Hawley: Q&A with Pittsburgh Pirates executive Tyrone Brooks
From Ross Hawley at USA Today on October 7, 2015, with SABR member Tyrone Brooks:
Baseball is a humbling sport. Anyone that has been around the game for a long period of time will tell you just that. Think about this; you are considered a great hitter if you hit .300. That literally means that you are getting out 70% of the time. You are failing 70% of the time! So what does it take to succeed when failing is inevitable?
I sat down with Tyrone Brooks, Director of Player Personnel for the Pittsburgh Pirates to get his take on what success looks like, on and off the field. It doesn’t take long to understand why Mr. Brooks is one of the most respected men in baseball.
Q: Physical talent aside, what do you look for when you are evaluating a player?
A: The first thing we notice about any player is how he handles himself on the field. Quite simply, we look for leadership ability and how he interacts with his teammates. Is this the type of guy that builds everyone up around him? Does this player make his teammates better? We want to answer yes to both of those questions before we get serious about bringing a player into our organization.
Equally important to how a player handles himself on the field, is how a player handles himself off the field. The ideal player would be the one that looks beyond himself. Be the guy that stands out for the right reasons. There should be more to a baseball player than just baseball. We want guys that serve their community and contribute to the success of everyone around them.
Read the full article here: http://usatodayhss.com/2015/recruiting-column-qa-w-tyrone-brooks-director-of-player-personnel-pittsburgh-pirates
Originally published: October 7, 2015. Last Updated: October 7, 2015.