Life As A Scout

Of all the professions involved in all of sport, the one that seems the least glamorous to us, save for maybe being the guy who pretends to be Clinton Portis' hands, is being a baseball scout. You drive all night to watch some teenagers play a game, you write in your little notebook, a bunch of parents notice you in the stands and come to bother you and then you pick up and drive all night to another town in the middle of nowhere. Meanwhile, a bunch of Harvard guys keep telling you you're irrelevant and a waste of an investment. Tough gig.

Now, an anonymous 49-year-old scout has started a blog to document life on the road, called The Sixth Tool, and it's an endlessly fascinating read. It's a rare insider's look at a process that's full of hard labor, endless travel, countless doubters and, of course, just enough guesswork to make you question everything.

The anonymous author is a talented writer and clearly has a lot to say. This is highly recommended, if you're wondering what life is like watching teenagers in their shorts destroy their arms.

The Sixth Tool [Blogspot]