Old Scouting Report On Mark Grace: "The Brothers Love Him"
Diamond Mines is a fantastic site for baseball wonks, as it allows you to look up old scouting reports on major league players. It's also a gold mine for people who want to marvel at some of the truly odd things that scouts used to include in their reports.
Take this report on former Cubs first baseman Mark Grace, filed by Cubs scout Jim Essian in 1987:
OK, so what kind of player do we have here? Great fielder, always alert, graceful—that all sounds nice! What else? Let's see, oh look at this: the brothers love him! Um...what?
Now, it's entirely possible that "the brothers love him" doesn't mean what you think it means. Maybe Essian was friends with two other scouts, who were siblings and commonly referred to as "the brothers," and he wanted the Cubs to know that "the brothers" also thought highly of Grace. That's plausible, right? OK, probably not.
h/t Jackson
The SEC is Having a Disastrous Bowl Season
Seattle Seahawks' Post–Pete Carroll Era Is Already a Success
Best NFL Player Props for Week 18: Final Week Betting Guide
NBA 2025 Awards: Picking the Quintessential Starting Five
- Best NFL Saturday Jan 3rd Week 18 Betting Picks, Predictions
- NHL Stadium Series Picks: Why the Rangers Are Underdogs vs. Panthers
- Friday Jan 2nd NBA Picks: Three Bets to Play Tonight
- NBA Betting Picks for New Year’s Day: Top Spreads to Play Today
- NHL Picks for New Year’s Eve: Best Dec. 31st Hockey Predictions
- College Football Playoff Quarterfinal Betting Picks, Predictions
- NCAA Basketball Picks Tonight: December 30th ACC Openers and More

