JotCast | Kiley McDaniel Chat

Kiley McDaniel Chat - 10/16/18

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Kiley McDaniel

3:07

Eh, again, teams don't really want scouts to write reports where they mix in their own data analysis, but knowing that a scout won't discount it and likely will be young/cheap if he/she is into data, then yes, they will hire you

Blue Jay Matt

3:07

Is Kelly Johnson a good comp for Cavan Biggio's upside or do you see more or less?

Kiley McDaniel

3:08

Eh, somewhere around there, one of the many versions of Kelly Johnson

LPFan

3:08

What other characteristics can make a prospect with 90 mph FB successful in big leagues today? Do you think not throwing hard from onset helps his career longevity or in-season durability?

Kiley McDaniel

3:08

plus change, plus command seems like a minimum to be successful and hang around, probably even more than that

Jay

3:09

Do scouts/sources on teams try to pitch public prospect people to mislead other teams about prospects or draftees?

Kiley McDaniel

3:11

yeah but Eric and I have been at this long enough that we know which ones do that and generally don't talk to them. Some execs see the media as an adversary (don't answer, which is fine, I judge that as a neutral) and/or something to be conquered into doing your bidding (answer only when they have something to push, and only give that) and we have no time for that. multiple GMs fit this description, by the way.

Brian

3:11

If a "smart" team like the Dodgers, Yankees or Astros call and ask about a player in a trade, should that change how the other team views that player? In other words, when will the Reds stop answering the Dodgers calls?

Kiley McDaniel

3:13

I know a "smart" team that asked a less "smart" team about a random, seemingly generic reliever like 5+ years ago, a youngish AAA/MLB shuttle type that even fans of that team probably didn't care about. The less "smart" team was like wait a minute why do you want him and refused to trade him just on that basis. The team kept him and he went from generic into a legit contributor, was later traded for by multiple "smart" teams when he got expensive in arb. Original "smart" team never got him.

mark

3:14

A while back someone (I think you did) mentioned that the Yankees are doing something different to get more velocity out of pitchers but you (they) couldn't figure out what? Have you figured it out? (a yes or no is fine if you can't disclose specifics)

Kiley McDaniel

3:14

I'm not even sure its one crazy trick and I'm pretty sure it isn't. I think it's just the residue of a good process on scouting and development

Pickle Nick

3:14

Do teams keep data on scouts' or cross-checkers success rates in finding amateur players? It seems like it would be a useful thing during the hiring process, to know about if you're gonna poach a scouting talent.

Kiley McDaniel

3:16

Discuss this periodically but it turns out it takes multiple contracts (most scouts are on 1-year deals, maybe 2) to determine if the scout was good in his first year and you've already promoted/resigned him multiple times at that point and maybe he sucked his first year but now he's goot and you need to wait 5 more years to find out if that's right...it's just not feasible in an empirical way. Anecdotally keeping track of if lists seem good a year or two later, or the process, communication, etc. is much easier and is what the industry has been doing for awhile

mark

3:16

Can you shed some light on the trade discussions that happen when prospects are involved? Is there a back and forth involving grades on tolls, and FV and the like?

Kiley McDaniel

3:17

It's usually just yes/no on a group of names until both sides figure out "oh it's this tier of prospect and they think these couple guys are better/worse than we do"

Bobby Bradley's 40-time

3:17

Does Kowar have middle of the rotation stuff if the breaker or command gets to average?

Kiley McDaniel

3:18

Yeah, probably, but that's been the issue for over 2 years now

Ken Lay

3:19

if Wander Franco meets all of those tool grades, would he be a 70+ overall? Or even more?

Kiley McDaniel

3:19

yeah, would fall in that 65 to 70 FV area as a prospect, could work into 80 FV like Acuna, Soto, Judge and some others have shown pretty quickly in MLB career

Davoink Showerhandel

3:19

Would you speak on Nick Madrigal's power potential? His power production in the minors was non-existent, but I think that might be effected by his hand/wrist injury, exhaustion from the college season, etc. Realize he's not gonna be a masher, but can he do a .150 ISO in the majors in the future?

Kiley McDaniel

3:20

He's a 40 raw power guy that could grow into 45 with maturation, health, better balls/bat, etc

has bat control to turn 45 raw into 50 game, which is 15-18 homers. I wouldn't expect that, but it's on the table

RunawaYEM

3:20

Would you give up Cristian Pache as a headliner for for Realmuto? What type of package from ATL would it take?

Kiley McDaniel

3:20

I would not, you could put a pretty solid three prospect group together without having to include him

Ken Lay

3:21

Would an asst GM/farm director be impressed if I threw a shuriken over their head at 110+ mph, in turn, pinning my business card to the wall?

Kiley McDaniel

3:21

That would turn some heads, yes

Ken Lay

3:21

do you see a lot of burnout in baseball ops? From what I understand (please correct me as necessary), the pay is low and the hours are long for entry positions, so I'm guessing a fair number of people may overestimate their love of the game?

Kiley McDaniel

3:23

YEP, although some people worked so hard to get that entry level gig that they're in denial about their lifestyle/chances for advancement, general position in life. There aren't a bunch of people quitting in their 20s but a decent amount leave when that clearly more lucrative/more time off sort of job comes along

Jamie Ryan

3:23

what's the average pay of a first-year scout? are they at all reimbursed for travel expenses?

Kiley McDaniel

3:24

Depends, but full time scout like 45-50K and all expenses and benefits and pretty sweet travel points, too. Often you have to intern or part-time or hybrid roles a year or two to get the full gig and those are like 15-25K depending on the situation

Davoink Showerhandel

3:24

When you say a player, like Cron, is a R/R guy, does the throwing "R" matter? I wouldn't think a R/L would have any less value than a R/R

Kiley McDaniel

3:24

Throwing lefty is a little better at 1B, but not a huge deal

3:25

Scouts always verbally talk about that kind of player as "right-right" so that's usually how we write it, too. 2 syllables is about the shortest wait to say right handed hitter

Slothrop

3:25

Do you have to pay for your own travel

Kiley McDaniel

3:25

The dark overlord picks up those costs

3:25

How do fv grades handle extreme platoon splits with hitters?

Kiley McDaniel

3:26

we round down some if the guy, like a LHH 1B that we think is platoon only unless he's like 60 hit/power, looks like he's overwhelming likely to be only a platoon player as that limits the upside

Nate Lowe comes to mind as a version of that

3:27

Jake Bauers wasn't since he can also play a solid RF, above average 1B and is seen as a better hit tool guy and not a slam dunk platooner

platoon isn't as important if there's secondary skills, like Coco Crisp. may eventually apply to Corey Ray

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