did that kind of force your evolution in 237 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:24,080 Speaker 1: the game. 238 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:29,520 Speaker 3: I think, you know, I was fortunate enough to when 239 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:31,920 Speaker 3: I started working for the Astros when I come when 240 00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:35,120 Speaker 3: I came in, it was a time of change. I 241 00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:38,720 Speaker 3: got hired Bobby Heck was a scouting director. I mean 242 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:40,839 Speaker 3: that's was a scouting director at the time, and he's 243 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:43,920 Speaker 3: probably more of a traditional in person scouting and we 244 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:48,480 Speaker 3: had the blend with you know, with Jeff Lunau and 245 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:52,319 Speaker 3: Michael Las at the time, and it kind of changed. 246 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:56,200 Speaker 3: And I was fortunate that I grew into the change. So, 247 00:12:56,800 --> 00:12:59,960 Speaker 3: you know, I grew into working with models and evaluate 248 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:05,120 Speaker 3: hitting players based on data and track Man and pictures. 249 00:13:05,440 --> 00:13:08,960 Speaker 3: So that for me, you know, I was very fortunate 250 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:11,840 Speaker 3: in my in my working career because that's you know, 251 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:16,200 Speaker 3: that's how I learned from the very beginning and I've 252 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:18,280 Speaker 3: been fortunate enough to work for a lot of you know, 253 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:23,920 Speaker 3: very very smart scouts and executives, scouting directors, gms over 254 00:13:23,960 --> 00:13:27,360 Speaker 3: the years that you know, I've been able to pick 255 00:13:27,400 --> 00:13:30,760 Speaker 3: their brains and continue to build you know, my skill 256 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:34,040 Speaker 3: set out over the years. But you have to be adaptable. 257 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:36,280 Speaker 3: That's probably one thing that I've learned the most. If 258 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 3: you're closed minded and you're not willing to hear outside 259 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 3: thought or ideas as it comes to you know, evaluation 260 00:13:44,840 --> 00:13:47,640 Speaker 3: on the scouting side or even the player development side, 261 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:50,120 Speaker 3: You're going to struggle. You're really going to struggle. 262 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:55,360 Speaker 5: Some of my favorite baseball stories are people talking about finding, 263 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:58,320 Speaker 5: you know, people who end up being stars, but when 264 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:01,800 Speaker 5: they're in high school or on some backfield somewhere and 265 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 5: you can just tell right, you know, from from one 266 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:07,400 Speaker 5: swing right do you do you have anything like that? 267 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:08,640 Speaker 4: Where do you remember. 268 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:10,360 Speaker 5: Seeing a guy and just being like, oh, my goodness, 269 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:13,040 Speaker 5: this is is a guy right here? 270 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:15,200 Speaker 2: Like for sure? 271 00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:18,679 Speaker 3: Right Like I because I wasn't scouting from two thousand, 272 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:21,920 Speaker 3: you know, twenty twelve draft to the twenty twenty three 273 00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:24,080 Speaker 3: it was my last year at scouting, so I've seen 274 00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:27,360 Speaker 3: you know, pretty much all the best players, right, Like 275 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:29,960 Speaker 3: those ones, like the easy ones, right, like the first 276 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:32,560 Speaker 3: round the top, like the Kyle Tuckers of the world, 277 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:35,520 Speaker 3: you know, or you know, like those guys are like 278 00:14:35,560 --> 00:14:37,680 Speaker 3: the easy ones, right, and you see Dansby Swans and 279 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:40,200 Speaker 3: you're like, Okay, this guy's really good, right, that's. 280 00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:41,800 Speaker 2: Not you know, like that's an easy one. 281 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:44,680 Speaker 3: I think the ones that are, like, you know, that 282 00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:47,640 Speaker 3: I take pride in, are like the lower level ones, right, 283 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:52,120 Speaker 3: the ones that that are you know, I can tell 284 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:54,520 Speaker 3: this like Hunter Brown for me, was the guy that 285 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:58,760 Speaker 3: I saw him when he was at you know, Wayne State, 286 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:02,000 Speaker 3: you know, D two school. You're like, this guy is 287 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:04,600 Speaker 3: really good. Like this guy, and I've told Hunter this 288 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:07,120 Speaker 3: story too. It's like, I really think this guy is 289 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:10,160 Speaker 3: a lot better than some of the guys that are 290 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:13,600 Speaker 3: gonna go well before him in the draft, and I 291 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 3: think he belongs in that tier of players. So when 292 00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:20,000 Speaker 3: guys like that work out, those are the ones that, 293 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:22,360 Speaker 3: you know, I take pride in, and we take pride 294 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:24,320 Speaker 3: in as a group. Like when you get those right, 295 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:26,600 Speaker 3: when you take those guys right and they blossom and 296 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:30,120 Speaker 3: they become you know, all star caliber players, those are 297 00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:32,080 Speaker 3: the ones I feel the best for me. 298 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:36,320 Speaker 5: Yeah, I worked for for the Hooks in twenty fifteen 299 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:40,880 Speaker 5: when the team was just stacked with, you know, so 300 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:44,240 Speaker 5: much major league talent, but same same thing. The story 301 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:46,800 Speaker 5: that I tell that I was most proud of was 302 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:50,240 Speaker 5: Tyler White was the first. 303 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:51,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, Tyler White. Yeah. 304 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:55,960 Speaker 5: I used to talk to scouts all the time when 305 00:15:55,960 --> 00:15:58,200 Speaker 5: they would come in, and I remember telling this one 306 00:15:58,200 --> 00:15:59,880 Speaker 5: guy who I got pretty close with. He worked for 307 00:15:59,880 --> 00:16:02,280 Speaker 5: the Mets, and I was like, Tyler Wright's a big leader, 308 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:05,480 Speaker 5: Like he's gonna you know, he reminds me of like 309 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:08,720 Speaker 5: Billy Butler, you know, just again that's like a power, 310 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:10,680 Speaker 5: but he's just gonna put that well. And the guy 311 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:13,320 Speaker 5: kept making fun of me throughout the year. He was like, 312 00:16:13,360 --> 00:16:16,120 Speaker 5: you don't know what you're talking about. And then by 313 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 5: the end of the year, after he'd seen him a 314 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:20,120 Speaker 5: few times, he was like, you. 315 00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:20,840 Speaker 4: Know what I've been. 316 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:25,200 Speaker 5: He offered me a job, and I was like, I'm 317 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:28,120 Speaker 5: not gonna not gonna be a scout, but I'm very 318 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:29,600 Speaker 5: proud of I was. 319 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:32,440 Speaker 4: I was early on the Tyler Tyler. 320 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:32,960 Speaker 2: Right Van wagon. 321 00:16:33,040 --> 00:16:33,200 Speaker 6: Yeah. 322 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:36,240 Speaker 3: I remember I can remember scouting Tyler Wright and talking 323 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:38,520 Speaker 3: about him in the draft Western Carolina. 324 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:41,120 Speaker 2: He played third base, he got his body. 325 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:43,840 Speaker 3: Under control, you know, he made adjustments to his credit, 326 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:45,160 Speaker 3: and he played the big leagues. 327 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:47,880 Speaker 4: That's the AL player of the week. 328 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:52,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, very true, very true. 329 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 1: I'm gonna give Hunter Brown signing scout Scott Rberholman, I'm 330 00:16:56,720 --> 00:16:59,160 Speaker 1: gonna give him a shout out. You know, he he 331 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:02,120 Speaker 1: has told me that the way he initially stumbled on 332 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:03,920 Speaker 1: Hunter Brown was he was at he was at a 333 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:08,360 Speaker 1: D two tournament somewhere in Florida. In Florida, he overheard 334 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:11,560 Speaker 1: other scouts saying like, Hey, I think this Wayne State 335 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:13,520 Speaker 1: guy may be good. He was actually going to go home, 336 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:16,520 Speaker 1: overheard other scouts talking about Hunter Brown, went to watch 337 00:17:16,600 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 1: him pitch, and yes, the. 338 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:19,000 Speaker 6: Rest is history. 339 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:22,880 Speaker 1: And Gavin, I think Hunter and Tyler White like that. 340 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:25,280 Speaker 1: They kind of epitomize what you guys do very well 341 00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:25,840 Speaker 1: in the draft. 342 00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:28,640 Speaker 6: Small small schools, Yeah. 343 00:17:28,760 --> 00:17:32,679 Speaker 1: Schools that aren't powerhouses that you guys find these. 344 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:35,400 Speaker 6: Gems with Chas McCormick and other one out of Millersville. 345 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:36,119 Speaker 2: Yep. 346 00:17:36,280 --> 00:17:38,600 Speaker 1: I guess the simple question is how do you guys, 347 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 1: Is there an art to that or have you guys 348 00:17:40,840 --> 00:17:43,240 Speaker 1: just had a lot of scouts in the right place 349 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:45,240 Speaker 1: at the right time and you found these guys. 350 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:49,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think it's it's a combination of a few things. 351 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:51,880 Speaker 2: Right, Like we take the draft series. 352 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:55,440 Speaker 3: We we don't quit right, every pick is an opportunity 353 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:58,000 Speaker 3: to draft a big leaguer. And then it's a lot 354 00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:03,040 Speaker 3: of collaboration with you know, not only our our amateur 355 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:06,320 Speaker 3: scouting department, but we also include our Player Personnel group, 356 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:09,399 Speaker 3: led you know by Matt Hogan and Aarondale Judas and 357 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:12,280 Speaker 3: Moren Taplin. They do a really good job of mining 358 00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 3: players across the amateur market. And then our research and 359 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:18,480 Speaker 3: development group they do a tremendous job as well of 360 00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 3: you know, digging in and finding you know, outlier tools 361 00:18:22,119 --> 00:18:22,880 Speaker 3: or guys. 362 00:18:22,560 --> 00:18:25,679 Speaker 2: That have unique shapes on the noun. 363 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:28,880 Speaker 3: Or guys that you know, profile in a certain way 364 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 3: or have had, you know, very strong offensive seasons that 365 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:37,440 Speaker 3: may be underappreciated. To try to, you know, have opportunities 366 00:18:37,440 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 3: to take somebody late in the draft that have a 367 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:42,440 Speaker 3: chance to get to the big leagues. 368 00:18:42,680 --> 00:18:45,440 Speaker 2: You don't want to waste those picks even even after 369 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:45,960 Speaker 2: the draft. 370 00:18:45,960 --> 00:18:49,439 Speaker 3: You know NDFA types, you know, guys like Logan van Wide, 371 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:51,480 Speaker 3: like this guy's got a chance, he's gonna pitch in 372 00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:53,240 Speaker 3: the big leagues. Barring health, He's gonna pitch in the 373 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:55,920 Speaker 3: big leagues, right, And those are the types of things that, 374 00:18:56,040 --> 00:18:59,520 Speaker 3: you know, it's a reflection of the organization can continuing 375 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:02,640 Speaker 3: to you know, push the envelope and work hard over 376 00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:03,400 Speaker 3: the years. 377 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:07,040 Speaker 5: You know, there's another guy who I've proudly identified as 378 00:19:07,080 --> 00:19:10,760 Speaker 5: someone who was good at baseball. And you may not 379 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:13,320 Speaker 5: know him yet, but his name is Cam Smith. I 380 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:18,520 Speaker 5: don't know how much you've seen of him, and you 381 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:20,919 Speaker 5: know I'm putting my stamp on him as well as 382 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:24,000 Speaker 5: someone who looks like he might be good at baseball. 383 00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:28,920 Speaker 5: You know, I know you've only you know, had him 384 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:31,800 Speaker 5: in the organization for a little bit. But look, man, 385 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:34,240 Speaker 5: he's the talker spring trainer. I can't remember the last 386 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:38,160 Speaker 5: time people were, you know, this excited about someone who 387 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:40,119 Speaker 5: just felt like he came out of nowhere. 388 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:41,560 Speaker 4: I know, I know that that's not true. 389 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:44,800 Speaker 5: He played at a big college program, and Chandler and 390 00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:47,520 Speaker 5: I have talked a little bit about this of you know, 391 00:19:47,920 --> 00:19:54,080 Speaker 5: it almost feels like the the like top tier programs, 392 00:19:54,119 --> 00:19:57,600 Speaker 5: when guys are really good, they they seem closer and 393 00:19:57,760 --> 00:20:01,960 Speaker 5: ready for big league action than maybe it used to be, 394 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:05,160 Speaker 5: whether it's a combination of the draft is smaller, so 395 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:10,480 Speaker 5: there's just better talent at nil. Obviously, you know, the 396 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:13,960 Speaker 5: SEC or the ACC or whatever can can get better players. 397 00:20:13,960 --> 00:20:16,600 Speaker 5: But I mean the thing that has impressed me both 398 00:20:16,600 --> 00:20:19,520 Speaker 5: about Cam Smith is, yeah, he's only had what one 399 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:24,680 Speaker 5: hundred minor league played appearances, but he does not look overmatched, 400 00:20:24,960 --> 00:20:30,080 Speaker 5: right right, And so tell just wax poetic a little 401 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:32,720 Speaker 5: bit about Cam Smith wars, but we're never gonna be 402 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:34,880 Speaker 5: tired of about him. 403 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:38,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, he's easy to talk about, right like he I 404 00:20:38,359 --> 00:20:42,480 Speaker 3: think you know, first of all, as Cam played for 405 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:45,680 Speaker 3: Linked Jared at Florida State Linked Jared, you know, I've 406 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:48,560 Speaker 3: known him for a while. He's a Tallehassee guy. He's 407 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:51,920 Speaker 3: a tremendous coach. I remember first, you know, watching him 408 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:54,400 Speaker 3: coach when he was coaching I believe you and see 409 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:58,920 Speaker 3: Greensboro you know, ten plus years ago, and the work 410 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:01,840 Speaker 3: that he does on the field with the players, you 411 00:21:01,880 --> 00:21:05,879 Speaker 3: recognize that they're well coach. So Cam already had that foundation, 412 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:09,080 Speaker 3: you know right away. Played for a strong high school 413 00:21:09,119 --> 00:21:11,720 Speaker 3: coach here, legendary coach in the state of Florida, played 414 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:14,879 Speaker 3: for a really good coach at Florida State. So the 415 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:19,119 Speaker 3: foundation is strong of a baseball player. And then you 416 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:22,679 Speaker 3: couple that with you know, obviously it's really easy to talk. 417 00:21:22,560 --> 00:21:26,240 Speaker 2: About his physical abilities. You know, he's got size, he's 418 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:26,840 Speaker 2: got strength. 419 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:31,359 Speaker 3: But I think the thing that's that has everybody here 420 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:35,400 Speaker 3: in camp so excited about Cam is like the makeup, 421 00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:38,960 Speaker 3: it's special, right, Like it's it's special. 422 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:43,760 Speaker 2: He's a young man that has a chance to and 423 00:21:43,880 --> 00:21:44,960 Speaker 2: you don't see this often. 424 00:21:45,119 --> 00:21:48,320 Speaker 3: You know, I've been in sports my whole life, and 425 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:50,840 Speaker 3: I've said this. He has the ability to raise the 426 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:56,640 Speaker 3: floor of players around him without trying, just because how 427 00:21:56,680 --> 00:22:00,800 Speaker 3: he goes about his work on an everyday basis approach 428 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:06,320 Speaker 3: in practice is diligent. His attention to detail is diligent. 429 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:09,600 Speaker 3: How he preps to play every single day is diligent. 430 00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:13,000 Speaker 3: And you don't see that very often from a twenty 431 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:13,640 Speaker 3: two year old. 432 00:22:14,480 --> 00:22:15,920 Speaker 2: That makes him special. 433 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:18,199 Speaker 1: I have to ask, because we're going to see him 434 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 1: do this tomorrow. We're recording this on Wednesday night. He's 435 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:24,720 Speaker 1: going to play in the outfield. Yeah, tomorrow, Thursday in 436 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:27,399 Speaker 1: a Great Fruit League game. Gavin, I don't know how 437 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:31,280 Speaker 1: much you scouted him as an amateur but how do 438 00:22:31,359 --> 00:22:34,800 Speaker 1: you think he's if that is where he ends up. 439 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:36,760 Speaker 6: If that's thing you guys. 440 00:22:36,520 --> 00:22:38,840 Speaker 1: Explore, how do you think he's equipped to transition to 441 00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:40,000 Speaker 1: the outfield. 442 00:22:40,240 --> 00:22:43,159 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, I scouted him in high school. You know, 443 00:22:43,240 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 3: he played short style and we've had him on the backfield. 444 00:22:46,920 --> 00:22:49,360 Speaker 3: He's played you know, he's played some outfield for us, 445 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:51,320 Speaker 3: and he's been working on it for the last you know, 446 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:54,080 Speaker 3: for for here throughout script training. 447 00:22:55,400 --> 00:22:58,120 Speaker 2: The athlete is going to he's gonna make plays. 448 00:22:58,880 --> 00:23:01,800 Speaker 3: I expect that he'll have some growing pains as he 449 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:02,840 Speaker 3: gets used to just. 450 00:23:02,840 --> 00:23:04,240 Speaker 2: Playing on that side of the field. 451 00:23:04,359 --> 00:23:07,920 Speaker 3: He's been a left side defender, you know, his essentially 452 00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:12,200 Speaker 3: his whole life, so reed's angles off balls off the 453 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:14,480 Speaker 3: bat on that side of the field. You expect that 454 00:23:14,520 --> 00:23:18,120 Speaker 3: he's gonna have some growing pains. But I do feel 455 00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:21,119 Speaker 3: confident that he's gonna catch the ball. He made some 456 00:23:21,119 --> 00:23:23,760 Speaker 3: plays on the back fields the other day and you're like, well, 457 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:26,160 Speaker 3: you know, I think the thing that catches you off 458 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 3: guard is you know, we've seen him and he's big 459 00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:32,280 Speaker 3: and he's physical, but like he can run, and that's 460 00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:34,560 Speaker 3: the thing that I think is going to help him 461 00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:38,919 Speaker 3: cover up some maybe early misreads. If that happens, it's 462 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:41,520 Speaker 3: gonna happen, right, He's gonna misplay the ball. But I 463 00:23:41,560 --> 00:23:46,280 Speaker 3: think the athleticism that he has early on, especially if 464 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:48,240 Speaker 3: you know if he ends up staying in right field 465 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:50,560 Speaker 3: long term, it's going to help him cover up some 466 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:53,840 Speaker 3: cover up for some early mistakes that that may happen. 467 00:23:55,600 --> 00:24:00,720 Speaker 1: Cam is technically on this roster of spring breakout prospects 468 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:02,240 Speaker 1: that is going to play in this game against the 469 00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:03,280 Speaker 1: Nationals on Friday. 470 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:05,159 Speaker 6: He may have higher calling. 471 00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:07,520 Speaker 1: Uh, not sure if he will see the field in 472 00:24:07,560 --> 00:24:09,360 Speaker 1: that spring breakout game, but yeah. 473 00:24:09,520 --> 00:24:11,359 Speaker 2: Cam is going to play in the spring. 474 00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:16,080 Speaker 1: Breakout Oh wow, Okay, exclusive. 475 00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:17,840 Speaker 6: Right, the reason for me to go. 476 00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:22,000 Speaker 1: Let's let's talk about some guys that are on the roster, 477 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:25,280 Speaker 1: on the spring breakout roster that maybe haven't been getting 478 00:24:25,280 --> 00:24:27,040 Speaker 1: as much publicity as. 479 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:30,680 Speaker 6: I'm gonna. I'm gonna let's talk about a couple of pictures. 480 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:34,280 Speaker 1: Ethan Peco have a League Pitcher of the Year last year, 481 00:24:35,359 --> 00:24:37,760 Speaker 1: and if you could talk about him real quick. And 482 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:40,800 Speaker 1: then also Anderson Brito is a guy that when we 483 00:24:40,840 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 1: talk about when we talked within your organization, that he's 484 00:24:44,280 --> 00:24:45,560 Speaker 1: the first name that comes up. 485 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:47,639 Speaker 6: From a lot of people as to what he's able 486 00:24:47,680 --> 00:24:47,960 Speaker 6: to do. 487 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:51,040 Speaker 1: So, uh, Peco Anderson Brito, give us a give us 488 00:24:51,080 --> 00:24:53,119 Speaker 1: a brief overview of both of those guys and kind 489 00:24:53,160 --> 00:24:54,760 Speaker 1: of what makes you excited for them. 490 00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:59,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think Peco, you know, speaks to you know, 491 00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:02,520 Speaker 3: I call it fabric of our organization honestly, and that's 492 00:25:02,560 --> 00:25:07,360 Speaker 3: pitching development, our pitching you know, our director pitching Eric 493 00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:11,880 Speaker 3: Neeson and our new pitching coordinator dj Engele have done 494 00:25:11,920 --> 00:25:16,920 Speaker 3: a tremendous job with Ethan, with Ethan developing him over the. 495 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:18,600 Speaker 2: Years over the last year. 496 00:25:18,760 --> 00:25:20,439 Speaker 3: You know, I saw him when he first came on 497 00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:22,879 Speaker 3: last year and it was a struggle for him in 498 00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:25,120 Speaker 3: twenty three. It was first start, it was a struggle. 499 00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:27,520 Speaker 3: And then the amount of time that they put in 500 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:30,520 Speaker 3: with him, you know, over over the off season, and 501 00:25:30,560 --> 00:25:33,520 Speaker 3: then where he showed up to at the end of 502 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:36,000 Speaker 3: screen training last year as he ramped up to get 503 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:38,879 Speaker 3: into the full season. It's it's incredible. It was a 504 00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:43,080 Speaker 3: velo jump. The off speed was you know, much more crisp. 505 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:46,320 Speaker 3: His ability to throw the you know, just command the 506 00:25:46,320 --> 00:25:50,040 Speaker 3: baseball to both sides, pitching all quadrants of the zone. 507 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:51,080 Speaker 2: It's it's special. 508 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:54,800 Speaker 3: And you know, we feel really good about his progress 509 00:25:54,880 --> 00:25:57,879 Speaker 3: going into the twenty you know, the twenty five season, 510 00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:00,000 Speaker 3: and we expect that he's going to have a really 511 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:01,000 Speaker 3: strong season. 512 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:02,600 Speaker 2: For us, and he's going to be knocking on the 513 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:03,720 Speaker 2: doors of the big league soon. 514 00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:06,480 Speaker 3: Just you know, he touched I believe it was three 515 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:09,679 Speaker 3: levels last year, and we expect him to continue to 516 00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:11,560 Speaker 3: push the envelope and start knocking on the doors of 517 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:12,119 Speaker 3: the big leagues. 518 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:18,040 Speaker 1: And then Anderson Brito, who throws very hard from what 519 00:26:18,080 --> 00:26:21,879 Speaker 1: I understand, and strikes out the Yeah, what what's exciting? 520 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:24,720 Speaker 1: I mean, I see you maniacally laughing as we're mentioning it. 521 00:26:25,359 --> 00:26:26,640 Speaker 1: What exciting about him? 522 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:27,680 Speaker 2: Yeah? 523 00:26:27,760 --> 00:26:31,520 Speaker 3: I mean obviously we've we've seen videos of you know, 524 00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:33,480 Speaker 3: the dynamite fastball. 525 00:26:33,640 --> 00:26:35,879 Speaker 2: You know that it just explodes on hitters. 526 00:26:36,200 --> 00:26:38,960 Speaker 3: I mean, it was a it was a quick rise 527 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:42,400 Speaker 3: for him last year. You know, our international department, led 528 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:45,399 Speaker 3: by Brian Rodgers, they did a tremendous job of acquiring 529 00:26:45,480 --> 00:26:48,040 Speaker 3: Anderson Brito, and then you. 530 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:51,159 Speaker 2: Know, once he got into our system, he had. 531 00:26:51,040 --> 00:26:54,280 Speaker 7: A you know, I believe it was a five miles 532 00:26:54,320 --> 00:26:57,760 Speaker 7: per hour six month prior jumping his fastball over the 533 00:26:57,800 --> 00:27:03,200 Speaker 7: course of I believe four months and credit to Anderson, 534 00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:04,879 Speaker 7: he put in the work in the weight room, he 535 00:27:04,960 --> 00:27:09,840 Speaker 7: got stronger, and then it showed on the other side. 536 00:27:10,080 --> 00:27:11,960 Speaker 2: He's not a very tall. 537 00:27:13,200 --> 00:27:15,760 Speaker 3: You know, he's not very tall, but he's physical, he's strong, 538 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:17,360 Speaker 3: he's very in the arm. 539 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:21,640 Speaker 2: Speed is definitely there early on. You know, he's young. 540 00:27:21,720 --> 00:27:24,119 Speaker 3: He wants to show off the big arm, the big fastball, 541 00:27:24,200 --> 00:27:26,000 Speaker 3: so he had to tamp him down a little bit. 542 00:27:26,080 --> 00:27:29,600 Speaker 3: He was his first first inn squad. He was like 543 00:27:29,720 --> 00:27:32,320 Speaker 3: ninety six to ninety nine, which just like easy. You know, 544 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:35,600 Speaker 3: he tamping down a little bit. So you know, hopefully 545 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:40,159 Speaker 3: he doesn't, you know, come out this weekend and try to, 546 00:27:40,200 --> 00:27:43,359 Speaker 3: you know, get crazy in the big stadium. 547 00:27:43,640 --> 00:27:46,040 Speaker 2: So but we expect big things out of him. Again. 548 00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:47,600 Speaker 2: He touched three levels last year. 549 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:50,240 Speaker 3: Hopefully, you know, he puts up a strong year for 550 00:27:50,359 --> 00:27:54,119 Speaker 3: us and again he's there contributing, helping us win a 551 00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:55,440 Speaker 3: championship at the big league level. 552 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:55,760 Speaker 2: Soon. 553 00:27:56,640 --> 00:28:01,440 Speaker 4: Yeah, talk a little bit about Walter Janek. 554 00:28:01,800 --> 00:28:05,600 Speaker 5: You know, I know the the organization is high on 555 00:28:05,680 --> 00:28:09,560 Speaker 5: him as well, and I feel like catching prospects in particular, 556 00:28:11,320 --> 00:28:15,600 Speaker 5: it's so difficult to to really project because there's so 557 00:28:15,880 --> 00:28:19,720 Speaker 5: much going on catcher, and there's so many things. 558 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:20,400 Speaker 4: That are not. 559 00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:25,720 Speaker 5: Able to be analyzed is easily with catching, right, whether 560 00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:27,720 Speaker 5: it's the way that you call a game, or even 561 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:31,840 Speaker 5: just like your presence with pitchers right. And then of 562 00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:34,879 Speaker 5: course you also have to be able to throw people out. 563 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:36,439 Speaker 5: You got to be able to frame, and then you 564 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:38,960 Speaker 5: have to hit too. Like it, it's like you're a 565 00:28:39,040 --> 00:28:41,520 Speaker 5: coach on the field. So so how do you guys, 566 00:28:42,480 --> 00:28:46,520 Speaker 5: you know, one, just how do you instill that in catchers? 567 00:28:46,560 --> 00:28:49,520 Speaker 5: And and what have you seen from from Janet so far? 568 00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:51,000 Speaker 2: I think you know. 569 00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:54,480 Speaker 3: The first thing is in our organization, we demand a 570 00:28:54,520 --> 00:28:58,840 Speaker 3: lot from the catching position, just the pregame prep with 571 00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:01,680 Speaker 3: the pictures you know, on the same page, knowing the 572 00:29:01,720 --> 00:29:06,600 Speaker 3: opposing the opposing lineup, we expect a lot. Like we 573 00:29:06,760 --> 00:29:10,840 Speaker 3: demand a lot our field coordinator, Michael Thomas, he handles 574 00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:13,160 Speaker 3: our catchers and he does a tremendous job of getting 575 00:29:13,240 --> 00:29:18,600 Speaker 3: them prepared to be major league catchers. So right away, 576 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:22,400 Speaker 3: the workload that we demanded them on an everyday basis, 577 00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:26,040 Speaker 3: it takes a lot of young catchers by surprise because 578 00:29:26,120 --> 00:29:28,440 Speaker 3: for the most part, they haven't even called their own 579 00:29:28,440 --> 00:29:31,280 Speaker 3: pitches yet. And then you talk about the aspect of 580 00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:35,880 Speaker 3: I'm preparing, I'm doing an advanced almost an advanced reporter. 581 00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:38,560 Speaker 3: On the other team, i have a bunch of pitchers 582 00:29:38,560 --> 00:29:40,160 Speaker 3: that I've never really caught before. 583 00:29:40,360 --> 00:29:41,400 Speaker 2: I don't know these guys. 584 00:29:41,480 --> 00:29:45,600 Speaker 3: I'm catching the best fastballs, the best sliders, you know, 585 00:29:45,640 --> 00:29:47,880 Speaker 3: the best changeups that I've ever caught in my life. 586 00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:50,320 Speaker 3: And then I'm going to add in the language barrier 587 00:29:50,360 --> 00:29:52,680 Speaker 3: as well, where like half of my staff may not 588 00:29:52,760 --> 00:29:55,400 Speaker 3: even speak the same language that I speak, and now 589 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:57,880 Speaker 3: I have to learn to adapt with that too. So 590 00:29:57,920 --> 00:30:00,760 Speaker 3: it's a lot, like we demand a lot, and it's 591 00:30:00,800 --> 00:30:03,840 Speaker 3: going to benefit the player long term, but it's it's 592 00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:09,440 Speaker 3: early early on most of our catchers, they tend to 593 00:30:09,520 --> 00:30:13,680 Speaker 3: struggle just with like the mental aspect of getting prepared 594 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:16,120 Speaker 3: to catch at the major league level every day. And 595 00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:18,120 Speaker 3: Walker has done a He's done a he did a 596 00:30:18,160 --> 00:30:20,760 Speaker 3: really good job last year of, you know, adapting to 597 00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:23,800 Speaker 3: just the mental aspect of what it takes to be 598 00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:28,240 Speaker 3: prepared and have my my pitchers be prepared to uh 599 00:30:28,280 --> 00:30:30,960 Speaker 3: to go out and pitch and be successful every night. Obviously, 600 00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:34,080 Speaker 3: the tools are there, it's really solid behind the plate. 601 00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:38,720 Speaker 3: The catch and throw skills are there the powers there. 602 00:30:38,880 --> 00:30:42,080 Speaker 3: We just need to clean up some approach issues, improve 603 00:30:42,160 --> 00:30:44,960 Speaker 3: the bat to ball issues a little bit, and I 604 00:30:45,000 --> 00:30:47,000 Speaker 3: think you got a chance to have an everyday catcher. 605 00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:49,320 Speaker 2: And we expect that Walker is going to go out 606 00:30:49,320 --> 00:30:49,680 Speaker 2: this year. 607 00:30:49,720 --> 00:30:52,160 Speaker 3: He's been here in camp the whole time, he came 608 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:54,960 Speaker 3: down to Florida early, and we expect him that he's 609 00:30:54,960 --> 00:30:56,840 Speaker 3: going to have a big year for us this year. 610 00:30:58,360 --> 00:31:00,360 Speaker 1: I'm not going to say names and I'm not gonna 611 00:31:00,360 --> 00:31:03,880 Speaker 1: say teams, but around the trade deadline last year is 612 00:31:03,920 --> 00:31:06,000 Speaker 1: as I was kind of feeling around trying to do 613 00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:08,880 Speaker 1: my job and figure out who you guys were targeting, 614 00:31:09,520 --> 00:31:11,960 Speaker 1: A name that kept coming back to me as a 615 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:14,640 Speaker 1: guy that was being asked about by other teams a 616 00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:16,160 Speaker 1: lot was Chase Jawarski. 617 00:31:16,560 --> 00:31:17,959 Speaker 2: Yeah, he is. 618 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:21,520 Speaker 1: He is well liked by a lot of the industry. Uh, 619 00:31:21,560 --> 00:31:24,680 Speaker 1: he is on the Prospect Breakout of the Spring Breakout list. 620 00:31:24,720 --> 00:31:26,360 Speaker 1: We've seen him back up in a couple of big 621 00:31:26,440 --> 00:31:30,360 Speaker 1: league spring training games. Yeah, already in Great Fruit League play. 622 00:31:31,000 --> 00:31:32,880 Speaker 1: Give us a little bit of a report on Jawarski 623 00:31:32,960 --> 00:31:35,240 Speaker 1: kind of what you like about him and and is 624 00:31:35,240 --> 00:31:37,960 Speaker 1: that pretty accurate that he's he's well liked among the 625 00:31:37,960 --> 00:31:38,600 Speaker 1: whole industry. 626 00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:42,440 Speaker 3: Yes, yes, yes, you know our our area guy in 627 00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:45,200 Speaker 3: the four corners, Joe Dunnagaan, did a really good job 628 00:31:45,400 --> 00:31:50,080 Speaker 3: of of identifying Chase early in the draft cycle and 629 00:31:50,200 --> 00:31:52,680 Speaker 3: raising the flag for our scouting department that we need 630 00:31:52,720 --> 00:31:56,640 Speaker 3: to come in and scout displayer. And we actually, you know, 631 00:31:56,680 --> 00:31:58,800 Speaker 3: we went out and we got multiple looks at a 632 00:31:58,880 --> 00:32:02,880 Speaker 3: high school kid from you know, suburbs of Denver, and 633 00:32:02,920 --> 00:32:04,840 Speaker 3: we got our arms round and we felt good about 634 00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:05,400 Speaker 3: the player. 635 00:32:06,800 --> 00:32:07,760 Speaker 2: But you know, we. 636 00:32:08,160 --> 00:32:11,680 Speaker 3: It's almost like an old school throwback player. You got him, 637 00:32:11,840 --> 00:32:14,920 Speaker 3: We got Chasing and you know, he's one hundred and 638 00:32:14,920 --> 00:32:18,120 Speaker 3: fifty five pounds and he plays shortstop and he needs 639 00:32:18,160 --> 00:32:21,400 Speaker 3: to redo the swing, but he can really run and 640 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:23,240 Speaker 3: he makes a lot of contact and he's going to 641 00:32:23,280 --> 00:32:26,160 Speaker 3: catch the ball in the dirt. So we got in 642 00:32:26,160 --> 00:32:28,920 Speaker 3: our system last year and you know, one thing that 643 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:30,840 Speaker 3: we told him that he needed to do was he 644 00:32:30,920 --> 00:32:33,640 Speaker 3: needed to get stronger, he needed to gain weight and 645 00:32:33,760 --> 00:32:35,960 Speaker 3: to Chase his credit he did. 646 00:32:36,520 --> 00:32:37,600 Speaker 2: When we got him, he was. 647 00:32:38,640 --> 00:32:42,400 Speaker 3: Maybe maxing out at hitting a ball at max EV 648 00:32:42,520 --> 00:32:45,680 Speaker 3: of one hundred, and now you know he's well over 649 00:32:45,720 --> 00:32:47,400 Speaker 3: one hundred on his max evs. 650 00:32:47,480 --> 00:32:49,240 Speaker 2: He's gained I believe. 651 00:32:49,120 --> 00:32:52,080 Speaker 3: Thirty to thirty five pounds since he's been in the system. 652 00:32:52,560 --> 00:32:55,800 Speaker 3: He's still running well. He's going to be able to 653 00:32:55,800 --> 00:32:58,160 Speaker 3: catch the ball up the middle. He hits from the 654 00:32:58,240 --> 00:33:01,560 Speaker 3: left side. We're really excited about Chase. I love the 655 00:33:01,600 --> 00:33:04,719 Speaker 3: player at the makeup. He comes from a really solid 656 00:33:04,760 --> 00:33:07,920 Speaker 3: family background as well. And you know, I'd say we 657 00:33:07,960 --> 00:33:09,719 Speaker 3: put him in the oven, you let him bake for 658 00:33:09,760 --> 00:33:10,920 Speaker 3: a few years, you pull it out. 659 00:33:10,920 --> 00:33:12,320 Speaker 2: He's probably going to be a pretty good player. 660 00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:16,360 Speaker 5: Must be to be an athlete, because I gain thirty 661 00:33:16,400 --> 00:33:20,840 Speaker 5: five pounds last year and nobody was applauding me. So 662 00:33:21,560 --> 00:33:24,360 Speaker 5: it's nice that he was asked to and then he's 663 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:25,680 Speaker 5: a hero for doing it. 664 00:33:25,840 --> 00:33:30,760 Speaker 1: Yes, exactly, since you mentioned it, Gavin, he is a 665 00:33:30,800 --> 00:33:35,920 Speaker 1: high school player. And part of you guys in traditionally 666 00:33:36,240 --> 00:33:38,440 Speaker 1: in the upper rounds have not taken a ton of 667 00:33:38,520 --> 00:33:41,280 Speaker 1: high school players last week. Part of that is your 668 00:33:41,320 --> 00:33:42,280 Speaker 1: bonus pool size. 669 00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:44,120 Speaker 4: For sure, when you're. 670 00:33:43,960 --> 00:33:45,960 Speaker 1: Successful at the major league level, you're picking in the 671 00:33:45,960 --> 00:33:49,040 Speaker 1: back of the draft and you have a smaller bonus pool. Inherently, 672 00:33:49,120 --> 00:33:51,440 Speaker 1: high school players are going to cost more bonus wise 673 00:33:51,480 --> 00:33:55,719 Speaker 1: to get them an organization. Chase obviously must have been 674 00:33:55,960 --> 00:33:59,880 Speaker 1: at a pretty high up. There a special case for 675 00:33:59,920 --> 00:34:01,720 Speaker 1: you guys to go after him in the fifth round. 676 00:34:01,720 --> 00:34:04,000 Speaker 1: But in general, when you pick, when you're picking in 677 00:34:04,040 --> 00:34:05,480 Speaker 1: the back of the draft as much as you guys 678 00:34:05,520 --> 00:34:09,160 Speaker 1: are and with your bonus, how do you guys determine, like, 679 00:34:09,200 --> 00:34:11,319 Speaker 1: all right, this is the high school guy that we 680 00:34:11,440 --> 00:34:14,120 Speaker 1: want to go after. That this guy may cost us 681 00:34:14,200 --> 00:34:17,399 Speaker 1: a good portion of our bonus pool, but we've got 682 00:34:17,440 --> 00:34:17,759 Speaker 1: to try. 683 00:34:17,800 --> 00:34:19,000 Speaker 6: We've got to go after this guy. 684 00:34:19,440 --> 00:34:22,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, I think our amateur department does a 685 00:34:22,239 --> 00:34:26,440 Speaker 3: really good job of identifying signable high school high school 686 00:34:26,440 --> 00:34:30,680 Speaker 3: players early in the process of Okay, we have a 687 00:34:30,760 --> 00:34:34,720 Speaker 3: chance to sign this guy for value where we're picking 688 00:34:34,800 --> 00:34:37,760 Speaker 3: in the draft, and it's a very small pool honestly, 689 00:34:38,160 --> 00:34:42,359 Speaker 3: of players that that that lines up with, and every 690 00:34:42,440 --> 00:34:45,120 Speaker 3: year it doesn't line up. Most years it doesn't, honestly, 691 00:34:46,040 --> 00:34:48,040 Speaker 3: especially when we're picking in the back. And I hope 692 00:34:48,040 --> 00:34:51,719 Speaker 3: we continue to pick in the back twenty one to 693 00:34:51,760 --> 00:34:54,000 Speaker 3: the highest. We've picked it a really long time, so 694 00:34:54,440 --> 00:34:56,920 Speaker 3: I hope we continue to pick in the back. But 695 00:34:57,239 --> 00:34:59,880 Speaker 3: you know, our amateur department, led by Campandino, they do 696 00:35:00,040 --> 00:35:05,440 Speaker 3: really good job of identifying who are the prime you know, 697 00:35:05,560 --> 00:35:08,480 Speaker 3: high school players that have a chance to be signed, 698 00:35:08,880 --> 00:35:10,960 Speaker 3: and then we kind of bucket them and we try 699 00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:14,600 Speaker 3: to line it up to where if the situation fits 700 00:35:14,600 --> 00:35:16,640 Speaker 3: and the player fits, then we at least give our 701 00:35:16,760 --> 00:35:19,160 Speaker 3: chance to take a swing at, you know, drafting that player. 702 00:35:20,719 --> 00:35:22,799 Speaker 1: I'm gonna get Uh, We're gonna get you out here 703 00:35:22,800 --> 00:35:24,560 Speaker 1: because I gave you a time limit and we have 704 00:35:24,600 --> 00:35:25,360 Speaker 1: gone waypack. 705 00:35:25,719 --> 00:35:30,040 Speaker 4: But prob, you know, all day we. 706 00:35:30,000 --> 00:35:33,560 Speaker 1: Could I could keep here for another two hours. You know, 707 00:35:33,640 --> 00:35:37,040 Speaker 1: the spring breakout roster better than I do, better than 708 00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:40,640 Speaker 1: really we asked you about a few guys. Is there 709 00:35:40,719 --> 00:35:44,000 Speaker 1: anyone as you're looking over this roster or honestly, you've 710 00:35:44,000 --> 00:35:46,880 Speaker 1: been on the backfields all spring? Ye, you've been watching 711 00:35:46,920 --> 00:35:51,240 Speaker 1: these guys like, Yeah, can you give like fans us 712 00:35:51,280 --> 00:35:53,879 Speaker 1: like one or two names that we haven't mentioned yet 713 00:35:53,920 --> 00:35:56,719 Speaker 1: that are either on the breakout roster? Aren't a have 714 00:35:57,440 --> 00:35:59,719 Speaker 1: enticed you caught your eye this this spring and that 715 00:36:00,280 --> 00:36:02,200 Speaker 1: maybe they should keep an eye on as we head 716 00:36:02,200 --> 00:36:03,200 Speaker 1: into a minor league season. 717 00:36:03,800 --> 00:36:06,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think you know Miguel Joa. 718 00:36:06,280 --> 00:36:08,480 Speaker 3: We haven't talked about him, you know, I think he 719 00:36:08,560 --> 00:36:11,640 Speaker 3: may be starting the game for us. The jumps that 720 00:36:11,719 --> 00:36:15,000 Speaker 3: he's made, you know, year over year again is a 721 00:36:15,080 --> 00:36:20,279 Speaker 3: credit to our pitching development department. The fastball is one 722 00:36:20,280 --> 00:36:22,360 Speaker 3: of the best fastballs in the minor league baseball. 723 00:36:23,000 --> 00:36:23,840 Speaker 2: It's gonna play. 724 00:36:24,320 --> 00:36:29,359 Speaker 3: The slider development has continued to to you know, has 725 00:36:29,400 --> 00:36:32,440 Speaker 3: a chance to be special. And then also his baseline 726 00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:35,520 Speaker 3: ability to just throw strikes. He's made leaps, you know, 727 00:36:35,800 --> 00:36:39,400 Speaker 3: steady leaps year over year and he's close. He's close, 728 00:36:39,440 --> 00:36:41,480 Speaker 3: and I think he's going to, you know, have a 729 00:36:41,520 --> 00:36:45,319 Speaker 3: big year for us this year. Joseph Sullivan's another guy 730 00:36:45,360 --> 00:36:47,480 Speaker 3: that our amateur department did a really good job of 731 00:36:47,640 --> 00:36:51,000 Speaker 3: last year. Drafted him out of South Alabama. He's gotten 732 00:36:51,040 --> 00:36:52,799 Speaker 3: to a couple of big league games to get play 733 00:36:52,880 --> 00:36:56,759 Speaker 3: center field. It's a really good approach. Its power from 734 00:36:56,800 --> 00:36:59,120 Speaker 3: the left side, and he can run. 735 00:36:59,640 --> 00:37:00,680 Speaker 2: The pro file is. 736 00:37:00,719 --> 00:37:03,560 Speaker 3: Very strong, and you know, we expect that he's going 737 00:37:03,640 --> 00:37:05,320 Speaker 3: to have a strong year for us as well. 738 00:37:05,680 --> 00:37:06,680 Speaker 2: He's going to be in the game. 739 00:37:06,719 --> 00:37:10,360 Speaker 1: Also making it full circle too, because Joseph Sullivan is 740 00:37:10,400 --> 00:37:17,080 Speaker 1: the grandson of an SEC former sc Quarterback Trophy winner 741 00:37:17,120 --> 00:37:23,200 Speaker 1: Pat Sullivan. Is Joseph Sullivan's grandfather. Gavin we appreciate you 742 00:37:23,280 --> 00:37:23,719 Speaker 1: taking time. 743 00:37:23,760 --> 00:37:24,759 Speaker 4: This was this has been great. 744 00:37:25,200 --> 00:37:27,520 Speaker 1: But every scout that I talked to I always have 745 00:37:27,600 --> 00:37:30,600 Speaker 1: to ask them and then we'll end on this question. Yeah, 746 00:37:30,640 --> 00:37:32,840 Speaker 1: who is the best player you ever scouted? 747 00:37:35,080 --> 00:37:45,600 Speaker 2: The best man? That's tough. I don't I don't know. Geez. 748 00:37:46,600 --> 00:37:50,120 Speaker 1: And look, my favorite my favorite answers are honestly not 749 00:37:50,360 --> 00:37:54,399 Speaker 1: like oh, Bryce Harper or or insert that Stephen Strossberg. 750 00:37:54,640 --> 00:37:57,760 Speaker 1: I had guys that were just like unbelievable college players 751 00:37:57,840 --> 00:38:00,959 Speaker 1: or unbelievable high school players that just for whatever reason, right, 752 00:38:01,320 --> 00:38:03,240 Speaker 1: we're very ordinary and major League. 753 00:38:03,000 --> 00:38:05,200 Speaker 6: Baseball or never made for the show. Just those interesting 754 00:38:05,239 --> 00:38:07,839 Speaker 6: once we do. Yeah, but maybe it doesn't even have 755 00:38:07,880 --> 00:38:09,879 Speaker 6: to be an Astros guy. It can be a guy 756 00:38:09,880 --> 00:38:12,759 Speaker 6: that got picked. Yeah you have a Do you have 757 00:38:12,840 --> 00:38:13,760 Speaker 6: one of those guys? 758 00:38:13,880 --> 00:38:18,680 Speaker 2: Yeah? I would say probably. You know, Gunner Henderson was 759 00:38:18,880 --> 00:38:19,680 Speaker 2: really good. 760 00:38:21,200 --> 00:38:24,080 Speaker 3: AJ Punck at Florida was like I thought, it was 761 00:38:24,160 --> 00:38:27,920 Speaker 3: like the most slam dunk can't miss. Like, this guy's 762 00:38:27,960 --> 00:38:29,799 Speaker 3: gonna pick and pitch in the big leagues. You know, 763 00:38:29,840 --> 00:38:33,960 Speaker 3: he was six seven Friday Night SEC Lefty is ninety 764 00:38:34,000 --> 00:38:36,440 Speaker 3: six to two hundred, Like that's he's gonna pitch the 765 00:38:36,440 --> 00:38:40,480 Speaker 3: big leagues, it's probably, you know, somewhat along along those lines. 766 00:38:40,640 --> 00:38:44,240 Speaker 3: You know, you get those college SEC bats or ACC 767 00:38:44,440 --> 00:38:46,279 Speaker 3: bats that come through every now and then, and then 768 00:38:46,280 --> 00:38:48,760 Speaker 3: they're just like, all right, this is this guy's gonna 769 00:38:49,280 --> 00:38:51,160 Speaker 3: go to the big leagues and gonna play really fast. 770 00:38:51,360 --> 00:38:54,160 Speaker 3: It's probably some one of those guys along those lines 771 00:38:54,320 --> 00:38:55,960 Speaker 3: like that, I would say, probably. 772 00:38:56,520 --> 00:38:56,759 Speaker 6: Yeah. 773 00:38:56,800 --> 00:38:59,560 Speaker 5: Like the market and efficiency for a while was just 774 00:39:00,200 --> 00:39:05,600 Speaker 5: wait to see, uh, which pitchers signed with or committed 775 00:39:05,600 --> 00:39:08,000 Speaker 5: to Texas A and M and then just pick them 776 00:39:08,120 --> 00:39:11,680 Speaker 5: in the first or like the guys a year would 777 00:39:11,760 --> 00:39:14,160 Speaker 5: commit to A and M and then get picked in 778 00:39:14,200 --> 00:39:16,520 Speaker 5: like the first or second round, not end up. 779 00:39:16,520 --> 00:39:20,120 Speaker 3: Doing Yep, A lot of guys go to A and M, 780 00:39:20,120 --> 00:39:22,520 Speaker 3: though they do get getting some good players there. 781 00:39:23,120 --> 00:39:26,000 Speaker 1: You again, I promise this is the last one. But 782 00:39:26,880 --> 00:39:29,360 Speaker 1: as we're talking, like you know, Paul Skeins is in 783 00:39:29,400 --> 00:39:30,280 Speaker 1: the front of my mind. 784 00:39:30,400 --> 00:39:31,239 Speaker 6: I mean, I went to l. 785 00:39:31,160 --> 00:39:34,120 Speaker 1: SUM always, I'm always I'm always thinking about LSU people. 786 00:39:34,120 --> 00:39:37,400 Speaker 1: But like you guys going into that draft, like you 787 00:39:37,440 --> 00:39:40,760 Speaker 1: guys knew you had no prayer of getting for sure 788 00:39:41,160 --> 00:39:44,160 Speaker 1: for sure, I guess how do you approach that when 789 00:39:44,200 --> 00:39:46,319 Speaker 1: like you're at these games, Like, do you guys, for 790 00:39:46,400 --> 00:39:47,799 Speaker 1: lack of a better word, do you even like waste 791 00:39:47,840 --> 00:39:50,439 Speaker 1: your time writing him up? Or like, yeah, for sure, 792 00:39:50,920 --> 00:39:52,880 Speaker 1: when you have guys that are like very clearly going 793 00:39:52,960 --> 00:39:54,319 Speaker 1: to go in the top ten of the draft, do 794 00:39:54,320 --> 00:39:56,200 Speaker 1: you guys even write them up or like, do you 795 00:39:56,239 --> 00:39:58,839 Speaker 1: guys to be efficient, you guys just not waste your 796 00:39:58,840 --> 00:39:59,359 Speaker 1: time with them. 797 00:39:59,560 --> 00:40:02,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, we we definitely document it, right Like you want 798 00:40:02,600 --> 00:40:06,120 Speaker 3: a historical you know, historical reports on the players that 799 00:40:06,239 --> 00:40:09,200 Speaker 3: we're gonna use, we're going to use over the years. 800 00:40:09,239 --> 00:40:11,640 Speaker 3: So I did watch I did watch Paul Skins. He 801 00:40:11,760 --> 00:40:15,040 Speaker 3: was very good short list of you know, team me 802 00:40:15,200 --> 00:40:18,799 Speaker 3: up short listed, very good short list of very good 803 00:40:18,800 --> 00:40:20,040 Speaker 3: players that I. 804 00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:22,640 Speaker 2: Saw over the years in college. But yes, you go 805 00:40:22,680 --> 00:40:23,120 Speaker 2: in to see it. 806 00:40:23,160 --> 00:40:26,960 Speaker 3: Most of the times when guys are you know, at 807 00:40:26,960 --> 00:40:31,120 Speaker 3: a big school, you're there to see someone else, honestly, 808 00:40:31,280 --> 00:40:33,719 Speaker 3: especially if it's a pitcher, Like I'm probably there to 809 00:40:33,760 --> 00:40:36,440 Speaker 3: see the bats or the picture on the other team. 810 00:40:36,680 --> 00:40:39,360 Speaker 3: But you know, this guy's pitching and we're picking in 811 00:40:39,360 --> 00:40:40,759 Speaker 3: the back of the draft. We know we don't have 812 00:40:40,800 --> 00:40:43,120 Speaker 3: a chance, but I'm still going to write the report. 813 00:40:43,120 --> 00:40:45,960 Speaker 3: I'm gonna document it because believe it or not. You know, 814 00:40:46,440 --> 00:40:51,120 Speaker 3: we have reports that date back to twenty eleven, twenty 815 00:40:51,200 --> 00:40:53,719 Speaker 3: twelve that you know, we may pull a report up 816 00:40:54,719 --> 00:40:57,600 Speaker 3: when we're looking to do a trade or when we're 817 00:40:57,640 --> 00:41:00,480 Speaker 3: doing makeup stuff on a player or play is a 818 00:41:00,600 --> 00:41:04,480 Speaker 3: minor league free agent or a professional free agent. That 819 00:41:04,560 --> 00:41:08,600 Speaker 3: stuff still is useful information to some degree when you're 820 00:41:08,640 --> 00:41:09,600 Speaker 3: making decisions. 821 00:41:09,640 --> 00:41:12,160 Speaker 2: Sometimes a decade later we still use it. 822 00:41:13,160 --> 00:41:15,480 Speaker 6: Yeah, I mean, who knows. So you heard it here. First, 823 00:41:15,560 --> 00:41:16,600 Speaker 6: the Astros are gonna. 824 00:41:16,360 --> 00:41:25,040 Speaker 1: Trade, you'll have the historical report that they had no 825 00:41:25,120 --> 00:41:29,000 Speaker 1: chance taking them on the draft AVN. This has been 826 00:41:29,200 --> 00:41:32,840 Speaker 1: This has been very, very insightful. I very much appreciate 827 00:41:32,880 --> 00:41:35,880 Speaker 1: I know you we've talked about how long you your 828 00:41:35,960 --> 00:41:38,080 Speaker 1: days are in spring training, how long everyone's days are 829 00:41:38,120 --> 00:41:40,640 Speaker 1: in spring training. Appreciate you carving out thirty five to 830 00:41:40,719 --> 00:41:43,120 Speaker 1: forty minutes to talk with us and talk with the fans. 831 00:41:43,400 --> 00:41:45,239 Speaker 1: Give them a little insight as to some of the 832 00:41:45,239 --> 00:41:48,920 Speaker 1: baby Astros, who's coming and who could comprise. 833 00:41:48,520 --> 00:41:50,160 Speaker 6: That next core guys. 834 00:41:50,200 --> 00:41:53,440 Speaker 1: If you enjoyed this, please rate and review on Apple, 835 00:41:53,640 --> 00:41:56,520 Speaker 1: Please subscribe on YouTube. You'll get alerted every time we 836 00:41:56,600 --> 00:41:58,920 Speaker 1: go live, every time there's a new podcast. 837 00:41:59,040 --> 00:42:01,680 Speaker 6: Up and we will be back at the beginning of 838 00:42:01,760 --> 00:42:02,200 Speaker 6: next week. 839 00:42:02,239 --> 00:42:04,520 Speaker 1: Again two times a week in spring training and then 840 00:42:04,480 --> 00:42:06,480 Speaker 1: on an opening day March twenty seventh, we go to 841 00:42:06,560 --> 00:42:09,799 Speaker 1: three times a week in the regular season. So this 842 00:42:09,840 --> 00:42:12,839 Speaker 1: has been great. Gavin again very much appreciate your time. 843 00:42:12,920 --> 00:42:16,279 Speaker 1: Thank you, Tyler, you were good too, I guess. 844 00:42:16,520 --> 00:42:18,200 Speaker 2: Thank you appreciate it. 845 00:42:18,280 --> 00:42:44,000 Speaker 3: Guys, thanks having see