CANTON, Texas - Monroe High School alum Mike Leuzinger went to minor league baseball games as a child tracking statistics with a scorecard.
He didn't envision turning a fascination with statistics found on the back of baseball cards into a lifetime profession.
Leuzinger, a 1986 MHS graduate, is in his 18th year as a Major League Baseball amateur scout, now with the Pittsburgh Pirates. His job hasn't come to a standstill despite baseball's winter meetings. He enters a critical planning phase in the heart of hot stove season.
"Being in baseball is something I always wanted to do," Leuzinger said. "I would say you are humbled when you go to major league stadiums and you see some of the major league players I admired as a kid. It's a dream come true."
After one year of college, Leuzinger opted for umpiring school.
There, Leuzinger met several scouts.
"I thought that would be a neat job," he said of scouting. "How do you go about getting in? That was the hard part."
Leuzinger began his career as an associate scout with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1989. He was paid $800 on a commission basis if a player he scouted was drafted and signed by the Dodgers. He reached his commission when the Dodgers drafted pitcher Jake Kennedy. Leuzinger became a full-time amateur scout in 1994 and worked with the Dodgers for 10 years.
"You kind of have to earn your dues," he said. "I took it and ran."
Leuzinger twice has been named scout of the year and his prized draft picks include the Dodgers' Matt Kemp and Pirates' Andy LaRoche.
Leuzinger serves as an amateur scout with the Pirates in Texas and Oklahoma.
"It's one thing going to find the players and another evaluating," he said. "The hardest part is still evaluating. How will the player's future be two, three or four years down the road?"
Leuzinger recalls scouting Cubs' free agent closer Kerry Wood in high school.
"You watch Kerry Wood in high school and he threw as effectively as anyone," Leuzinger said. "You thought he could throw 200 pitches." Scouting isn't an exact science. Leuzinger supports developing pitch counts for rising prep and college pitching prospects, based on a pitcher's mechanics and history.
"Stubbornness plays into being a good scout," Leuzinger said. "You can't be hard headed. It's fun being an amateur scout and finding that one guy you stuck your rear out on."
Leuzinger looks at a pitcher's size, delivery, velocity and ability to throw strikes when scouting pitchers.
Leuzinger said he put 75,000 miles on his car scouting players in Texas and Oklahoma last year.
He attends two to five college and prep baseball games a day. Leuzinger is getting hundreds of spring baseball schedules entered, interviewing 40 to 50 players, meeting families, agents and meeting with college coaches.
"Talent changes from year to year and economics change year to year," he said.
Leuzinger can start watching practices in January with a full schedule of games February through June.
"Just when you have seen it all, you haven't seen anything," Leuzinger said. "Baseball is a challenge. As a scout, you have to be able to adjust."
Leuzinger envisions moving up and becoming a Major League scout in MLB ballparks every day.
"I don't have a crystal ball," he said. "I think there is more I can do. I was taught to keep working hard and people will find you."
He didn't envision turning a fascination with statistics found on the back of baseball cards into a lifetime profession.
Leuzinger, a 1986 MHS graduate, is in his 18th year as a Major League Baseball amateur scout, now with the Pittsburgh Pirates. His job hasn't come to a standstill despite baseball's winter meetings. He enters a critical planning phase in the heart of hot stove season.
"Being in baseball is something I always wanted to do," Leuzinger said. "I would say you are humbled when you go to major league stadiums and you see some of the major league players I admired as a kid. It's a dream come true."
After one year of college, Leuzinger opted for umpiring school.
There, Leuzinger met several scouts.
"I thought that would be a neat job," he said of scouting. "How do you go about getting in? That was the hard part."
Leuzinger began his career as an associate scout with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1989. He was paid $800 on a commission basis if a player he scouted was drafted and signed by the Dodgers. He reached his commission when the Dodgers drafted pitcher Jake Kennedy. Leuzinger became a full-time amateur scout in 1994 and worked with the Dodgers for 10 years.
"You kind of have to earn your dues," he said. "I took it and ran."
Leuzinger twice has been named scout of the year and his prized draft picks include the Dodgers' Matt Kemp and Pirates' Andy LaRoche.
Leuzinger serves as an amateur scout with the Pirates in Texas and Oklahoma.
"It's one thing going to find the players and another evaluating," he said. "The hardest part is still evaluating. How will the player's future be two, three or four years down the road?"
Leuzinger recalls scouting Cubs' free agent closer Kerry Wood in high school.
"You watch Kerry Wood in high school and he threw as effectively as anyone," Leuzinger said. "You thought he could throw 200 pitches." Scouting isn't an exact science. Leuzinger supports developing pitch counts for rising prep and college pitching prospects, based on a pitcher's mechanics and history.
"Stubbornness plays into being a good scout," Leuzinger said. "You can't be hard headed. It's fun being an amateur scout and finding that one guy you stuck your rear out on."
Leuzinger looks at a pitcher's size, delivery, velocity and ability to throw strikes when scouting pitchers.
Leuzinger said he put 75,000 miles on his car scouting players in Texas and Oklahoma last year.
He attends two to five college and prep baseball games a day. Leuzinger is getting hundreds of spring baseball schedules entered, interviewing 40 to 50 players, meeting families, agents and meeting with college coaches.
"Talent changes from year to year and economics change year to year," he said.
Leuzinger can start watching practices in January with a full schedule of games February through June.
"Just when you have seen it all, you haven't seen anything," Leuzinger said. "Baseball is a challenge. As a scout, you have to be able to adjust."
Leuzinger envisions moving up and becoming a Major League scout in MLB ballparks every day.
"I don't have a crystal ball," he said. "I think there is more I can do. I was taught to keep working hard and people will find you."
