The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review referred to him as "a super-scout." He had been the Pittsburgh Pirates' area scouting supervisor for North Texas and Oklahoma since 2004. In 2011 he brought in Josh Bell, a top-fight outfield prospect with a $5 million signing bonus.
OK, local fans, who is this top scout, formerly with the Pirates, now with the New York Yankees? He is Monroe native, Mike Leuzinger.
When I was a teen-ager back in the 1950s, Hank Leuzinger farmed near of our home farm, just north of Monroe. My parents were in a group including the Leuzingers that played yass on Saturday evenings during the winter. Hank had several kids, including Richard, who was a few years younger than I. I used to tease the rambunctious Richard by grabbing the suspenders of his overalls as he ran from room to room.
Naturally, I lost track of so many people during my half century away from Monroe, only to be reacquainted with them upon my eventual return. During a chance meeting with Richard one day, I asked him what he was up to. He said that his son was coming home to visit. When I asked what his son was doing, Richard replied that he was scouting for the Yankees.
What? Scouting for the New York Yankees? That's a big deal. Hey Richard, when he comes home let me know.
He did. During lunch at the Turner Hall, I quizzed Richard's son, Mike, on how he got into this business at the level where the odds are slim to none for a kid with no inside baseball connections.
Mike's father, Richard, the kid I used to tease by grabbing his overall suspenders, along with his brother, Curtis, became umpires and refs for local baseball, football and basketball. Mike was often with father Richard, developing an interest in, and love for, baseball.
When he was about 15, attending a Madison Muskies game - the Muskies were Class A baseball at the time - Mike noticed some men in the front row with radar guns and notebooks. When Mike asked his father what that was about, Richard said that they were scouts, looking for talent. Mike filed that away in his memory.
As Mike matured, his love of baseball grew. He knew he didn't have the talent to play, but wanted to be associated with the game as, of course, did countless others. He continued to attend games and in the process met major league scouts.
Ever more motivated, Mike flew to California to attend a school run by major league scouts. But attending a scouting school does not guarantee anything close to eventually making the big time.
Mike later attended a Wisconsin State High School baseball tourney in Wausau. While there, he met Dale McReynolds, a name meaning little to average fans, but a legend among baseball scholars and insiders. McReynolds, a native of Walworth, Wisconsin, authored the "bible of scouting," "The Baseball Scouts Notebook," that became an essential textbook for anyone entering the scouting profession. McReynolds gave a copy of that textbook to Mike. He studied it thoroughly.
The influence of Dale McReynolds on Mike's career cannot be overemphasized. Former Minnesota Twins General Manager, Terry Ryan, states, "Mac taught us more than just about how to evaluate talent. He covered all the intangibles, from how you gather information to how you approach the family of a player. He stressed the importance of the things you need to do during the winter months as you prepare for the upcoming season."
Ryan adds, "Mac had an impact on a generation of baseball scouts and player development people, particularly those who got their start in the Midwest." Including Monroe's own Mike Leuzinger, but not immediately.
At the time that Mike met him at the Wisconsin high school tournament, McReynolds was a scouting supervisor for the Dodgers, covering the area including Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and the Dakotas. Naturally, everyone with scouting ambitions wanted to be associated with McReynolds. As would be expected, the talented McReynolds already had his full slate of scouting associates.
But McReynolds would ask other scouts to get in touch with Mike with the possibility of taking him on an associate scout. As might be expected, that never happened.
Mike was persistent, continuing to attend games. A few months later, at age 22, Mike was attending another Madison Muskies Game. McReynolds happened to be in the stands and kept looking at Mike, as if he had recognized him from somewhere before. Finally, McReynolds introduced himself, and a re-connection was established. McReynolds asked Mike if any of those scouts had ever called him. When Mike said, "No, they had not," a once-in-a-lifetime break occurred. "Ok I'll take you on as an Associate Scout."
Thus began Mike's start, as an Associate Scout with McReynolds from 1989-1991. In 1991 Mike, sponsored by the Dodgers, was invited to the Major League Baseball Scout School.
From 1992-1994 Mike functioned as a part time scout of McReynolds with the Dodgers, living in, and covering Minnesota. Part time scouts were awarded some salary, but still needed a regular job, one that enabled economic survival, while allowing flexibility to attend high school and college games.
This road to the big-time obviously is not for the faint of heart. But with McReynolds as his mentor, Mike had something powerful going for him. Mike stresses that when McReynolds walked into a park, baseball people turned heads and instantly recognized him. Being "one of Mac's guys," and to be associated with him, opened doors. To sit with Dale was a real confidence builder.
Mike adds that during his time in Minnesota, he was able to sit with Twins General Manager, Terry Ryan, and learn from him.
In November 1994, Mike got his big break - promotion to full time, and awarded his first territory, North Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas.
Next week: From the Dodgers, to the Pirates, then the Yankees.
- John Waelti of Monroe can be reached at jjwaelti1@tds.net. His column appears Fridays in the Monroe Times.
OK, local fans, who is this top scout, formerly with the Pirates, now with the New York Yankees? He is Monroe native, Mike Leuzinger.
When I was a teen-ager back in the 1950s, Hank Leuzinger farmed near of our home farm, just north of Monroe. My parents were in a group including the Leuzingers that played yass on Saturday evenings during the winter. Hank had several kids, including Richard, who was a few years younger than I. I used to tease the rambunctious Richard by grabbing the suspenders of his overalls as he ran from room to room.
Naturally, I lost track of so many people during my half century away from Monroe, only to be reacquainted with them upon my eventual return. During a chance meeting with Richard one day, I asked him what he was up to. He said that his son was coming home to visit. When I asked what his son was doing, Richard replied that he was scouting for the Yankees.
What? Scouting for the New York Yankees? That's a big deal. Hey Richard, when he comes home let me know.
He did. During lunch at the Turner Hall, I quizzed Richard's son, Mike, on how he got into this business at the level where the odds are slim to none for a kid with no inside baseball connections.
Mike's father, Richard, the kid I used to tease by grabbing his overall suspenders, along with his brother, Curtis, became umpires and refs for local baseball, football and basketball. Mike was often with father Richard, developing an interest in, and love for, baseball.
When he was about 15, attending a Madison Muskies game - the Muskies were Class A baseball at the time - Mike noticed some men in the front row with radar guns and notebooks. When Mike asked his father what that was about, Richard said that they were scouts, looking for talent. Mike filed that away in his memory.
As Mike matured, his love of baseball grew. He knew he didn't have the talent to play, but wanted to be associated with the game as, of course, did countless others. He continued to attend games and in the process met major league scouts.
Ever more motivated, Mike flew to California to attend a school run by major league scouts. But attending a scouting school does not guarantee anything close to eventually making the big time.
Mike later attended a Wisconsin State High School baseball tourney in Wausau. While there, he met Dale McReynolds, a name meaning little to average fans, but a legend among baseball scholars and insiders. McReynolds, a native of Walworth, Wisconsin, authored the "bible of scouting," "The Baseball Scouts Notebook," that became an essential textbook for anyone entering the scouting profession. McReynolds gave a copy of that textbook to Mike. He studied it thoroughly.
The influence of Dale McReynolds on Mike's career cannot be overemphasized. Former Minnesota Twins General Manager, Terry Ryan, states, "Mac taught us more than just about how to evaluate talent. He covered all the intangibles, from how you gather information to how you approach the family of a player. He stressed the importance of the things you need to do during the winter months as you prepare for the upcoming season."
Ryan adds, "Mac had an impact on a generation of baseball scouts and player development people, particularly those who got their start in the Midwest." Including Monroe's own Mike Leuzinger, but not immediately.
At the time that Mike met him at the Wisconsin high school tournament, McReynolds was a scouting supervisor for the Dodgers, covering the area including Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and the Dakotas. Naturally, everyone with scouting ambitions wanted to be associated with McReynolds. As would be expected, the talented McReynolds already had his full slate of scouting associates.
But McReynolds would ask other scouts to get in touch with Mike with the possibility of taking him on an associate scout. As might be expected, that never happened.
Mike was persistent, continuing to attend games. A few months later, at age 22, Mike was attending another Madison Muskies Game. McReynolds happened to be in the stands and kept looking at Mike, as if he had recognized him from somewhere before. Finally, McReynolds introduced himself, and a re-connection was established. McReynolds asked Mike if any of those scouts had ever called him. When Mike said, "No, they had not," a once-in-a-lifetime break occurred. "Ok I'll take you on as an Associate Scout."
Thus began Mike's start, as an Associate Scout with McReynolds from 1989-1991. In 1991 Mike, sponsored by the Dodgers, was invited to the Major League Baseball Scout School.
From 1992-1994 Mike functioned as a part time scout of McReynolds with the Dodgers, living in, and covering Minnesota. Part time scouts were awarded some salary, but still needed a regular job, one that enabled economic survival, while allowing flexibility to attend high school and college games.
This road to the big-time obviously is not for the faint of heart. But with McReynolds as his mentor, Mike had something powerful going for him. Mike stresses that when McReynolds walked into a park, baseball people turned heads and instantly recognized him. Being "one of Mac's guys," and to be associated with him, opened doors. To sit with Dale was a real confidence builder.
Mike adds that during his time in Minnesota, he was able to sit with Twins General Manager, Terry Ryan, and learn from him.
In November 1994, Mike got his big break - promotion to full time, and awarded his first territory, North Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas.
Next week: From the Dodgers, to the Pirates, then the Yankees.
- John Waelti of Monroe can be reached at jjwaelti1@tds.net. His column appears Fridays in the Monroe Times.
