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Live Chat With Former MLB Scout Tim Kissner
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Tim kissner
11:17
Lots of them-  one thing... if you are a good starting pitcher-  you may throw 3 days in a row.  there are no pitchcounts.
Mike
11:17
When you saw Ohtani back nearly 10 years ago did you see him being able to do what he's doing or did you see him being strictly a pitcher given his abilities?
Tim kissner
11:18
loved him as a hitter and pitcher
RobM
11:18
Tim, I noticed you wrote you "miss my time in the stands..."  Safe to assume you plan to return? Or are you looking to expand into other areas, such as college coaching?
Tim kissner
11:19
I am enjoying my new career and being in my hometown.  Alaska is pretty unique.  I have no idea what the future holds.  Although, I don't see college coaching in my future.
Johnny
11:19
So when I am at a college game and you are one row in front of me...is it poor etiquette to look over your shoulder at your ipad? :)
Tim kissner
11:20
you wouldn't find me with an ipad at the game!  pen and a litle notebook!  you can ask questions- but don't be weird and stare at my notes  grinning
Guest
11:20
You spent time in Japan, what are the most transferrable skills from NPB to MLB? I'm thinking specifically of Yoshida here - I'd think great discipline with sneaky pop would translate quite well, which is why projections seem to be bullish on him even though not many people expected a $90 mil deal. What are your thoughts?
Tim kissner
11:21
gonna make this quick- skills that transfer .  for pitchers-  ability to throw strikes and command the K zone.  hitters-  tons of contact
RobM
11:21
Did you ever scout a player who you desperately wanted your team to sign, but they still passed?
Tim kissner
11:22
so many times, it's hard to count!  but that's true for all of us!
Guest
11:22
Hey Timmy!  What was you biggest “one that got away” where you loved a guy but couldn’t get your team to pull the trigger?
Tim kissner
11:24
assuming we know each other with the Timmy!!   the one who got away-  so hard to answer.  I so badly wanted Ohtani, but it wasn't like the Mariners didn't pull the trigger-  they did everything in their power.  I really wanted Maeda too out of Japan.  those decisions are more ML deals.... so out of my hands.  from an amateur standpoint, I loved Hank Conger in HS.  got to know him very well.  I really thought we would draft him, and was bummed when we didn't.  Hank is a ML coach for the Twins now
Guest
11:25
Tim-- Joe Mcilvaine here--wanted to ask you about your experience in the Latin American countries.  Like you. i spent many days and nights there looking for potential signees.  The key is having a top notch scout there to point you in the right direction.  Eddy Toledo was and is one of my favorite scouts in all of the Dominican Republic where the most players come from.  Tell me a couple Eddy Toledo stories and how he lead you to a player like Julio Rodriguez
Tim kissner
11:28
Joe. Great to hear from you!.  Thanks for all of your help when we were together.  I agree with you.  Couldn't have had success in DR with Eddy.  Eddy Toledo is one of the best scouts in the DR- or anywhere in LA in my opinion.  1st Eddy saw Julio, he called me, like a kid who just learned santa claus was real.  Told me that he wanted to give Julio every dime in our budget.  Eddy usually wanted to sign guys for cheap. so very rare of him.  He was right.  Another time, i signed a kid from VZ for big money, and Eddy simply said..... you aren't going to be happy my friend.  he was right again :)  miss you Joe!
The IT factor
11:28
What do you for in an infielder that separates himself from others when scouting?
Tim kissner
11:29
good feet, good hands, good reads off bat.  lateral quickness ... accurate throws
Bob
11:29
Do you ever get other Scouts from other teams that call you and ask you for your opinion about a particular player?
Tim kissner
11:30
a lot.  as scouts, we bounce things off each other all the time
RobM
11:30
Regarding international scouting, are teams hiring country-specific scouts now that go beyond tradional Latin America scouting? Is there a next bit talent market yet to be untapped?
Tim kissner
11:31
i always thought baseball may grow in China....
Rusty Shackleford
11:31
Which GM’s in the game today do you think are amongst the best?
Tim kissner
11:31
kinda a simple answer, and not being a smart ass---- the one's who win
raydh81
11:32
With a player like Anthony Gose, who was good enough to pitch and play a position in MLB, does the scout do anything to try to get the player to commit to one position?
Tim kissner
11:32
nope- i wanna see kids play muliple positions, and see how versitile they are.  Gose pitched in HS too.... some teams liked him better on the mound
Andy
11:33
Homer, AK is one of my most favorite places in the world! Thanks for signing Julio. What tool did you find was generally the toughest to project considering how young men develop their bodies?
Tim kissner
11:33
homer!  my birth place
Still a giants fan
11:33
I'm visiting Seattle right now. Any suggestions for great burger spots?
Tim kissner
11:33
Red Mill and Great State Burgers
FA
11:34
Hindsight's 20/20, but if you could go back and tell your former self something meaningful/efficient to grow your career, what would you tell your younger self?
Tim kissner
11:34
focus on what you can control, trust your instincts, grass isn't always greener, be a team player, be thankful and embrace change
Ruban Amaro
11:34
What made you want to get into scouting?
Tim kissner
11:35
Hi Ruban---I wanted to help a major league team win a world series-
Guest
11:35
Give us your scouting report on 18-year old Tim Kissner.
Tim kissner
11:36
not very good, but loved baseball and refused to give up....  i tried to outwork everyone, and what little success I had, came from work ethic
Guest
11:36
What will you miss the most
Tim kissner
11:37
The people -  and the smell of freshly cut grass and pine tar :)
11:38
I will take a few more questions- then gotta go shovel snow in my driveway!
Byron Langston
11:44
every scout has a story but what was the worst city, hotel or food experience being on the road
Tim kissner
11:45
time there was a poliitcal revolution in Venezuela and I was stuck in my hotel for 2 days without water and only gatorade
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