Thoughts on Scott Hairston?

by rhodehead on Jul 7, 2005 11:40 PM EDT

What are everyone's thoughts on Arizona OF Scott Hairston?

He showed pretty good pop last season while playing 2B, hitting 13 HR in 339 AB's. This season he has been up and down a couple times, but has not seen a significant number of AB's.

He has been converted to the OF this season from 2B. Does he have a future in Arizona's OF as a starter next season? Is he an every day player? I have heard some coaches/scouts feel hit has 25-30 HR potential, but i have not heard much else about his scouting report.

He has hit real well in AAA this season:

.302/.386/.611 with 13 HR, 31 RBI and 34 Runs in 46 games...

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Blocked...

He seems to be a man without a position, for the DBacks, anyways. I don't see him getting significant time in the OF, as the DBacks have more OF prospects on the way... I see a trade in his future.

by dbimberg on Jul 8, 2005 12:15 AM EDT reply actions

Scott Hairston

Not liked or respected by the Arizona hierarchy; will be part of some trade before the deadline as some shrewed GM (thier are a couple, right?) will include him in a deal and he will get his chance. It is mind-boggling that Arizona trots out chronic failures or marginal players night after night (Cruz, McCraken, Terrero) rather than give a potential 380/550 guy a legitimate chance to show his skills (he did hit 15 homers in half a season last year). Who can explain why so many teams make this mistake?

by butkussayers on Jul 8, 2005 12:36 AM EDT reply actions

magic cookies

they eat too many magic cookies..

i can't explain it, but i wouldnt put Cruz jr. with McCracken or Terrero. he's in a different class at least

by ufo on Jul 8, 2005 4:36 AM EDT up reply actions

Attitude

I heard a whisper of attitude problems as well; can anyone confirm this?

by rick on Jul 8, 2005 9:02 AM EDT up reply actions

I think

his attitude problems stem from everyone wanting to change his hitting and defense instead of letting him play unitl he fails. So, his stubborness and reluctance to change his labeled him as an "attitude" problem.

I just find it hard to believe a guy who's father and brother are major leaguers would need so much tweaking. Seems like over-coaching to me, but I have heard similar accounts of Hairston.

by So Cal Bob on Jul 11, 2005 12:49 PM EDT up reply actions

"attitude"

I strongly feel that many times, when a team buries a player who could really help them, that player often gets a "bad attitude" reputation simply because, if it WERE true, it would at least explain the team's otherwise inexplicable actions.

and boom goes the dynamite.

by dcarrano on Jul 12, 2005 5:12 AM EDT up reply actions

Give him....

to the Cubs then.

In fact if Drew and his attitude/injury problems start showing up, send him to us too.

by SenorGato88 on Jul 9, 2005 12:33 AM EDT reply actions

He's Victor Diaz

Basically he's that classic tweener that teams don't know what to do with. You see it with infielders who aren't good with the glove and have to move to the outfield, catchers who have to move either because of health or defense issues, and corner outfielders who have to move to 1B or DH. Unless the guy smacks the living crap out of the ball, like Teixeira or Pujols, they don't know what to do with the guy. Look at what the Marlins are doing with Willingham. Instead of re-evaluating these guys and using their strengths, they get caught up on the player's weaknesses and fixate on what they originally wanted from the guy. It's a shame. Hell, even when a guy does hit well enough to carry his own weight at the far end of the defensive spectrum, some teams still don't know how to handle him. Look at what the Rays did with Huff, they've taken him from 1B to 3B back to 1B to COF back to 3B to DH and now back to OF.

Hairston will be lost in the wilderness for a while until he surfaces somewhere else. In the eyes of the Snakes, he's as good as dead. There isn't a long term position for him anyways though, as they have the Drew/Santos/Upton, with one of them (smart money's on Upton) moving to CF and another moving to 2B. And at 1B/LF/RF, you have Quentin/Jackson/Zeringue/etc.

There are quite a few teams that should be looking up Garagiola's number to get the guy. The Rangers, Rockies, Cards, Yanks, Fish, Pirates, and Tigers all come to mind as teams who could use a decent bat who is working on becoming a CF and can be an emergency 2B if you don't mind a lead glove for a few innings here and there.

by JM Barten on Jul 9, 2005 12:17 PM EDT reply actions