SAMPLE/CONTENTS

There's simply no better or more complete resource to help a ballplayer (young or old) achieve the dream of playing professional baseball. 

Take a look at just some of what you'll find in
CHAPTER 2 ALONE

(Scroll down to get a glimpse of what you can expect to discover throughout the rest of the book)

“A good friend of mine used to say: ‘This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains.’ Think about that for a while.”

—“Nuke” LaLoosh, Bull Durham

In the last chapter, you learned, among other things, how a major league scouting system operates and how an amateur player develops into a prospect. Now you’ll find out exactly what those guys in the goofy straw hats are looking for as they scour the baseball world in search of potential pros. As you’ll discover, your actual baseball ability is just one of a number of factors that determine, in the eyes of those that evaluate amateur talent, whether or not you have what it takes to play pro ball.

Not all baseball scouts are cut from the same mold. Philosophies on what makes for a successful professional player vary somewhat depending on the individual and the policies of the organization that employs him. Also, keep in mind that scouting is a subjective business. One guy might be willing to offer $50,000 to a player that another scout wouldn’t offer a ride home. 

First we’ll talk about the specific skills and qualities that virtually all baseball scouts want to see when they decide who to recommend to their organizations. Most scouts also take into account certain physical criteria when ascertaining a ballplayer’s big league potential. We’ll discuss those too. Later in the chapter, you’ll learn about a progressive approach to baseball scouting that a few organizations have embraced, and which may eventually become the norm...

As you read on in Chapter 2, you'll learn all about:

• Hitting
• Hitting for power
• Fielding 
• Throwing arm
• Speed

• Middle infield
• Corner infield
• Left/right field
• Center field
• Catcher

• The gas
• Movement
• Breaking balls
• The other pitch
• Arm action and mechanics
• Control
• Intangibles

Health History
What NOT to do in front of a baseball scout (this time as a pitcher)
Scouting size and physical appearance
The "Moneyball" Effect: How the book Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game has affected baseball scouts and baseball scouting
The prototype
The outsider
Theory into practice
A radical change
Money "brawl"
The next class

ALL THAT IN JUST ONE CHAPTER!



Here's how the rest of the book is broken down:

Introduction  A personal perspective on chasing the dream, and what you can expect throughout the rest of the book.

1. The Pursuit of Prospects  Major League Baseball's Scouting System 

2. Defining Potential  What Baseball Scouts Look For in a Professional Player

3.  Do You Feel the Draft?  Understanding Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft

4. Beyond the Bigs  Professional Baseball Outside the Realm of MLB

5.  Exposed!  How to Get Noticed by Professional Baseball Scouts and Decision-Makers

6. Signed, Sealed and Delivered  Everything You Need to Know About Professional Baseball Contracts

7. Representin'  Agents, Advisors and the Wacky World of Sports Representation

8. "The Life"  The Extraordinary Existence of a Traveling Ballplayer

Appendix A  Valuable Worldwide Contact Information to Help You Achieve the Dream


Next Page: About the Author, Eddie Aucoin