The story of a player who could be the greatest to ever play the game...
Diary of a Can't Miss Prospect II
Posted 04-14-2010 at 04:17 PM by Jason
April 2, 2010, Oliver Springs, TN
"It's better than sex."
John Lawson turned toward his fellow baseball scout.
"I'm serious. Don't tell my wife I said that."
Lawson patted his friend on the shoulder and turned back toward the field. He'd been scouting players for the Oakland A's for the last decade and heard other scouts talking up players but nothing like he had heard for Oliver Springs High School third baseman Taylor Davis.
He'd also never seen scouts from every single club at the same high school game.
"I don't know why we're all here since we all know where he's going," the scout for the Royals said.
"And the arrogant little punk got his wish," Yankees scout Bill Bertsrom snorted. "The odds of the Phillies falling from a division title to worst in the league were astronomical. Kid should buy a lottery ticket."
"He's already got one," Lawson said. "And it cashes in June 15th."
The chuckles of agreement from other scouts caused the parents in attendance to turn and watch them. Lawson smiled and waved. The Oliver Springs Tigers took the field and parents quickly lost interest in the old men with clipboards.
"Probably think we're sex offenders," Bertsrom said.
"Just Bertsrom," another scout said soliciting laughter. "Yankees are obscene."
The Oakdale Eagles went down in order in the top of the first inning. None of the scouts really paid attention.
"He's up third."
The first two batters went down on strikes. Out of the dugout stepped a blonde haired boy about 6'5". If Lawson didn't know better he wouldn't have believed the kid was only 17.
"Is that a wooden bat?"
"Yeah," Lawson said. "He's been using one since his junior year. Apparently other players were too scared of him using an aluminum bat. Still hit 55 homers in 26 games last year."
Lawson looked at Earl Newman, Philadelphia scout. He sat with a hot dog in one hand and a soda in the other. His notebook was closed and on the seat next to him. He sat with the smug smile of a man who was being given the keys to the kingdom.
The catcher stood up and signaled for a pitch-out. Loud shouts came from the Oliver Springs fans. Lawson watched as the Oakdale players began to look uneasy as the shouting at the field increased in pitch. When the intentional walk was complete the PA announcer asked the fans to quiet down or the umpires would call the game a forfeit.
"Why's a kid from Tennessee want to play for Philly?" the Toronto scout asked. "Shouldn't he want Cincy or Atlanta?"
"Father was from Pennsylvania," Newman said without looking away from the field. "Raised him on stories of Mike Schmidt."
"Explains the 20 on the uniform."
"Yes," Newman said as he lifted the hotdog to his oversized mouth. "Yes it does."
Oakdale walked Davis in the fourth and sixth. Most of the scouts had packed it in and left by the bottom of the eighth when there was no way to issue an intentional walk. The score was tied at 5 with the bases loaded.
Newman turned around and looked at Lawson.
"You haven't seen him before, right?"
"No," Lawson said. "Looks like I'll get a chance to see him."
Newman smiled and turned around as Taylor stepped to the plate. The first pitch was in the dirt low and outside.
"Pitcher's afraid of him," Lawson said.
"Oh yeah," Newman replied.
The second pitch was a fastball on the outside. The parents started screaming when Taylor started to swing. The ball seemed to still be climbing when it soared over the right field fence.
"That's impressive," Lawson said.
"That kid is going to be the best who ever played the game," Newman said.
"What's his flaws?" Lawson asked with a smile. Newman turned, looked down at the bleachers for a moment and then back at Lawson.
"Nothing on the field," he said.
"It's better than sex."
John Lawson turned toward his fellow baseball scout.
"I'm serious. Don't tell my wife I said that."
Lawson patted his friend on the shoulder and turned back toward the field. He'd been scouting players for the Oakland A's for the last decade and heard other scouts talking up players but nothing like he had heard for Oliver Springs High School third baseman Taylor Davis.
He'd also never seen scouts from every single club at the same high school game.
"I don't know why we're all here since we all know where he's going," the scout for the Royals said.
"And the arrogant little punk got his wish," Yankees scout Bill Bertsrom snorted. "The odds of the Phillies falling from a division title to worst in the league were astronomical. Kid should buy a lottery ticket."
"He's already got one," Lawson said. "And it cashes in June 15th."
The chuckles of agreement from other scouts caused the parents in attendance to turn and watch them. Lawson smiled and waved. The Oliver Springs Tigers took the field and parents quickly lost interest in the old men with clipboards.
"Probably think we're sex offenders," Bertsrom said.
"Just Bertsrom," another scout said soliciting laughter. "Yankees are obscene."
The Oakdale Eagles went down in order in the top of the first inning. None of the scouts really paid attention.
"He's up third."
The first two batters went down on strikes. Out of the dugout stepped a blonde haired boy about 6'5". If Lawson didn't know better he wouldn't have believed the kid was only 17.
"Is that a wooden bat?"
"Yeah," Lawson said. "He's been using one since his junior year. Apparently other players were too scared of him using an aluminum bat. Still hit 55 homers in 26 games last year."
Lawson looked at Earl Newman, Philadelphia scout. He sat with a hot dog in one hand and a soda in the other. His notebook was closed and on the seat next to him. He sat with the smug smile of a man who was being given the keys to the kingdom.
The catcher stood up and signaled for a pitch-out. Loud shouts came from the Oliver Springs fans. Lawson watched as the Oakdale players began to look uneasy as the shouting at the field increased in pitch. When the intentional walk was complete the PA announcer asked the fans to quiet down or the umpires would call the game a forfeit.
"Why's a kid from Tennessee want to play for Philly?" the Toronto scout asked. "Shouldn't he want Cincy or Atlanta?"
"Father was from Pennsylvania," Newman said without looking away from the field. "Raised him on stories of Mike Schmidt."
"Explains the 20 on the uniform."
"Yes," Newman said as he lifted the hotdog to his oversized mouth. "Yes it does."
Oakdale walked Davis in the fourth and sixth. Most of the scouts had packed it in and left by the bottom of the eighth when there was no way to issue an intentional walk. The score was tied at 5 with the bases loaded.
Newman turned around and looked at Lawson.
"You haven't seen him before, right?"
"No," Lawson said. "Looks like I'll get a chance to see him."
Newman smiled and turned around as Taylor stepped to the plate. The first pitch was in the dirt low and outside.
"Pitcher's afraid of him," Lawson said.
"Oh yeah," Newman replied.
The second pitch was a fastball on the outside. The parents started screaming when Taylor started to swing. The ball seemed to still be climbing when it soared over the right field fence.
"That's impressive," Lawson said.
"That kid is going to be the best who ever played the game," Newman said.
"What's his flaws?" Lawson asked with a smile. Newman turned, looked down at the bleachers for a moment and then back at Lawson.
"Nothing on the field," he said.
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