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    mlboffseason

    mlboffseason:

    Roger Jongewaard, Super Scout

    In 2004, Roger Jongewaard was awarded the Roland Hemond Lifetime Achievement Award from Baseball America in honor of his career in baseball. Jongewaard was a scout, and a mighty good one at that.

    Beginning with the New York Mets, Jongewaard pushed the team to draft future stars including Darryl Strawberry (#1 overall in 1980), Lenny Dykstra (13th round, 1981), and Billy Beane (#23 overall in 1980), who disappointed as a player, but made his name as the GM for the Oakland A’s and became famous as the subject of Michael Lewis’ Moneyball.

    Jongewaard moved to the Seattle Mariners in 1985 and was instrumental in the decision to take a high school graduate from Moeller High School in Cincinnati: Ken Griffey, Jr. (#1 overall in 1987)*. Six years later, Jongewaard recommended drafting a high school shortstop from Florida named Alex Rodriguez (#1 overall in 1993).

    Roger Jongewaard, who passed away at the age of 76, was named West Coast Scout of the Year in 2005 and was named a Legend in Scouting by the Professional Baseball Scouting Association in 2010.

    Additional sources: USAToday.com and baseball-reference.com

    (Image of Griffey courtey of pittpeas.mlbblogs.com; image of A-Rod is courtesy of North and South of Royal Brougham; image of Darryl Strawberry is courtesy of sikids.com and copyright of Manny Millan/SI.)

    * Jongewaard convinced the Mariners to take Griffey over Cal State-Fullerton pitcher Mike Harkey. Harkey was drafted 4th by the Cubs. He would play for 8 seasons for four different teams, finishing with a 36-36 career record.

    - OOTD







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  1. themasterbeginning reblogged this from mlboffseason
  2. idontknow-flycasual reblogged this from mlboffseason and added:
    Had no idea who this guy was till I read this but rest in peace. you have made a great impact on baseball and the talent...
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  4. thatbabenonduh reblogged this from mlboffseason and added:
    Men who play baseball have thee cutest behinds (in those pants they wear) haha dont shoot me please ;)
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