Twins Hire Longtime Scout From Canada's MLB Scouting Bureau

[Parker Hageman]

The Toronto Sun's Bob Elliott (h/t Mike Berardino) reports that the Minnesota Twins have hired Walt Burrows, a scout within Canada's Major League Baseball Scouting Bureau since 1991.

 

Elliott points out that the move may leave some teams who lack scouting representation in Canada without the insight of one of the top scouts in the country whose baseball program is growing rapidly. The Twins have done well with their explorations into the talent pool from the Great White North, nabbing nine players in the draft from that area since 2006, but Burrows gives them someone connected with the developing talent. 

 

The move is interesting given that just last week USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported that aging scouts were finding it extremely difficult to find employment in baseball today. With the proliferation of analytics and a desire to go younger in staff, the game's changing climate has made it challenging for veteran scouts. Even if this goes against the grain of going younger, Burrows seemingly provides the Twins with an advantage in the market that is experiencing growth in the sport. 

 

[nicksaviking]

Interesting.

 

On one hand I like the idea that the Twins have taken away someone who appears to be a useful tool for the other 29 teams. On the other, I am one of those pounding the drum for everything younger and analytical.

 

I'd guess now that Burrows is off the table, the teams that were using him will likely now just decide to hire their own Canada specific scout(s) as I doubt any team is so tight that they'd just cross off Canada as a pipeline option. Hopefully this guy is head and shoulders above those guys.

[70charger]

25 years in-country is a long time to make contacts, set up a pipeline, and make yourself "the guy" for an entire, underutilized country. 

 

Backfill the analytics department later; a guy like this seems like a bigger deal to me.

[Parker Hageman]

25 years in-country is a long time to make contacts, set up a pipeline, and make yourself "the guy" for an entire, underutilized country.

 

Backfill the analytics department later; a guy like this seems like a bigger deal to me.

 

 

Can't disagree with that.

[Tom Valcke]

The Twins won the lottery with their opportunistic signing of Burrows before the other teams got wise.  Burrows is not only completely wired coast-to-coast in Canada, but he is a proven commodity, with excellent judgement, reporting skills, and carries himself with class, professionalism, and integrity.  If I ran a big league club, I'd have paid Walt three times whatever the Twins gave him to come aboard.  Tom Valcke

[Thrylos]

I'd applaud this move, if the Twins' scouting first approach yielded results.  And it has not, since 1994.  So: one of the same.

And I'd love to see a list of the talent that Walt Burrows has discovered/signed...

[Parker Hageman]

 

I'd applaud this move, if the Twins' scouting first approach yielded results.  And it has not, since 1994.  So: one of the same.

And I'd love to see a list of the talent that Walt Burrows has discovered/signed...

 

Tom Valcke above should be able to answer this more readily but according to this article, Burrows' most favorite player he scouted was future NBA star Steve Nash: http://ryanisaac.ca/2005-scout-year-walt-burrows/

 

The MLB Scouting Bureau guys aren't there to sign talent so it is difficult to say what his influences were. He reportedly was on hand to write reports on guys like Brett Lawrie, Justin Morneau, Jason Bay, Jeff Francis and Joey Votto that were used by other teams: http://www.pressreader.com/canada/the-starphoenix/20140808/281509339335421/TextView

[Jeremy Nygaard]

One of the articles I read credited Burrows as being the "most knowledgeable baseball person in Canada."

 

I sent a text to see where Burrows fits into the scouting mix. The response I got was that he didn't think Burrows role "is completely defined yet" beyond covering Canada. Called him a "great addition."

 

Baseball in Canada has seen an uptick lately, so being more plugged into that country could quickly pay dividends.

[Parker Hageman]

 

Tom Valcke above should be able to answer this more readily but according to this article, Burrows' most favorite player he scouted was future NBA star Steve Nash: http://ryanisaac.ca/2005-scout-year-walt-burrows/

 

 

Here's a good read on MLB deciding to shut down the Central Scouting Bureau beginning in 2016 -- http://icasebaseball.com/major-league-baseball-shoots-itself-in-the-foot/

 

 

[nicksaviking]

 

The Twins won the lottery with their opportunistic signing of Burrows before the other teams got wise.  Burrows is not only completely wired coast-to-coast in Canada, but he is a proven commodity, with excellent judgement, reporting skills, and carries himself with class, professionalism, and integrity.  If I ran a big league club, I'd have paid Walt three times whatever the Twins gave him to come aboard.  Tom Valcke

 

Thanks for posting and welcome to TD. I hope it's not impertinent but I googled you after your post made it clear that you had a high degree of personal knowledge about our team's new scout. You too have a very impressive baseball resume, thanks for contributing here.

[nicksaviking]

 

 

Tom Valcke above should be able to answer this more readily but according to this article, Burrows' most favourite player he scouted was future NBA star Steve Nash: http://ryanisaac.ca/2005-scout-year-walt-burrows/

 

 

I think this spelling is more appropriate.

[gunnarthor]

Seems like a pretty nice move that can help the team add talent.  I think you have to bend over backward to find a way to not like this.

[twinsnorth49]

I'd have done it for a fraction of the cost.....................but I know about a fraction of what  Burrows does so that seems equitable.

 

Good move by the Twins imho.

[Vanimal46]

I hope we have someone who can understand Canadian lingo in scouting reports....

1B Pierre Tremblay from Cow-Town

He's a-boot 6'1" 91 kg.

Fielding is a beauty
Really knows how to give'er at the plate eh?
Mudder was an Olympic runner

 

[Squirrel]

 

I hope we have someone who can understand Canadian lingo in scouting reports....

1B Pierre Tremblay from Cow-Town

He's a-boot 6'1" 91 kg.

Fielding is a beauty
Really knows how to give'er at the plate eh?
Mudder was an Olympic runner

 

Ugh, please ... don't give TN and GCTF any encouragement!

[Thrylos]

 

Tom Valcke above should be able to answer this more readily but according to this article, Burrows' most favorite player he scouted was future NBA star Steve Nash: http://ryanisaac.ca/2005-scout-year-walt-burrows/

 

The MLB Scouting Bureau guys aren't there to sign talent so it is difficult to say what his influences were. He reportedly was on hand to write reports on guys like Brett Lawrie, Justin Morneau, Jason Bay, Jeff Francis and Joey Votto that were used by other teams: http://www.pressreader.com/canada/the-starphoenix/20140808/281509339335421/TextView

 

 

So his role sounds more of a promoter of Canadian baseball players to the MLB teams than that of a traditional scout.  Was likely working with MLB scouts feeding his data to them...

 

[Vanimal46]

I'd have done it for a fraction of the cost.....................but I know about a fraction of what Burrows does so that seems equitable.

 

Good move by the Twins imho.

I'd be willing to bet it would cost the Twins half as many Toonies to hire me over you!

[twinsnorth49]

 

Ugh, please ... don't give TN and GCTF any encouragement!

Since you insist, we'll be sending regular reports. 

[twinsnorth49]

 

I'd be willing to bet it would cost the Twins half as many Toonies to hire me over you!

True, I'm actually using my real money in Monopoly now, because it's worth about the same.

[bird]

 

So his role sounds more of a promoter of Canadian baseball players to the MLB teams than that of a traditional scout.  Was likely working with MLB scouts feeding his data to them...

 

 

Please tell us more about how you uncovered what Burrow's role was and how you came to the understanding that other scouts were feeding data to him?

 

I think this is a baseless and preposterous characterization.

[Han Joelo]

 

I'd applaud this move, if the Twins' scouting first approach yielded results.  And it has not, since 1994.  So: one of the same.

And I'd love to see a list of the talent that Walt Burrows has discovered/signed...

Wait…what exactly do you mean?  Seems like a rather broad statement.  Really just comes off, to me, as a reactionary "hiring a scout proves the Twins don't value analytics" statement.  I don't disagree there is/was some truth to that statement, but no results since 1994?