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Live Chat With Former MLB Pitcher and International Scout Ryan Sadowski
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Ryan Sadowski
10:03
Hi everybody.  Thanks to MLBTR for having me on.  I'm excited to hear and answer some of the questions that MLBTR's readers have regarding international baseball and scouting at the professional level.
Kory
10:05
Ryan what was your favorite memory of overseas?
Ryan Sadowski
10:05
I have learned that I remember the people that I have met and the relationships that have developed over the years rather than single moments.
Kirt
10:06
Do you have any regrets on leaving the states to play elsewhere?
Ryan Sadowski
10:07
Hey Kirt.  Playing overseas and leaving the states was the best decision I made and I did it reluctantly. I was the youngest foreigner to have played in the KBO at the time. I may have lost some time in the Majors, but I gained so much more.  Every decision has some give and take, but there were no regrets with this one.
Orioles
10:07
How important is it for teams to have a strong international presence? I know a major factor in the Orioles turn around has been their focus on international prospects when in their past they never really had a presence overseas
Ryan Sadowski
10:09
Without an international presence in the game,  teams are destined for failure.  Its simple.  I work specifically with Asian teams, but the Latin American countries have a high percentage of players on each team.  Not having an international presence is like only eating one vegetable for the rest of your life.
Will
10:10
When you get disrespected by the media, booed by fans, or similar actions, do you let it get to you or do you just drown that out and how easy is that?
Ryan Sadowski
10:10
When it comes to baseball, I only hear my mom's voice.  The rest is just noise.
Phill
10:11
Do you read comments on MLBTR?
Ryan Sadowski
10:12
Occasionally.
Jason
10:12
Do you have hopes in becoming a GM one day?
Ryan Sadowski
10:13
No.  There are positions way more important than GM nowadays. The titles of jobs at the MLB level have become meaningless. It's the role description that is far more important to me than the title.
Henry
10:13
Hey Ryan, thanks for doing this chat! The MLB is obviously a much different and more competitive league than leagues in other parts of the world like Asia. What do you look for in players when determining that they will be a good candidate to play in the MLB?
Ryan Sadowski
10:16
Henry, I love this question because it assumes that the level of play is lower and the players do not compete as hard.  This type of thought process is what lead Toyota, Hyundai, and Honda to produce cars that can compete and actually surpassed the American car market in the 90's.  The players in Asia can flat out play.  Usually the raw skills set has diminished, but there is a lot that MLB teams can learn from the way teams in Asia operate.  Players in Asia that transition well to the states usually have unrelenting drive to succeed and an ability to adjust and adapt on and off the field.   Its a complex group of skills that most people do not possess.  This also applies to players in the states who go overseas.
Josh
10:17
What is the transition like to go from player to scout?
Ryan Sadowski
10:18
As a player, you are evaluating a players strengths and weaknesses and figuring out how they apply to you directly.  As a scout you are doing the same thing but figuring how how they apply to everybody else.  One thing that I try to remember is how hard the game is and how good those guys on the field are.
Underachieving Genius
10:18
Is there any particular player that you've helped attain that you take the most pride in?
Ryan Sadowski
10:20
I was part of the team that signed Brooks Raley.  Brooks evolved so much as a player in Asia and wanted to give another run at the states so badly!  I'm so happy he has found success here and the fact that he was overlooked by clubs upon his return fueled him even more.  He's a great person who embraced life in Korea and showed the ability to make adjustments and adapt everywhere he has been.
Brad
10:20
Why do you think some players flourish in the transition from Asia to majors and some flop? It does not seem like there is a middle road with these guys. Either high level players or out of the league.
Ryan Sadowski
10:22
The expectations is for these guys to have impact.  Except for the players who came over with the expectation that they were role 4 players (Munenori Kawasaki, Keichi Yabu, etc) anything more than a role 5 or role 6 with impact is considered failure.
Tigers
10:22
Hi, thank you for doing this. A lot of kids want and think they can reach pro levels.  As a youngster, when do you feel you were justified to believe you could play pro ball? When did that moment happen, looking back?
Ryan Sadowski
10:23
I played for fun.  I still play for fun.  My parents put no pressure on me to have success on the field. They were teachers and my mom is still upset that I'm not a lawyer. Enjoy the game, get better, compete.
Grayson
10:23
Do you have any stories of young players with immense potential with a crappy personality that tanked their chances of being drafted/signed/etc?
Ryan Sadowski
10:24
Grayson,  This applies to every aspect in life.  Even if you are an amazing talent and make it to the majors,  if you have a bad personality, you have to look in the mirror everyday.  Many good people tank because they dont have the passion or are simply not talented enough.  Others get hurt.  The ones that fail because of a bad personality or  make poor life decisions are the most concerning because they are destined for failure outside the game, too.
Brad
10:25
Just picked up Drew Rucisnki for my fantasy team. Think he has a shot to be a good starter for the A's?
Ryan Sadowski
10:26
Drew is on a team who is going to struggle to score runs. He may be their opening day starter. He has improved since going to Korea, but his signing was probably 2 years too late. His ceiling is as a back end rotation guy who could end up getting traded to a contending team who has some pitching depth issues.
Colt
10:26
Do you think Europe has Major League Talent?
Ryan Sadowski
10:27
Raw talent.  For sure.  The Netherlands produced Rick VandenHurk.  Most americans dont know that name, but that guy dominated Asia for a long time and could have easily found success with a ML club.
Bruce
10:27
What support systems are in place for a new American arrival to play ball in Japan?  Does club provide interpreter and/or other staff to help get apartment, learn where to shop, various customs, etc.?
Ryan Sadowski
10:28
Every club is different.  Teams usually do a pretty good job of getting these guys set up.  A lot depends on how the coaching staff and managers handle the players.  Typically front office members understand the transition well and try to accommodate these players.
Willie McGees Mirror
10:28
How do you feel about MLBs rule changes (instant replay, shifts, pitch clocks, etc.) in recent years?
Ryan Sadowski
10:30
If you aren't trying to improve the game,  it will go backwards.  I dont love all the changed and some have been total eye wash.  The game needs to evolve like the players have. Without the Wizard of Oz you dont get Star Wars. Without Star Wars you dont get......Billy Madison????  My point is,  you want to always be in the mindset of doing things better than they are currently being done.
Dalton Wilcox
10:31
How’s India coming along as a market for baseball?
Ryan Sadowski
10:32
Indians love cricket. There are likely many talented athletes who would develop very well in India with the proper instruction, but there is a lack of instruction and a lack of desire for those athletes to leave cricket and play baseball.
Kyle
10:32
What is the most satisfying sound on the ball field for you?  The pop of the catcher's mitt with a good fastball, the umpire shouting "play ball", sound of your cleats crunching in the infield, etc?
Ryan Sadowski
10:32
EASY QUESTION! Kids cheering for their favorite player.
Dalton Wilcox
10:32
Australia loves us! How far off is baseball over there?
Ryan Sadowski
10:34
Australia has seen some huge improvements partially due to my good friend Chris Oxspring.  The population of Australia isnt that big and other sports like Cricket and Ausie Rules Football are very popular.  MLB players will continue to be found in Australia but it will be a secondary market.  On that note well wishes to Liam Hendriks.
Dalton Wilcox
10:34
The Cubs have had alot of pitchers transition to the KBO (including Brooks Raley and Rucisinski) and back the past decade. Are there MLB teams showing more interest in on league or another?
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