Okay, so you wanna know about my time looking at Jose Tena. It wasn’t just a quick glance, let me tell you. I really dug in, spent some serious hours watching the kid.
My Process Watching Tena
First off, you don’t just show up for one game and call it a day. No sir. I was out there, different ballparks, different days. Sometimes it was hot as blazes, other times you’re bundled up. You gotta see a guy in all sorts of conditions. I watched him during batting practice, infield drills, and of course, game after game. I kept my own notes, nothin’ fancy, just what I saw with my own eyes. You talk to people, sure, other scouts, maybe a coach if they’re willing, but mostly, you gotta trust your gut and what you see unfold right in front of you.
I remember early on, the reports were kinda mixed. Some guys were high on him, others, not so much. That’s pretty normal, though. Everyone sees something different, or maybe they catch a guy on a good day or a bad stretch. My job was to try and cut through that and see the real player.
So, I focused on a few key things. His bat, for one. Could he hit? What kind of approach did he have? I saw flashes, you know? Quick hands sometimes, a nice level swing. But then other times, he’d look a bit lost up there, chasing pitches he shouldn’t. Consistency was the big word I kept writing down for his hitting. It was up and down.
Then there’s the glove work. He played shortstop, a tough spot. The kid’s got some athletic ability, you can see that. Decent range, arm’s okay, not a cannon but serviceable. But again, concentration. Some days he’d make a real slick play, looked like a natural. Other days, an easy chopper would eat him up. It’s frustrating to watch, ’cause you see the potential, then you see the mistake. You’re looking for that steady, reliable guy in the dirt.
And his speed, yeah, I timed him. He’s not a burner, won’t steal you a ton of bases probably, but he’s not lead-footed either. He moves alright on the basepaths, can take the extra base if the defense is sleeping.
It’s a grind, this scouting stuff. You’re trying to piece together a puzzle. Is this guy gonna develop? Does he have the makeup? That’s the stuff you can’t always see on a spreadsheet. I remember one particular stretch where he was really struggling. O-for-whatever, couple of errors. You watch how a guy handles that. Does he pout? Does he keep working? That tells you a lot.
So, after all that watching, what did I come away with? My take on Tena was pretty straightforward:
- Tools: Yeah, there are some tools to work with. You can see why some folks get excited.
- Consistency: Big issue for me. Needs to bring it every day, every play, every at-bat. That’s the mark of a big leaguer.
- Development: He was raw. Still is, probably. Needs a lot of reps, a lot of coaching.
I logged a lot of miles and drank a lot of bad coffee watching Jose Tena. It wasn’t like he was the only guy I was looking at, but he was one of those players you keep coming back to, trying to get a definitive read. You see glimpses, and you think, “Okay, maybe there’s something more here.” Then something happens that makes you pump the brakes. That’s baseball, I guess. No easy answers, especially with young guys. It’s all about projection and hoping you see it right more often than you see it wrong.
