Q: When did you hook on officially with the Indians?
A: So (after the 2013 World Wood Bat Association World Championship in Jupiter, Fla.), I was able to have informal interviews with Brad Grant, (the Indians’) scouting director at the time; Paul Gillispie, assistant scouting director at the time; and Matt Forman, another former BA intern.
About a day after the Winter Meetings had ended, they asked if I would want to move to Cleveland for a baseball operations internship. So, kind of sight unseen I ended up moving to Cleveland in the dead of January—my first day in Cleveland was during the polar vortex. It was minus30 degrees or so. I ended up spending probably the first eight or nine months of 2014 with the Indians and Cleveland as a baseball operations intern, and I ended up transitioning more into an assistant amateur scouting role. Soon after that is when Clint (Longenecker) joined us as well, so we kind of had a BA duo in the office at that time.
Q: What were your first impressions of guys like Jones (second round, 2016) and Naylor (first round, 2018), and what about them made you pound the table for them?
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OLD MEETS NEW
Brian Snitker expertly navigated the Braves to a third straight division title despite myriad pitching injuries
Focusing on the Northeast pays off for the Indians
Over the past few years, the Indians have mined the Northeast for talent. The 2020 team got big-time contributions from former college righthanders Aaron Civale (Northeastern) and James Karinchak (Bryant). Waiting in the wings are three more prospects from the region, all from high school: third baseman Nolan Jones (Bensalem, Pa.), catcher Bo Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) and righthander Lenny Torres (Beacon, N.Y). All five of those players were signed by area scout Mike Kanen, a former Baseball America intern. BA recently spoke with Kanen about his first impressions of those players. The interview is edited for brevity.
SECRET WEAPON
Bobby Dickerson was integral in transforming the Padres’ infield from error-prone to October-caliber
TRUST THE TOOLS
The minor league season was lost, but dynasty players should keep the faith for these nine prospects
HISTORY IN THE MAKING: FEW TEAMS CAN MATCH THE DODGERS' DOMINANCE
The 2020 Dodgers led the National League in runs scored and fewest runs allowed.
BLUEPRINT
From scouting to player development to analytics to acquisition, the Dodgers cover all the bases as baseball’s model franchise.
COAST TO COAST
Andrew Friedman has more money to play with in Los Angeles than he did in Tampa Bay, but his core principles remain unchanged— just like the results
WINTER OF DISCONTENT
The hot stove could quickly turn to deep freeze
A MODERN-DAY CRASH DAVIS
Cody Decker mashed his way into the hearts of minor league fans
A LASTING LEGACY
All-star player. Decorated manager. Ambassador for the Dominican Republic. Felipe Alou wore many hats, but above all he was a pioneer who helped pave the way for generations of Latino players.
BARN FIND GOLD!
1949 CLETRAC ADH
Puh-puh playoffs are possibility
The path to the postseason has become crystal clear for the Washington Football Team. Just keep winning and don’t look back.
Battle of the rookie head coaches
There will be plenty on the line for both teams when Daniel Jones and the Giants welcome Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns into MetLife Stadium for a pre-Christmas, high-stakes matchup.
Tristan & Khloé's LONG-DISTANCE ROMANCE: DOOMED?
The couple faces a dilemma while residing on separate coasts.
Is Dark Chocolate Healthy?
Did you know that the average American consumes roughly 12 POUNDS of chocolate each year?
THE GAMES MUST GO ON
COVID-19 UPENDED THE NBA, THE NFL, THE NHL, AND MLB. HOW THE PROFESSIONAL SPORTS LEAGUES RESPONDED OFFERS A GLIMPSE INTO OUR FUTURE.
ZEROING IN
with DWYANE WADE
Mom's Last Gift
“Your mother’s breast cancer has returned, and it’s metastasized to her bones,” said my mother’s doctor. “It’s…everywhere. I’m so sorry, Roberta.”
Bypassed by The Rescue
Not much of Washington’s $2 trillion has reached Cleveland’s predominantly Black neighborhoods
The Choir Reunite
OMNIVORE RECORDINGS PRESENTS A LIVE REUNION OF CLEVELAND LATE-’60S PROTO-PROGRESSIVE BAND.