jackky: The Tigers the Red Sox and Advance Scout

The impact advance scouting has had around the first three games of the American League Championship Series is hard to determine. We can make educated gue ses based on what weve seen, but thats all. We arent aware of what's happening behind the scenes.We do know there is a lot of knowledge being shared. The Boston Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers might not utilize advance scouting much the same way, but come playoff time, they leave nothing unturned. From pitch selection to defensive positioning, many decisions are influenced, otherwise determined, by data.Prior towards the start of the series, key personnel from both teams shared their perspectives on the proce s. Weighing in in the Detroit side were Dave Dombrowski, Jim Leyland, Tom Brookens, Alex Avila and Austin Jackson. Contributing in the Boston clubhouse were Ben Cherington, John Farrell, Torey Lovullo, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ryan Dempster. Dombrowski and Cherington also offered snapshot of the player development efforts and the use of analytics.ADVANCE SCOUTINGDave Dombrowski, Tigers general manager: Scouting is extremely important. Our staff relies upon it a great get ready. Then, of course, our players use that information. Throughout the postseason we all do it a Mohammed Seisay Jersey little differently. We not only have in our statistical information and video work, we also send our scouts out on a full-time basis. Throughout the season we dont do that towards the same extent.During the standard season, we dont [have advance scouts] for every series. I think most clubs have gotten away from that. We do our advance work through video and statistical information. We videotape basically all the games thats played and break up those tapes, hitter by hitter and pitcher by pitcher. Then we supply that information to Jim [Leyland] and his staff.Another thing with our staff is that Jim has been in the league such a long time he knows a lot of the information himself. Occasionally, if we dont know a team real well, or if we dont know a manager real well their tendencies well send somebody prior to a set.We started the advance proce s in September. Scott Reid, who's our v . p . of player personnel, coordinates all that for us. We'd two guys: Jeff Wetherby, who has the Red Sox during the season, and Ray Crone, who's one of our cro s-checkers and knows the Red Sox real well.For the analytical data, we have a gentleman in our clubhouse by the name of Jeremy Kelch. He's a couple of people who help him and are responsible for that data.Those people met up coupled with their ending up in the staff [on Friday]. Thats among the first things they did when we got to town. Jim and the staff met up together and reviewed all the information and addre sed any questions.Ben Cherington, Red Sox gm: Out advance scouting is e sential to the succe s. John [Farrell] and the staff po se s a system in position. We have an advance scout on the highway all year round, its keep is staff within the clubhouse who use that information. There is a system in place for each series. All were doing within the playoffs is adding some additional eyes to gather information which will go into the same system. Were ramping up a bit in terms of our coverage, however the proce s is identical.How we [break on the information] is a combination of performance analysis and subjective scouting. We proce s that in a way that hopefully fits our particular team in the particular point were playing. There is all sorts of information out there, and it wouldnt do much best to just dump it all in front of a player and allow him to decipher it. You need to boil it down to its most pertinent points, to its most tips. You want to find the nuggets that come going to give you an edge. Thats the job our staff is doing.Jim Leyland, Tigers manager: The postseason scouting is excellent. I think its one of those situations where you have to sort out the data, what's usable and workable, and what is not. You need to be careful to di sect it and evaluate which information is really prevalent and what's just cosmetic.Our scouts did a terrific job in Oakland, so we met together yesterday concerning the Boston club. They gave us lots of reliable information. Most of it i was aware of. A few small things that little perks we've got from them were good. However it still comes down to execution and playing the game.John Farrell, Red Sox manager: We had people following both Detroit and Oakland hours. Steve Langone and Dave Klipstein happen to be on the field in front of us particularly Steve Langone. Hes the man thats been around from Day One of spring training and has been out ahead of us the entire season. They could be individually distinct, behind the scenes, however the information they offer the work theyve done has already established a huge impact about how we prepare.The quantity of looks that weve had on individual pitchers, and also the work that'll be done from video our players will receive a clear picture, in addition to their own utilization of video. First-hand experience is one thing were going to be short on, but we are able to give them tendencies. We are able to outline what a pitcher might look to do in a few instances. The greater we can research and rehash that, the greater we are able to put our lineup in a position to succeed.Tom Brookens, Tigers third base coach: The players take a look at more details within the postseason. I think the pitchers do greater than the hitters. Hitters tend to look more at video than they do Ndamukong Suh Jersey numbers. Overall, the team examines more details than they accustomed to since the game is trending this way. Inside a series like this, where we havent seen the team all that much, we have to make sure we cover all of the bases.Torey Lovullo, Red Sox bench coach: The common fan doesnt know how much work adopts a set, and just how much pre-series information our advance scouts provide us with. Ben said hello best: We have a phone books amount of information and pare it right down to 2 or 3 pages of information we are able to take into the dugout.What weve done is individualized some of that information. Weve talked to the players about what they need, concerning the items that will become important for them. We obtain some buzzwords, we obtain some really quick information the people can use throughout the game. We talk to them in a controlled environment before the series starts, to allow them to have that information more long. We break up in 2 different ways: lengthy information we are able to provide at one time and quick information we are able to throw at them inside a one-sentence format.We have our own domains. As coaches, we stay inside our own areas. Butter [Brian Butterfield] is always talking about the infield. Arnie [Beyeler] is always talking about the outfield. Ill discu s the base running, and so will Arnie and Butter were all type of added too there together. The catching stuff is usually through Dana [Levangie]. Everybody is in control of Khyri Thornton Jersey their own players in their area. We give them the information we all know theyre likely to utilize.We have an incredible rely upon our advance scouts, because theyve done a great job. Some of the tendencies and habits theyre showing us, we watch unfold. They tell us whats happening, plus they provide us with an overview of the items they project will happen due to how this team has been functioning of late. Only then do we acquire some from the projections and thoughts using their company areas, for example what weve discu sed with [director of baseball information] Tom [Tippett]. Tom will a large amount of stuff behind the scenes thats very valuable. There are also statistics [advance video coordinator] Billy Broadbent gives us. We draw our very own conclusions from there.Alex Avila, Tigers catcher: You want to make sure you will find the information all the details e sential to get the best decisions. From there you attempt to complete. Simultaneously, a lot of times, in the center of a game title, you just need to go with your gut.The quantity of information they need varies for every guy. Each guy prepares completely differently. Every one has their very own method of gathering information, retaining it, and using it for their advantage.Max [Scherzer] looks at the numbers, but Im sure hed be the first one to let you know there are occasions you need to throw them out the window. Max and Justin [Verlander] offer a similar experience in that theyll see that information, and if theres something they are able to use, theyll utilize it. Theyll look at scouting reports, theyll take a look at video, theyll use all that information to help make the best decisions for his or her game plans. You dont wish to be one-minded and shut yourself off to other information.My role isnt to get that information. Thats why we have scouts; they have that information. We come up with a game title plan according to the pitchers strengths. After that we attempt to fight hitters weakne ses without going away from the pitchers strengths. We try to match up that way. Then, obviously, there are so many situations that present themselves through the game that sometimes make adjustments. You need to be able to make those adjustments quickly.Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Red Sox catcher: Were basically within the meetings the coaches are in, all year long. We break down the things they're doing well and just what they dont prosper. Its nothing different from any other scouting report, but youve got the primary scouts inside who've been watching them the past two or three weeks.We give our opinion. Ro sy [David Ro s] and that i both have opinions on what weve completed in the past, and if it still works. But theyve got the benefit of seeing these guys this past couple weeks, while we havent seen them. Some hitters get hot, yet others get cold, so were trying to see what theyre doing at this time thats effective and not effective. We move from there.You have to trust your scouts. Theyve been around quite a long time and also have been watching recent years weeks, which means you have confidence in them. Simultaneously, when it becomes game time, you have to opt for your gut instinct and just what that pitcher can do that day.Austin Jackson, Tigers outfielder: I think you look at [scouting information] to a certain extent, but simultaneously, pitchers po se s a arrange for you. They might not nece sarily follow exactly what the report says. There is a game plan for every hitter, which means you cant always rely on it.Youre aware of [tendencies], however, you cant read in to the an exce sive amount of. Like a hitter, you've your own strategy and also you try to stick with it.Ryan Dempster, Red Sox pitcher: Over recent times, its just becoming greater and greater the numbers. These different programs are available for calculating data, and over here, its nothing beats Ive seen before. The scouting reports Tavon Wilson Jersey we've are readily available information when we need it. Some guys arent big scouting report guys; they simply pursue the things they go after. Im a guy who likes to see numbers and percentages, and theyre definitely available when I want them.PLAYER DEVELOPMENT AND ANALYTICSDave Dombrowski: Our player development and scouting people including our Latin American operations are vitally important. Theyre the backbone of your organization. Without good scouting and player-development people, your odds of succe s arent very good. Sometimes its players they develop for you, and often its the players they develop which are traded. You'll need a good pipeline of talent arriving. Those who do that are vital for your organization.When youre hiring a staff, youre looking to get the best people it is po sible to. Youre also searching for these to perform the same philosophical page when you are, because if theyre not, thats not going to do any good. Youre looking for a mixture of those two things.Im unsure what the public perception is, but we use whatever information we po sibly can. When we make deals, we use our scouts recommendations a good deal, but we also use statistical information to back that up. I think youre foolish, in almost any walk of life, should you dont make use of all the data you po sibly can.We take a look at all the details we are able to, but we also rely maybe much more than some organizations which may be more strictly statistically oriented on scouting. We use [analytics] like a tool, but we use our scouts opinions first and foremost.Ben Cherington: We want to have people that are at the top of the their field, doing analysis on potential player acquisition, therefore we can determine a players value as accurately as we can. When I say analysis, that might come from scouting analysis cla sical scouting where youre evaluating Joseph Fauria Jersey a person on the field or it might come in the form of analytics. Our responsibility is to proce s that information. We a semble it to color an image of what a players value is, both now and in years to come.Different areas of the operation are involved. We have amateur scouting, profe sional scouting, international scouting, analytics there's an in-house analytics team that will a large amount of focus on performance analysis. All of those groups are selling information that is then aggregated to try to determine what the worth is.Just as vital for the organization is yet another group. You need people to nurture them, to a sist them to develop as players, to a sist them to remain healthy and get stronger. The player development staff and medical team would be the people youre entrusting to deal with your a sets. Youve invested a lot of money and time to identify and acquire them, and it wouldnt make any sense to achieve that if you don't were willing to back it up and help them once theyre here. It has to be a team effort, amongst all those groups scouting, player development, coaching, medical and gratifaction analysis.