What is meant by a player’s "make up?"
December 28, 2010 by Coach McCreary
Filed under Make Up, Mental Side, Scouting
Ask any scout and they will tell you that a player’s “make-up” is extremely important. So what is it and why do they care about it so much? How a scout answers the following questions will go a long way in determining a player’s “make-up.”
1. How does he handle adversity like striking out, making an error, or an umpire’s bad call?
2. How accepting is he of instruction and criticism?
3. How well does he interact with his teammates?
4. How is he in school? Frequently late or absent? Any detentions/suspensions? Underachiever? Overachiever?
5. Does he play like he loves the game and can’t get enough? Is baseball a passion or just a hobby?
6. Does he hustle all the time or just when he plays well?
7. What kind of family does he come from?
8. Who are his “circle of friends” and what are they like?
9. Is he respectful of how the game should be played?
10. Is he generally timid? Aggressive? Arrogant? Confident?
11. How is his work ethic? How well does he practice?
I could go on but you get the idea. One might ask “How would a scout know all these things?” The answer is simple. It is his job to know these things. If organizations are going to spend large sums of money in signing bonuses and future contracts, they need to know just what and who they are getting. Money given to a player who gets homesick and quits or who has a drug/alcohol problem or flips out on a future coach/umpire and needs to be released is money down the drain. In the end, professional baseball is a business. They don’t leave much to chance.
So…if you are a player, what would a scout think of your “make-up?”
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