Corey Hart---2008
Scout Tales... Corey Hart
As a scout, you try to put together
the entire picture of a player. We will
go to the ballpark early to watch
batting practice, give eye and
personality tests and even hold
special workouts. The player will be
watched from the time he steps off
the bus or out of the locker room as
we look for little mannerisms that will
give an insight to the player. We try
to find out what makes the kid special
enough to make it to the big leagues.
As an area scout for the Florida
Marlins in the 1990s and early
2000s, I had the pleasure of scouting
Corey Hart. The future Brewer was a
high school senior at Greenwood
High School in Bowling Green, KY in
the Spring of 2000.
The gangly youngster was physically
weak, but had quickness to his body
and was a marvelous athlete
standing 6-foot-6. He had a strong
arm, could run like the wind (6.60 in
the 60 yard dash) and had quickness
to his swing. Seeing him swing
through some pitches against the
lesser competition of Western
Kentucky though raised some
questions about his bat, but he did
show power in workouts when he
swung the wood bats.
As a scout, you try to put together
the entire picture of a player. We will
go to the ballpark early to watch
batting practice, give eye and
personality tests and even hold
special workouts. The player will be
watched from the time he steps off
the bus or out of the locker room as
we look for little mannerisms that will
give an insight to the player. We try
to find out what makes the kid special
enough to make it to the big leagues.
As an area scout for the Florida
Marlins in the 1990s and early
2000s, I had the pleasure of scouting
Corey Hart. The future Brewer was a
high school senior at Greenwood
High School in Bowling Green, KY in
the Spring of 2000.
The gangly youngster was physically
weak, but had quickness to his body
and was a marvelous athlete
standing 6-foot-6. He had a strong
arm, could run like the wind (6.60 in
the 60 yard dash) and had quickness
to his swing. Seeing him swing
through some pitches against the
lesser competition of Western
Kentucky though raised some
questions about his bat, but he did
show power in workouts when he
swung the wood bats.
In scouting circles we referred to Hart as "The Skinny Hitter."
Well, as my Spring was winding down, I remember being at a night game at Middle
Tennessee State University in Murfeesboro, TN, with plans to head back North to
Cincinnati afterwards. Given the time zone change and the lateness of the game, I chose
to pull off the road and grab a room at the Bowling Green Fairfield Inn.
As I exited I-65 at roughly 10:30 PM, I noticed that the ball field lights were glowing at
Greenwood High, which was a stones throw from the interstate and my hotel. Filled with
curiosity, I ventured over to the high school, thinking that maybe I had missed an
opportunity for a Greenwood High School night game.
I pulled into a parking lot on a ridge that overlooked the ball field, only to see Hart and two
friends taking a late night batting practice.
They had been there awhile and continued to hit until shutting it down at 11:30. I just sat
in my car and watched "my private hitting session" with Hart from afar, as I didn't want to
interrupt Corey and his friends.
Most of all I was able to watch how much Corey loved baseball and that he would spend
the extra time to work on his game. I could tell that there was something special about Hart.
While I had turned Hart in to the Marlins' office as a potential draft in the rounds 8 thu 10,
he slid some (as players will do in the draft), before being plucked by Milwaukee in the
11th round. Corey had impressed the Brewers brass in a pre-draft workout at Miller Park
just prior to the draft.
With no true desire to continue his education (I believe he signed to play college ball at
his hometown Western Kentucky University), Hart signed with the BrewCrew and just five
years later he made his major league debut. This season, he was named to the National
League All-Star squad.
It wasn't easy for Hart as he was moved from playing first base to third base to finally
settling in as an outfielder in Triple-A, all while trying learn to hit the curveball. Yet, he did
it with the same work ethic and a passion for the game that I witnessed on a late May
evening in 2000.
With two daughters who play sports, I remind them to practice; that they need to "polish
the star, if it is going to shine." They have heard me tell the Corey Hart story and call me
korny, but there is a thread of truth that rings through.
B. Del Barba
Well, as my Spring was winding down, I remember being at a night game at Middle
Tennessee State University in Murfeesboro, TN, with plans to head back North to
Cincinnati afterwards. Given the time zone change and the lateness of the game, I chose
to pull off the road and grab a room at the Bowling Green Fairfield Inn.
As I exited I-65 at roughly 10:30 PM, I noticed that the ball field lights were glowing at
Greenwood High, which was a stones throw from the interstate and my hotel. Filled with
curiosity, I ventured over to the high school, thinking that maybe I had missed an
opportunity for a Greenwood High School night game.
I pulled into a parking lot on a ridge that overlooked the ball field, only to see Hart and two
friends taking a late night batting practice.
They had been there awhile and continued to hit until shutting it down at 11:30. I just sat
in my car and watched "my private hitting session" with Hart from afar, as I didn't want to
interrupt Corey and his friends.
Most of all I was able to watch how much Corey loved baseball and that he would spend
the extra time to work on his game. I could tell that there was something special about Hart.
While I had turned Hart in to the Marlins' office as a potential draft in the rounds 8 thu 10,
he slid some (as players will do in the draft), before being plucked by Milwaukee in the
11th round. Corey had impressed the Brewers brass in a pre-draft workout at Miller Park
just prior to the draft.
With no true desire to continue his education (I believe he signed to play college ball at
his hometown Western Kentucky University), Hart signed with the BrewCrew and just five
years later he made his major league debut. This season, he was named to the National
League All-Star squad.
It wasn't easy for Hart as he was moved from playing first base to third base to finally
settling in as an outfielder in Triple-A, all while trying learn to hit the curveball. Yet, he did
it with the same work ethic and a passion for the game that I witnessed on a late May
evening in 2000.
With two daughters who play sports, I remind them to practice; that they need to "polish
the star, if it is going to shine." They have heard me tell the Corey Hart story and call me
korny, but there is a thread of truth that rings through.
B. Del Barba