Bob Elliott from the Canadian Baseball Network states, Adam Hall has potential to be Canada's greatest shortstop.
The best Canadian shortstop ever?
That was the question of the day as the best high schoolers from coast to coast gathered for workout sessions at the Rogers Centre as the fourth annual Tournament 12 began.
The most accomplished shortstop?
Some scouts were stumped, while T12 coaches contemplated different names before coming up with answers.
Yet, the best shortstop query is not like asking who is the most accomplished Canuck pitcher (Fergie Jenkins), outfielder (Larry Walker), first baseman (Joey Votto/Justin Morneau) or catcher (Russell Martin).
Why don’t we as a baseball nation produce more middle infielders? The answers vary from players concentrating on hitting or pitching at indoor facilities, the lack of reps outdoors due to weather and the majority of facilities where a full infield can’t be staged.
Orr didn’t have a job this summer for the first time since he signed with the Atlanta Braves 16 seasons ago. He spent 10 days with coach Greg Hamilton on the Canadian Junior National Team’s trip to ESPN’s Wide World of Sports spending mornings and afternoons in his old stomping grounds at the Braves complex and evenings at Carrabbas Italian Grill.
Near the end of the trip Orr pulled out his phone and texted Green, now a pro scout with the Milwaukee Brewers.
“We got one,” Orr’s text read.
Orr was speaking of Adam Hall who played shortstop.
“He has everything you need to be a great player from a physical standpoint,” said Orr, who added Hall’s mental intensity is more impressive. “He has a quiet confidence that he’s going to have a great day every day. I never had that.”
Orr played 443 games with the Washington Nationals, Philadelphia Phillies and the Braves, plus another 1,320 games in the minors, yet this teenager with Ontario Black had qualities Orr never had -- according to Orr.
It’s one of the reasons Hall is ranked 22nd -- up from 36th -- on the Perfect Game Scouting Service’s ranking of the top 500 high schoolers.
|
