As many of you know, our son (Lukas) is a scout for the Chicago Cubs. What do they do? Let me tell ya:
Lukas goes to baseball games from Feb 1 to about June 1, watches college players and high school kids, and renders an assessment on whether or not a given player is a “prospect” or not. Then he files reports on each of them, sends them up the roster of scouts (area scout, cross checker, scouting director) who also watch the top kids and render assessments. Then before the Draft (yesterday) they gather together and compose something like a master list of the kids they’d like to draft. Lukas had a player he watched all year from Univ of Pittsburgh, Billy Muldowney (a pitcher with an Irish name as you’ll ever see), and today the Cubs drafted him in the 8th Round. Good for Luke and good for Billy!
I remember the day we sat here hoping Luke would get drafted. Well, the first day ended and no call. So, Luke went to the local gym to work out. No sooner was he gone and the Cubs called and said they’d be drafting Luke in the first round the second day (Round 22 21). They had the second pick on the second day, and sure enough, they picked him. And sure enough we were happy as could be. A kid who grew up a Cubs fan and who got to play for the Cubs.
Lots of kids and their parents were watching anxiously yesterday (and today). It’s an unusual experience, but it is also a rare one: lots of young kids grow up wanting to play professional baseball, and it is very hard to get there. And each year the minor league teams release as many as they pick — and that means about 30 kids drafted and 30 kids released. Very competitive.
5 summers for Luke, and good ones they were. But, when he finished and accepted the offer to scout, I was glad I’d never wake up at night, wonder how Luke did the night before, and amble my way to the computer to check a box score. Been there, done that, never again.
How about that for a job, though? Watching the greatest game of all sports and getting paid to do it! Time to start watching the minor league teams now and filing some more reports.