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Prophet of the Sandlots: Journeys with a Major League Scout
Recalling half a century of shimmying up and ducking behind trees to locate talent, a major league scout reflects on his long and illustrious career with the Cubs and Phillies
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
3 people are currently reading
312 people want to read
About the author
Mark Winegardner
39 books72 followersMark Winegardner (born November 24, 1961) is an American writer born and raised in Bryan, Ohio. His novels include The Godfather Returns, Crooked River Burning, and The Veracruz Blues. He published a collection of short stories, That's True of Everybody, in 2002. His newest novel, The Godfather's Revenge, was published in November 2006 by Putnam. His Godfather novels continue the story of the Corleone family depicted in Mario Puzo's The Godfather.
According to a press release from Putnam: In a major acquisition, G. P. Putnam's Sons Executive Editor Dan Conaway secured North American rights to The Godfather's Revenge, the capstone to the Corleone family saga, which began with Mario Puzo's landmark novel and was carried forward in Winegardner's 2004 New York Times bestseller, The Godfather Returns. The Godfather's Revenge was written by Winegardner, based on Puzo's original characters.
"It's staggering to contemplate the legacy of the Godfather films and novels," says Dan Conaway. "They have had a deeper, broader and more lasting impact on the fabric of contemporary culture than has any other such franchise in the past 50 years.
It's fitting, then, that The Godfather's Revenge overlays the resonant mythology of the Corleone family onto the most vexing real-life mystery of our age, with a storyline that explores the role organized crime may have had in the assassination of a charismatic young President." [1]
According to a press release from Putnam: In a major acquisition, G. P. Putnam's Sons Executive Editor Dan Conaway secured North American rights to The Godfather's Revenge, the capstone to the Corleone family saga, which began with Mario Puzo's landmark novel and was carried forward in Winegardner's 2004 New York Times bestseller, The Godfather Returns. The Godfather's Revenge was written by Winegardner, based on Puzo's original characters.
"It's staggering to contemplate the legacy of the Godfather films and novels," says Dan Conaway. "They have had a deeper, broader and more lasting impact on the fabric of contemporary culture than has any other such franchise in the past 50 years.
It's fitting, then, that The Godfather's Revenge overlays the resonant mythology of the Corleone family onto the most vexing real-life mystery of our age, with a storyline that explores the role organized crime may have had in the assassination of a charismatic young President." [1]
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
May 7, 2018
This is a tough one to rate because it's a four star book that's elevated by its conclusion and how it forces the reader to reassess the rest of the book. I won't spoil it, but the introduction to the second edition does. My recommendation is to purposely skip the intro and then come back to it after finishing the book. This is one that can reward multiple readings, so it's better to read it once blind then read it again to look for signs of the conclusion.
Independent of that element, it's a great look at what a traditional amateur scout looked like, how they did their job, and what defined the sport in their era. There's much that has changed, but I imagine much of the travel, isolation, and networking elements remain similar. It's a peek behind the curtain of a semi-mysterious part of the sport and a truly unique life.
Independent of that element, it's a great look at what a traditional amateur scout looked like, how they did their job, and what defined the sport in their era. There's much that has changed, but I imagine much of the travel, isolation, and networking elements remain similar. It's a peek behind the curtain of a semi-mysterious part of the sport and a truly unique life.
January 10, 2020
3.5 stars. This book is wonderful and also heartbreaking, for much the same reasons. Winegardner details a year in the life of Phillies' scout Tony Lucadello. Lucadello is in his mid-seventies and has been scouting for little money (his highest salary was $27,000) for decades.
This is the true story of a man who does a job well because he loves baseball but also because that is how he believes a job should be done - the right way. But his way is anachronistic. The book ends in 1989, but Lucadello's methods are becoming outdated - driving the back roads to find undiscovered talent, relying on part-time scouts in far-flung areas - and Tony can see it happening.
Tony is a throwback. He believes in simplicity: simple drills that help young ballplayers with positioning and batting eye; staying at cheap motels where they know your name; getting to know the player's family so that they will help the kid decide to sign a contract. But as the game progresses, and as teams rely more on a central scouting bureau and draft mostly college and high school players that everyone already knows, Tony finds himself marginalized. The Phillies draft fewer of his players, and they do so in the later rounds.
Winegardner captures all of this, along with the down home charm of Lucadello as they travel the Midwest together looking for "sleepers," and checking on known quantities. Lucadello is the master of the tall tale, which might just be true, and Winegardner records it faithfully, without a surfeit of drama.
One of the messages that I took away from the book is that a job done right for its own sake is a wonderful thing. You don't need praise or a high salary, just pride in your work. Tony marks his success by the success of others - how many of his players made the major leagues. When the book ends, that number is 50 (two of whom are Hall of Famers).
The heartbreaking part is that even if you do the job right, and work harder than everyone else, and are just a nice person, sometimes the game or the job pass you by. Tony loved baseball, and loved working as a scout, and he might have worked a year or two longer than he should have. But you do the job because it is worth doing. And it is worth doing right.
If you liked Dollar Sign on the Muscle, then I think you will like this book. Alternatively, if you liked this one, you should also read Dollar Sign on the Muscle.
This is the true story of a man who does a job well because he loves baseball but also because that is how he believes a job should be done - the right way. But his way is anachronistic. The book ends in 1989, but Lucadello's methods are becoming outdated - driving the back roads to find undiscovered talent, relying on part-time scouts in far-flung areas - and Tony can see it happening.
Tony is a throwback. He believes in simplicity: simple drills that help young ballplayers with positioning and batting eye; staying at cheap motels where they know your name; getting to know the player's family so that they will help the kid decide to sign a contract. But as the game progresses, and as teams rely more on a central scouting bureau and draft mostly college and high school players that everyone already knows, Tony finds himself marginalized. The Phillies draft fewer of his players, and they do so in the later rounds.
Winegardner captures all of this, along with the down home charm of Lucadello as they travel the Midwest together looking for "sleepers," and checking on known quantities. Lucadello is the master of the tall tale, which might just be true, and Winegardner records it faithfully, without a surfeit of drama.
One of the messages that I took away from the book is that a job done right for its own sake is a wonderful thing. You don't need praise or a high salary, just pride in your work. Tony marks his success by the success of others - how many of his players made the major leagues. When the book ends, that number is 50 (two of whom are Hall of Famers).
The heartbreaking part is that even if you do the job right, and work harder than everyone else, and are just a nice person, sometimes the game or the job pass you by. Tony loved baseball, and loved working as a scout, and he might have worked a year or two longer than he should have. But you do the job because it is worth doing. And it is worth doing right.
If you liked Dollar Sign on the Muscle, then I think you will like this book. Alternatively, if you liked this one, you should also read Dollar Sign on the Muscle.
April 20, 2017
It's a surprisingly sad book about a 75-year-old scout, perhaps the greatest scout ever, in the last year of his life. Tony Lucadello, who in 1989 had signed 49 major leaguers including Mike Schmidt and according to Wikipedia, had three more graduate to the bigs after his death.
It's sad not just in the obvious way that is covered in the introduction regarding Lucadello's fate, but in the many moments of irrelevancy that the old scout was forced to face along the way. Despite his past success, he's ignored by the higher ups in the Phillies organization and feels disrespected.
As an Ohioan myself, it was fun to hear the names of all the small towns that Lucadello visited along the way. But even though I love the game, I just can't imagine the resolve it must take for these scouts to devote their lives watching several games a day in terrible Midwest weather while driving a car up to 70,000 miles all over eleven states.
One final thought that kept recurring was the Tony's ability to get talented young players to sign with the Phillies rather than attend college. With the benefit of 30 years hindsight, I looked up most of these players career records and a strong majority topped out in rookie or A ball, far away from their Major League dreams.
Years of their own lives were devoted to their dream, and college plans put on hold, for a $700 per month per diem and a several thousand dollar signing bonus. I'm not so sure that's something that should be celebrated.
It's sad not just in the obvious way that is covered in the introduction regarding Lucadello's fate, but in the many moments of irrelevancy that the old scout was forced to face along the way. Despite his past success, he's ignored by the higher ups in the Phillies organization and feels disrespected.
As an Ohioan myself, it was fun to hear the names of all the small towns that Lucadello visited along the way. But even though I love the game, I just can't imagine the resolve it must take for these scouts to devote their lives watching several games a day in terrible Midwest weather while driving a car up to 70,000 miles all over eleven states.
One final thought that kept recurring was the Tony's ability to get talented young players to sign with the Phillies rather than attend college. With the benefit of 30 years hindsight, I looked up most of these players career records and a strong majority topped out in rookie or A ball, far away from their Major League dreams.
Years of their own lives were devoted to their dream, and college plans put on hold, for a $700 per month per diem and a several thousand dollar signing bonus. I'm not so sure that's something that should be celebrated.
October 25, 2009
This is a profoundly difficult book to read. But very gratifying in a weird, troubling way.
A work of non-fiction from about 1990, it's only about baseball - or the American Midwest - on the surface. Once you pick it up, you'll see that it's about an aging man's almost desperate attempt to keep in contact with a world he knows and loves, but a world that is disappearing before his eyes, and leaving him behind.
There are obviously many, many aspects of baseball scout Tony Lucadello's life and personality that are deliberately left out of this book. I won't go into details, but knowing what ultimately happens to Tony (it's explained in the preface) made me surprised that author Mark Winegardner didn't spend more time and energy explaining his OWN reaction to the denouement.
I'm glad I read it, but I would only recommend it to someone if I knew their own tastes and interests in life and in literature.
A work of non-fiction from about 1990, it's only about baseball - or the American Midwest - on the surface. Once you pick it up, you'll see that it's about an aging man's almost desperate attempt to keep in contact with a world he knows and loves, but a world that is disappearing before his eyes, and leaving him behind.
There are obviously many, many aspects of baseball scout Tony Lucadello's life and personality that are deliberately left out of this book. I won't go into details, but knowing what ultimately happens to Tony (it's explained in the preface) made me surprised that author Mark Winegardner didn't spend more time and energy explaining his OWN reaction to the denouement.
I'm glad I read it, but I would only recommend it to someone if I knew their own tastes and interests in life and in literature.
April 19, 2016
I originally read this book because a boyfriend's father owned it and we'd figured out that Tony Lucadello signed my father the same year he signed Mike Schmidt. I went in with no expectations and enjoyed the book a lot. The world of scouting was fleshed out, and the baseball I remember loving as a kid came back to me as I read. This is a sweet, sad book that I'd recommend to any baseball fan.
February 23, 2017
Wow. This book was a stunning testament to baseball and how it works behind the scenes. Moreover Winegardner provides a portrait of a middle-america man who is completely dedicated to his craft. It's incredibly well done and interesting and brace yourself for the ending. Up there as one of the best books I've ever had the pleasure of reading.
February 6, 2022
Let me start by saying that, although I now know that the subject of this book, Tony Lucadello, was by most accounts--including that of the author--the most successful baseball scout of all time, I had never heard of him.
It was only reading a biography about hall-of-famer Ernie Banks, and doing some extra research, that I became aware of Mr. Lucadello, only to find out that he signed an MLB record (when the book begins) 49 players that ultimately made it to the major leagues. At the end of the book, I believe the count was 52, and still growing. His most prominent signing was that of Mike Schmidt of the Philadelphia Phillies, arguably (or not) the greatest all-around third baseman in MLB history. Ernie Banks also claims that Lucadello signed him, although Lucadello downplays that. Lucadello was a scout for the Chicago Cubs at the time, saw Banks playing in the Negro Leagues, and suggested to Cubs management that they sign him. Which they did. Therefore, Lucadello claims he never "found" Banks, he just saw him play and recommended that the Cubs sign him.
Basically every other player, though, was signed after a grueling scouting effort by Lucadello--especially prior to the beginning of free agency. He would scour the Midwest (his territory), driving about 30,000 miles a year from game to game, meeting with prospective signees, meeting with their parents, talking with high school and college coaches, etc. It was a physically and mentally challenging task that Lucadello performed for over 50 years.
The book was released in 1990, so it's over 30 years old. The author spent the entire year of 1988 "shadowing" Lucadello, being with him literally almost every single day, watching his every move, learning the "secrets" Tony employed in his quest to be the absolute best scout that he could be. And that was part of his undoing.
Lucadello worked on a system called "The Wall," which he felt could improve players' skills. He became a fanatic about the need for this, and had parents building cinder block walls in their yards for their sons to throw balls against. Unfortunately, it never took off to the extent that Tony felt it should have. And that really ate at him. A lot.
I found the book well written, with the author, Mark Winegardner, able to smoothly intertwine Lucadello's daily routine and his 50 years of scouting experience into his (the author's) own life experiences. The book--due to the content--is a bit of an up and down ride, but that can't be helped--that IS the story. And a wonderful story it is, especially for those who followed baseball in the 1950s through 1980s.
Just to be warned, the following contains a SPOILER ALERT! This is not just me spoiling the ending, but the outcome is actually revealed in the introduction, which was written by noted author, Daniel Okrent. I will say that knowing the outcome did affect the way I interpreted things as I read the book, but--for me--I felt it was for the good.
SPOILER ALERT! The author, Mark Winegardner spent the entire 1988 baseball season with Tony Lucadello. He rode tens of thousands of miles, watched hundreds of games, met hundreds of people, and learned more about the intricacies of the game than he could ever (I would think) hope to remember. What he also got to hear, and shares in the book, is how Tony Lucadello's star as the best scout in baseball history, began to fall back to Earth--slowly at first, then faster. Tony felt the with the advent of the Central Scouting Bureau, individual scouts' opinions didn't matter anymore. With a change in command in the Phillies front office, he felt that he, and therefore his draft picks, were being ignored and/or discounted. Along with aforementioned disappointment of the failure of his "Wall System" to catch on as he had hoped, life was getting more and more difficult to live as each day went by. He was losing contact with baseball, and baseball was the only thing he knew--it was his life. On May 8, 1989, after having breakfast with his wife and seeing her out of the house, Tony went down to a local sandlot field and mortally shot himself.
The reason that I said I liked the fact that I knew the ending up front, is that I have suffered for years with anxiety and depression. I have been in therapy (and medications) for it for almost 25 years now. That combination has kept me from reaching that same fate, although I must admit that the thoughts have been there. Knowing where this was headed to, as I read the book, I could spot a number of situations, comments, circumstances, etc. that instantly triggered an "oh boy" response from me. As I read about the way he felt the Phillies management team treated him, I could recall the very same feelings in my life. Luckily, I was able to get out on an early retirement, at age 55. I am 70 now, so I feel that my decision has given me, so far, 15 years that I might not otherwise have had.
Mental illness is a tricky thing. It's very often difficult to detect if you are not the subject of it. One thing this book did for me was reinforce the fact that those of us who suffer are not alone. And sometimes that's all it takes to feel a little better.
It was only reading a biography about hall-of-famer Ernie Banks, and doing some extra research, that I became aware of Mr. Lucadello, only to find out that he signed an MLB record (when the book begins) 49 players that ultimately made it to the major leagues. At the end of the book, I believe the count was 52, and still growing. His most prominent signing was that of Mike Schmidt of the Philadelphia Phillies, arguably (or not) the greatest all-around third baseman in MLB history. Ernie Banks also claims that Lucadello signed him, although Lucadello downplays that. Lucadello was a scout for the Chicago Cubs at the time, saw Banks playing in the Negro Leagues, and suggested to Cubs management that they sign him. Which they did. Therefore, Lucadello claims he never "found" Banks, he just saw him play and recommended that the Cubs sign him.
Basically every other player, though, was signed after a grueling scouting effort by Lucadello--especially prior to the beginning of free agency. He would scour the Midwest (his territory), driving about 30,000 miles a year from game to game, meeting with prospective signees, meeting with their parents, talking with high school and college coaches, etc. It was a physically and mentally challenging task that Lucadello performed for over 50 years.
The book was released in 1990, so it's over 30 years old. The author spent the entire year of 1988 "shadowing" Lucadello, being with him literally almost every single day, watching his every move, learning the "secrets" Tony employed in his quest to be the absolute best scout that he could be. And that was part of his undoing.
Lucadello worked on a system called "The Wall," which he felt could improve players' skills. He became a fanatic about the need for this, and had parents building cinder block walls in their yards for their sons to throw balls against. Unfortunately, it never took off to the extent that Tony felt it should have. And that really ate at him. A lot.
I found the book well written, with the author, Mark Winegardner, able to smoothly intertwine Lucadello's daily routine and his 50 years of scouting experience into his (the author's) own life experiences. The book--due to the content--is a bit of an up and down ride, but that can't be helped--that IS the story. And a wonderful story it is, especially for those who followed baseball in the 1950s through 1980s.
Just to be warned, the following contains a SPOILER ALERT! This is not just me spoiling the ending, but the outcome is actually revealed in the introduction, which was written by noted author, Daniel Okrent. I will say that knowing the outcome did affect the way I interpreted things as I read the book, but--for me--I felt it was for the good.
SPOILER ALERT! The author, Mark Winegardner spent the entire 1988 baseball season with Tony Lucadello. He rode tens of thousands of miles, watched hundreds of games, met hundreds of people, and learned more about the intricacies of the game than he could ever (I would think) hope to remember. What he also got to hear, and shares in the book, is how Tony Lucadello's star as the best scout in baseball history, began to fall back to Earth--slowly at first, then faster. Tony felt the with the advent of the Central Scouting Bureau, individual scouts' opinions didn't matter anymore. With a change in command in the Phillies front office, he felt that he, and therefore his draft picks, were being ignored and/or discounted. Along with aforementioned disappointment of the failure of his "Wall System" to catch on as he had hoped, life was getting more and more difficult to live as each day went by. He was losing contact with baseball, and baseball was the only thing he knew--it was his life. On May 8, 1989, after having breakfast with his wife and seeing her out of the house, Tony went down to a local sandlot field and mortally shot himself.
The reason that I said I liked the fact that I knew the ending up front, is that I have suffered for years with anxiety and depression. I have been in therapy (and medications) for it for almost 25 years now. That combination has kept me from reaching that same fate, although I must admit that the thoughts have been there. Knowing where this was headed to, as I read the book, I could spot a number of situations, comments, circumstances, etc. that instantly triggered an "oh boy" response from me. As I read about the way he felt the Phillies management team treated him, I could recall the very same feelings in my life. Luckily, I was able to get out on an early retirement, at age 55. I am 70 now, so I feel that my decision has given me, so far, 15 years that I might not otherwise have had.
Mental illness is a tricky thing. It's very often difficult to detect if you are not the subject of it. One thing this book did for me was reinforce the fact that those of us who suffer are not alone. And sometimes that's all it takes to feel a little better.
April 9, 2022
1990 CASEY Award nominee
Briefly: A tribute to the best of baseball
Scouts provide the backbone to the game of baseball, completely necessary but buried beneath the surface. Winegardner details a year accompanying one of the most prolific scouts of all time, Tony Lucadello, who is into his seventies and serving as the Phillies’ Midwest area scout.
Prophet of the Sandlots succeeds not for its scouting insights (though it does contain some); not for its details on the accomplishments of Lucadello (though those also earn mention); but for its profile of a man completely devoted to the game of baseball. In so doing, it holds up a mirror to those of us who feel that same ineffable passion for the game, whose lives have entered baseball’s orbit in some way and cannot escape its magnetic tug. Prophet of the Sandlots isn’t a facts book; it is a feeling book, and a story book—or perhaps more accurately, a stories book, reminding us all of baseball’s thrall.
Briefly: A tribute to the best of baseball
Scouts provide the backbone to the game of baseball, completely necessary but buried beneath the surface. Winegardner details a year accompanying one of the most prolific scouts of all time, Tony Lucadello, who is into his seventies and serving as the Phillies’ Midwest area scout.
Prophet of the Sandlots succeeds not for its scouting insights (though it does contain some); not for its details on the accomplishments of Lucadello (though those also earn mention); but for its profile of a man completely devoted to the game of baseball. In so doing, it holds up a mirror to those of us who feel that same ineffable passion for the game, whose lives have entered baseball’s orbit in some way and cannot escape its magnetic tug. Prophet of the Sandlots isn’t a facts book; it is a feeling book, and a story book—or perhaps more accurately, a stories book, reminding us all of baseball’s thrall.
May 29, 2022
Great read, and led me to look up, multiple times, names of some of the players mentioned. Based on a scout, this book is a refreshingly different angle of baseball books that I have read in the past. It is stories like these that allow me to see the game of baseball through a completely new, and thoroughly enjoyable, lens.
My only beef with the book is that more than a couple of time the author refers to Mike Schmidt as the greatest all-around third baseman in the history of the game. With all due respect, he wasn't even the greatest all-around third baseman of his era.
My only beef with the book is that more than a couple of time the author refers to Mike Schmidt as the greatest all-around third baseman in the history of the game. With all due respect, he wasn't even the greatest all-around third baseman of his era.
November 14, 2023
Even knowing how Tony’s story was going to end in the intro…what an emotional roller coaster. I enjoyed reading about Tony and what qualities made him into the top Phillies scout. It was an interesting strategy knowing upfront how Tony’s story will eventually end, it made you really think through his conversations with the author throughout the book.
February 7, 2024
This was a book that was pretty genial and enjoyable. What ultimately starts as an ode to a scout, and their tireless efforts to find longshots that may one day become stars becomes something more humane and tragic, yet warm. However, do not read the forward to this, as it definitely gives away much of what's to come
October 31, 2017
It was a really good book about a 75 year old scout who was considered one of the greatest scouts ever. His greatest signing was Mike Schmidt and was known for his great teachings of technique with the “building of the wall”, but the ending was a sad one.
March 30, 2020
A wonderful ride along with a scout who has done it all, seen it all, and has a lot to teach. While the ending of the book does leave one in something of a somber mood, the whole book together is a love letter to the back fields where everyone is living out there dreams to be a baseball player.
December 5, 2017
you dont even have to be a baseball fan to enjoy this powerful story of just an average man giving his all to a cause he believes in
March 17, 2019
Incredible insight into the dying art of baseball scouting. You can't help but fall in love with the man. A great, unexpected treat.
March 27, 2019
A great and sad book
December 9, 2021
Really a great read. Last generation baseball throughout with a unique perspective and of course a twist at the end. I would suggest reading the introduction last.
January 3, 2022
It's just sort of gratifying to read a book about a decent human being doing what he loved.
July 6, 2025
Kind of an overlooked baseball gem. Shocking ending which makes you rethink the whole book.
Good companion to 'Dollar Sign on the Muscle.'
Good companion to 'Dollar Sign on the Muscle.'
July 20, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. We get a great window into how amateur scouting worked back in the day. The author tells the story well and creates great word pictures. The book really takes a twist at the end.
Read
July 27, 2012I wish I had read this book back when I was a baseball fan (the strike of '94 really did me in and I haven't watched a full game in years). Still, the insights offered into the otherwise obscure world of scouting athletes of any type are worthwhile, and the book is well-written. The book concentrates on Tony Lucadello's travels in the year leading up to the 1988 draft; as a result, the reader is able to examine the "prospects" discussed with the benefit of hindsight - the athletic careers of all the young men discussed are now over and their tale has been told. Anyone who feels underappreciated within their own workplace will probably relate to this book and its poignant ending.
October 14, 2015
Second time reading the book. Knowing the outcome did not deter from the enjoyment of following the life of a real life baseball character as he performs one of the unsung jobs of major league baseball.
March 17, 2009
One of the best baseball books to be published. Tony Lucadello: if only they listened to you!
April 2, 2015
A really good book, with at tragic ending. It's a great read for any baseball fan, coach, or players. I found it both entertaining and informative.
January 12, 2013
Loses a star for its abrupt and unexamined gut-punch of an ending.
October 3, 2018
Maybe the best baseball biography I've read...and re-read.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews