It was an arduous, unlikely road for a local kid, from watching his father umpire local games to becoming a successful major league baseball scout. Monroe's Mike Leuzinger attributes his success to his mentor, legendary scout, Dale McReynolds.
McReynolds, author of "The Baseball Scouts Notebook," is hailed for his impact on a generation of baseball scouts and player development people. In addition to baseball talent, McReynolds obviously could spot scouting talent. Under McReynolds' wing, Leuzinger would one day be labeled a talented "super scout." Mike emphasizes, "He (McReynolds) never made it easy for me. His patience was tested hundreds of times, and he always stuck with me."
Leuzinger began as part time assistant to Dodger scout, McReynolds, from 1992-1994, assigned to Minnesota. In 1994 he was promoted to full time, assigned to North Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas. Mike claims the best player he signed with the Dodgers was Matt Kemp, an unlikely prospect overlooked by other scouts. In the May 28, 2012 issue of "Sports Illustrated," Mike states how, unnoticed by Kemp, he observed him "all by himself, hitting off a tee... convinced that Matt was all in."
Mike visited the 18-year-old Kemp at his home. It took some convincing of the parents that Kemp had a future in the majors. Recommended by Leuzinger, the Dodgers took Kemp as a sixth-round draft choice in 2003. Although having a rocky start, Kemp later became a candidate for Most Valuable Player. Mike recognized the raw talent in the high school kid from Midwest City, Oklahoma and convinced the Dodgers to draft him.
Leuzinger helped influence the Dodgers' scouting philosophy, away from the "draft out of college mind set," to include a broader range of talent. As a result, the Dodgers at one point had three home-grown African Americans among their starting eight position players.
In 2004 Mike moved on to Pittsburgh as the Pirates' area supervisor for Northern Texas and Oklahoma. At Pittsburgh he honed his reputation as a talented "super scout." Pirates drafted from Northern Texas and Oklahoma in those years include Josh Bell, Robbie Grossman, Vic Black, Colton Cain and Matt Curry. He also signed Duke Welker out of Arkansas and Tony Watson out of Nebraska, who became an all-star.
Baseball fans growing up in southern Wisconsin naturally gravitate to the Milwaukee Brewers or, alternatively, to Chicago's north side Cubs. Mike admits to having been a closet Yankee fan. When the Pirates denied him permission to interview with the Yankees in 2012, he resigned. Pittsburgh media outlets lamented the loss of the Pirates' "most talented scout."
Buc's Dugout observes, "...It seems like a shame to lose a guy with Leuzinger's pedigree. You can't exactly credit Leuzinger too much for someone like Bell, who everyone knew about, but Kemp, for example, was a sixth-round pick and Leuzinger found out about him through Kemp's American Legion coach and signed him for $130,000."
Leuzinger, now with the Yankees, baseball's richest and arguably most storied franchise, is assigned to the Texas-Louisiana area. Mike observes that he met VP Mark Newman, originally from the Midwest and friend of McReynolds, at his first Yankees meeting. "It surely didn't hurt my resume being one of Mac's guys," he observes.
Mike emphasizes that scouting is far more than attending games and checking batting averages and won-lost records.
Although many high school and college players have great statistics, very few can make it to the majors - to the "big show." The scout has to consider, "What kind of player can this guy be in five or six years?"
Some talented players simply do not envision a career in baseball. Some, though talented at the amateur level, have reached their peak, unable to develop further. Others, with raw talent, can have a future with the aid of modern training techniques, including proper nutrition and sleep habits.
Mike cites the example of a 280-pound collegiate power hitter who performs well in amateur baseball. That probably won't cut it in the majors. However, if the overweight kid has the necessary mechanics and basic body build, his chances can be greatly improved with proper nutrition and training. As a 260-pound player with no loss of power he might make it. That's where close video examination comes in, technology that wasn't available in the "old days."
Similarly, if a pitcher can throw eighty miles per hour fast balls, the question becomes, "Does he have the body mechanics and potential ability that, with proper training and coaching, would enable him to throw 95 miles per hour fastballs?"
To assist with such questions, major league scouting organizations have "cross checkers," that specialize in hitting and pitching. If a scout sees a player as a hitting or pitching prospect, specialists take a closer look at him.
Baseball organizations employ bio-mechanical engineers who, with the aid of videos, analyze the body mechanics of a player, attempting to discern his potential.
Even speed is not totally captured by statistics. Mike cites "explosiveness." For example, in football, speedy receivers know their routes. Defensive cornerbacks do not. The successful cornerback has to compensate with explosive first steps to counter the receiver's inherent advantage. Similarly, a baseball center fielder with "explosive" initial steps to get to the fly ball will be superior to a center fielder with statistically equal, but less explosive, speed.
Mike emphasizes the necessary "total package" before a prospective major leaguer is signed. This includes visits with the family, and those intangibles - desire, work ethic and character. If a prospect doesn't pan out, the scouting team analyzes what piece of the total package they missed.
Mike attributes the collaboration of his colleagues, the total scouting team, to his success in signing players. Having achieved his dream job, he cites Chance Adams, a top pitching prospect, as his "best sign" with the Yankees so far.
When Mike gets that World Series ring he so much desires, he will have helped attain it.
- John Waelti of Monroe can be reached at jjwaelti1@tds.net. His column appears Fridays in the Monroe Times.
McReynolds, author of "The Baseball Scouts Notebook," is hailed for his impact on a generation of baseball scouts and player development people. In addition to baseball talent, McReynolds obviously could spot scouting talent. Under McReynolds' wing, Leuzinger would one day be labeled a talented "super scout." Mike emphasizes, "He (McReynolds) never made it easy for me. His patience was tested hundreds of times, and he always stuck with me."
Leuzinger began as part time assistant to Dodger scout, McReynolds, from 1992-1994, assigned to Minnesota. In 1994 he was promoted to full time, assigned to North Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas. Mike claims the best player he signed with the Dodgers was Matt Kemp, an unlikely prospect overlooked by other scouts. In the May 28, 2012 issue of "Sports Illustrated," Mike states how, unnoticed by Kemp, he observed him "all by himself, hitting off a tee... convinced that Matt was all in."
Mike visited the 18-year-old Kemp at his home. It took some convincing of the parents that Kemp had a future in the majors. Recommended by Leuzinger, the Dodgers took Kemp as a sixth-round draft choice in 2003. Although having a rocky start, Kemp later became a candidate for Most Valuable Player. Mike recognized the raw talent in the high school kid from Midwest City, Oklahoma and convinced the Dodgers to draft him.
Leuzinger helped influence the Dodgers' scouting philosophy, away from the "draft out of college mind set," to include a broader range of talent. As a result, the Dodgers at one point had three home-grown African Americans among their starting eight position players.
In 2004 Mike moved on to Pittsburgh as the Pirates' area supervisor for Northern Texas and Oklahoma. At Pittsburgh he honed his reputation as a talented "super scout." Pirates drafted from Northern Texas and Oklahoma in those years include Josh Bell, Robbie Grossman, Vic Black, Colton Cain and Matt Curry. He also signed Duke Welker out of Arkansas and Tony Watson out of Nebraska, who became an all-star.
Baseball fans growing up in southern Wisconsin naturally gravitate to the Milwaukee Brewers or, alternatively, to Chicago's north side Cubs. Mike admits to having been a closet Yankee fan. When the Pirates denied him permission to interview with the Yankees in 2012, he resigned. Pittsburgh media outlets lamented the loss of the Pirates' "most talented scout."
Buc's Dugout observes, "...It seems like a shame to lose a guy with Leuzinger's pedigree. You can't exactly credit Leuzinger too much for someone like Bell, who everyone knew about, but Kemp, for example, was a sixth-round pick and Leuzinger found out about him through Kemp's American Legion coach and signed him for $130,000."
Leuzinger, now with the Yankees, baseball's richest and arguably most storied franchise, is assigned to the Texas-Louisiana area. Mike observes that he met VP Mark Newman, originally from the Midwest and friend of McReynolds, at his first Yankees meeting. "It surely didn't hurt my resume being one of Mac's guys," he observes.
Mike emphasizes that scouting is far more than attending games and checking batting averages and won-lost records.
Although many high school and college players have great statistics, very few can make it to the majors - to the "big show." The scout has to consider, "What kind of player can this guy be in five or six years?"
Some talented players simply do not envision a career in baseball. Some, though talented at the amateur level, have reached their peak, unable to develop further. Others, with raw talent, can have a future with the aid of modern training techniques, including proper nutrition and sleep habits.
Mike cites the example of a 280-pound collegiate power hitter who performs well in amateur baseball. That probably won't cut it in the majors. However, if the overweight kid has the necessary mechanics and basic body build, his chances can be greatly improved with proper nutrition and training. As a 260-pound player with no loss of power he might make it. That's where close video examination comes in, technology that wasn't available in the "old days."
Similarly, if a pitcher can throw eighty miles per hour fast balls, the question becomes, "Does he have the body mechanics and potential ability that, with proper training and coaching, would enable him to throw 95 miles per hour fastballs?"
To assist with such questions, major league scouting organizations have "cross checkers," that specialize in hitting and pitching. If a scout sees a player as a hitting or pitching prospect, specialists take a closer look at him.
Baseball organizations employ bio-mechanical engineers who, with the aid of videos, analyze the body mechanics of a player, attempting to discern his potential.
Even speed is not totally captured by statistics. Mike cites "explosiveness." For example, in football, speedy receivers know their routes. Defensive cornerbacks do not. The successful cornerback has to compensate with explosive first steps to counter the receiver's inherent advantage. Similarly, a baseball center fielder with "explosive" initial steps to get to the fly ball will be superior to a center fielder with statistically equal, but less explosive, speed.
Mike emphasizes the necessary "total package" before a prospective major leaguer is signed. This includes visits with the family, and those intangibles - desire, work ethic and character. If a prospect doesn't pan out, the scouting team analyzes what piece of the total package they missed.
Mike attributes the collaboration of his colleagues, the total scouting team, to his success in signing players. Having achieved his dream job, he cites Chance Adams, a top pitching prospect, as his "best sign" with the Yankees so far.
When Mike gets that World Series ring he so much desires, he will have helped attain it.
- John Waelti of Monroe can be reached at jjwaelti1@tds.net. His column appears Fridays in the Monroe Times.
