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Thread: Reds shut down scout's blog

  1. #1
    Basement-Dwelling Blogger JinAZ's Avatar
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    Reds shut down scout's blog

    Last Sunday, Reds' Scout Butch Baccala started a blog chronicling his life as a scout. He made it very clear that he would not provide opinions about players in his blog, as the Reds paid him for those opinions. It was strictly about his life, and in large part was geared towards his friends and family, though he made it accessible for fans. He also made an effort to recognize some of the people who did things behind the scenes in the Reds' organization, like the people who scouted Brandon Waring prior to the draft last year.

    Today, the Reds shut him down. Here's his final post:


    This is my last post as I sit in the Airport in Sacramento waiting to go to see the California Angels.

    1. I love the Cincinnati Reds, I love working for the Cincinnati Reds and would never do anything to hurt my INTEGRITY or the Integrity of the Team.

    2. I did this blog after talking with some friends, I'm so anal about the way I do my job and with the Proffesionalism that I do it with, they thought this would be good for me- give me another outlet-writing, I wrote from the start I wouldn't talk about our players or manager and keep everything proffesional.

    3. I could have done like many of you do- not put my name on the BLOG- but I felt like I wasn't doing anything to hurt anyone. I told other scouts what I was doing, I tried to notice other scouts- we are the forgotten men of organizations.

    4. The sad part for me is anyone that would question my proffesionalism or question my work doesn't really know me. We all bust our asses for our teams- were away from home over 120 days a year, I much rather sit in my room writing a blog, then sitting in a bar drinking- what kind of role model is that. I had both my kids read the blog yesterday to see if I was over the top- they both enjoyed and before they went to school said see you Dad- we'll read your blog tonight. NO More.

    Finishing my Blog I say to all of you that wrote me it was fun but in the end

    THERE'S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL

    KEEP IT REAL FOR THE REDS

    i HOPE WERE ALL TOGETHER TO ENJOY THE CHAMPIONSHIPS I KNOW WERE GONNA WIN.

    PEACE

    Butch Baccala
    It's a small thing, but I was enjoying reading his blog to see something about what goes on behind the scenes in our organization. Nothing that he had written would have put the Reds at a competitive disadvantage, which is the only legitimate excuse for shutting it down. I see this as just another example of the Reds' proclivity for absurd secrecy. How irritating.
    -Justin


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  3. #2
    Member Deepred05's Avatar
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    Re: Reds shut down scout's blog

    He is right about the sitting around the bar and drinking part. I knew a Reds scout, (who will remain nameless) that came into my casino everyday and gambled. It used to upset me until I figured out that a baseball game can only last several hours a day. What a sweet job

  4. #3
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    Re: Reds shut down scout's blog

    I see this as just another example of the Reds' proclivity for absurd secrecy.
    Is it absurd because there are scouts from other organizations out there blogging?

  5. #4
    Member RedsManRick's Avatar
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    Re: Reds shut down scout's blog

    It would be nice to see a press release from the Reds explaining their request. Otherwise this reeks of the Luddite reputation that the Reds FO has a touch of...
    Games are won on run differential -- scoring more than your opponent. Runs are runs, scored or prevented they all count the same. Worry about scoring more and allowing fewer, not which positions contribute to which side of the equation or how "consistent" you are at your current level of performance.

  6. #5
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    Re: Reds shut down scout's blog

    PEACE

    Butch Baccala
    It's "BLEEDS" from the Sun Deck!

  7. #6
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    Re: Reds shut down scout's blog

    It would be nice to see a press release from the Reds explaining their request. Otherwise this reeks of the Luddite reputation that the Reds FO has a touch of...
    They don't owe the public an explanation. All they need to do is explain it to Baccala -- he's their employee. I think it's pretty easy to imagine fans converging on this blog and asking all kinds of questions of Baccala. If Baccala engaged these folks in much back-and-forth, the chances that he'd start talking about players in or out of the organization -- or the organization itself -- are pretty high, I'd say. My guess is that most if not all teams would prefer their scouts refrain from this kind of public discourse.

  8. #7
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    Re: Reds shut down scout's blog

    Quote Originally Posted by RedsManRick View Post
    It would be nice to see a press release from the Reds explaining their request. Otherwise this reeks of the Luddite reputation that the Reds FO has a touch of...
    Agreed. I'd find it fascinating to read about the day to day life of people "inside baseball."

  9. #8
    Moderator RedlegJake's Avatar
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    Re: Reds shut down scout's blog

    Quote Originally Posted by lollipopcurve View Post
    They don't owe the public an explanation. All they need to do is explain it to Baccala -- he's their employee. I think it's pretty easy to imagine fans converging on this blog and asking all kinds of questions of Baccala. If Baccala engaged these folks in much back-and-forth, the chances that he'd start talking about players in or out of the organization -- or the organization itself -- are pretty high, I'd say. My guess is that most if not all teams would prefer their scouts refrain from this kind of public discourse.
    Exactly. Completely agree.

  10. #9
    Member RedsManRick's Avatar
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    Re: Reds shut down scout's blog

    Quote Originally Posted by lollipopcurve View Post
    They don't owe the public an explanation. All they need to do is explain it to Baccala -- he's their employee. I think it's pretty easy to imagine fans converging on this blog and asking all kinds of questions of Baccala. If Baccala engaged these folks in much back-and-forth, the chances that he'd start talking about players in or out of the organization -- or the organization itself -- are pretty high, I'd say. My guess is that most if not all teams would prefer their scouts refrain from this kind of public discourse.
    I'm pretty sure I didn't say that they "owe" it to us -- I said it would be nice.
    Games are won on run differential -- scoring more than your opponent. Runs are runs, scored or prevented they all count the same. Worry about scoring more and allowing fewer, not which positions contribute to which side of the equation or how "consistent" you are at your current level of performance.

  11. #10
    nothing more than a fan Always Red's Avatar
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    Re: Reds shut down scout's blog

    The Reds probably make him wear black shoes; and no facial hair, either!
    sorry we're boring

  12. #11
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    Re: Reds shut down scout's blog

    I'm pretty sure I didn't say that they "owe" it to us -- I said it would be nice.
    It would be nice if we could watch each game from the dugout, too.

  13. #12
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    Re: Reds shut down scout's blog

    THERE'S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL

    KEEP IT REAL FOR THE REDS

    i HOPE WERE ALL TOGETHER TO ENJOY THE CHAMPIONSHIPS I KNOW WERE GONNA WIN.

    PEACE

    Butch Baccala
    Butch Baccala = the poster BLEEDS on the SunDeck!

  14. #13
    Haunted by walks
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    Re: Reds shut down scout's blog

    There's an opportunity for some savvy marketing, plus considerable risk. The best advice to an employee is if you're going to blog, blog like you want to keep your job. Considering how tight MLB is with its content, I wonder if that has a little to do with it, too.

    I guess it's still up to us knuckleheads to talk about the Reds online.

  15. #14
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    Re: Reds shut down scout's blog

    The one concern I would have when I was reading that was the line "Sometimes scouts have to scout the other team's scouts."

    He's basically allowing everyone to know where he is and what games he is going to. It's a small thing but ya know, every little thing.
    Quote Originally Posted by BuckeyeRed27 View Post
    Honest I can't say it any better than Hoosier Red did in his post, he sums it up basically perfectly.

  16. #15
    Redsmetz redsmetz's Avatar
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    Re: Reds shut down scout's blog

    Quote Originally Posted by RedsManRick View Post
    It would be nice to see a press release from the Reds explaining their request. Otherwise this reeks of the Luddite reputation that the Reds FO has a touch of...
    I'm not sure it's Luddite, but I could see some plausible reason for the actions of the Reds.

    While no one believes anyone in baseball are choir boys, I could see how an organization would like not see the language that was occasionally used in the blog not being the face of the Reds. That's one reason, albeit a very small one.

    Likewise, I noticed in one blog, he mentioned that he would be going to Anaheim, which obviously isn't a club we're going to be playing, so it's someone we may be targeting a trade with. Now, on one hand, that should be no surprise, but still, it could still indicate that something is iminant. Again, I'm not sure this is a big deal because we all know scouts float around and folks from other organizations know who they are, it could easily be reportered (Reds scout at Angels game last night).

    Last, and I have no way of knowing this, but it wouldn't surprise me that the Reds and most other organizations have something in their contract with the scouts that prohibits such dissemination of info.

    Those are just some guesses. Maybe they can find a middle ground ultimately, but I think there are possible legitimate reasons for putting the kabosh on it.
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