A lot of people have said that Scott Boras is ruining baseball, but usually when they say it they mean it in the economic, "big market vs. small market" kind of way. But Peter Gammons, perhaps the most respected baseball writer in the game, thinks Boras' impact has been far more tangible, that he's literally making players worse. Here's a transcription of a recent radio interview (mp3) Gammons did on Wednesday. After starting the discussion with talk about Boras' request for Daisuke Matsuzaka's pitch count to be lowered, Gammons alluded to how the coaches at Boras' private sporting institute are responsible for the struggles of Barry Zito and Mark Teixeira this year, and how the instruction of those coaches have "ruined" several former top prospects, including Red Sox prospect Craig Hansen, who's currently sporting a 5.50 ERA in Triple-A. When asked to explain, this was his response:
Craig Hansen, I saw him on the Cape [ed. -- the Cape Cod League] and the only better pitcher I've ever seen was Billy Wagner, and he's going to the Hall of Fame. Hansen was a short-armed out of his delivery guy with a great sinker, slider. And now it's all cross-seamers thrown up high in the zone and extend your arm, you know? And he throws it 98 mph and they hit it out at 198 mph. ...It's one thing to be called out by some unknown blogger, but it's another thing when a Hall of Fame talent like Gammons starts piling on -- and needless to say, he didn't mince words. There's no doubt that Boras can command top dollar at the bargaining table, but I have to wonder if the advice his private coaches offer his clients will eventually fall on deaf ears.
He needs to be coached by people here and not by the people in California at the Scott Boras clinics. It's the same thing with [Luke] Hochevar last year when Kansas City gave him all that money, they gave him $4 million as a four-seam, curveball guy and they changed him into a two-seamer, slider guy this winter. He's got a 5.80 ERA at Double A which for $4 million doesn't hack it. With these agents there's too much tinkering. Agents don't know more about baseball than the people that coach it.
Update: Thanks to Hacks with Haggs for pointing me to the 890 AM ESPN interview.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-21-2007 @ 8:46AM
skippy said...
why all the fuss i love baseball but give me a game of scrabble and i am in heaven let scott boras try to tuin me the way i take out my tiles and put them in my rack he will never alter that method thanks pete for your insight as always
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7-21-2007 @ 8:49AM
skippy said...
scott stick with the sport you know the manly game of canasta i love the game the way the ebb and of course the flow go it is terrific it gives me goose bumples
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8-19-2007 @ 12:06AM
Don Galivan said...
If you are to believe the teams that have dealt with Scott Boras in the past, he has cost many a marginal player major league service time by holding them out. In the end, isn't being in the majors worth more than the cash upfront?
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8-19-2007 @ 1:14AM
Ralphie said...
Pete Gammons loves his Red Sox and due to the way baseball is structured he should have plenty to look forward to in years to come. Don't blame Boras, blame the weak leadership in MLB and the big money teams who are willing and able to pay Boras. I'm sick of hearing about the Red Sox and Yankees everytime I tune into ESPN. Why can't MLB get some balls and set some rules about how these kids are signed out of highschool & college and then put some salary caps on these teams. It works very well for the NFL. Come on Pete admit it, you love the way baseball is structured, it keeps your Red Sox on top where you want them to be. You oughta be thanking scum bags like Boras.
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