NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. – The relative hustle and bustle of the Winter Meetings took a pause on Wednesday night to honour the 2016 Scouts of the Year, and one of the four recipients of the prestigious award was in Toronto Blue Jays organization.
Pablo Cruz, who oversees the Blue Jays’ operations in the Dominican Republic and is in charge of player development in Latin America, won the International Award.
Cruz, who’s been in professional baseball as a player, coach, scout and co-ordinator for 52 seasons, and whose son Ismael and grandsons Brian and Jonathan all work in the game as well, drew high praise from his boss.
"Any baseball executive would want nothing more than to be as universally respected as he is by players, by coaches," said Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins. "There’s not a player who doesn’t see him as a father figure. I can’t imagine a better compliment."
As for Cruz, who has scouted and signed more than 40 players who made it to the major leagues, including Moises Alou, Tony Pena, Aramis Ramirez and Pascual Perez, the deeply religious man gives all the credit to a higher power.
"It’s a gift from God," said Cruz. "I know God and the Holy Spirit helped me to sign a lot of good ballplayers, because before I sign, I pray. And the Holy Spirit gave me a good feeling, so I said ‘Now let me sign this guy.’"
Cruz is being modest, says Blue Jays assistant GM Andrew Tinnish, the team’s former scouting director.
"People like Pablo Cruz are very rare," said Tinnish. "There’s no substitute for guys like Pablo who have been in ballparks for 40, 50 years as a player, a coach, a scout. The smart young scouts pick his brain and try to learn as much as possible. He’s a great resource. He spends a lot of time with our young Latin American players. He can help them work through problems on and off the field, whether it be a mental issue, a mechanical issue, he’s developed trust with all those players and the staff."
Cruz tells a story of his days as a scout with the Pirates, when he had eventual 13-year big-leaguer Jose de Leon ready to be signed, but the Atlanta Braves came sniffing around. In order to keep de Leon under wraps, Cruz absconded with him to Puerto Rico, hiding him from the Braves until he could get him signed.
Once players have moved out from under his wing and onto bigger and better things, Cruz has continued to not only keep an eye on them, but offer his advice as well. His help is only a phone call away. Literally.
"I checked on all the guys I signed who were in the big leagues to find out what they were doing wrong, and by phone, I would correct them," recalls Cruz. "The last two I remember the most were Moises Alou and Aramis Ramirez. When they weren’t doing well, I would say ‘Aramis, you’ve got the bat in the wrong position. You’re not supposed to take it there.’ And he’d correct it.
I remember one day, I called Aramis and he gave Moises the phone and Moises said ‘Pablo, why are you calling Aramis? You don’t call me anymore, and I’m not doing well.’ I told him I didn’t have his number, but that he was doing this, this and this wrong, and that day he hit three home runs."
At the age of 71, not only is Cruz still actively working, he can still get excited about high-level talent. He was barely able to contain his enthusiasm when I asked for his thoughts on Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., who made his North American pro debut this past season with the Bluefield Blue Jays.
"I’ve seen a lot of guys," said Cruz. "But I’ve never seen a guy with these kinds of tools. He’s hungry – he got $4 million (to sign) and plays like he only got $2,000. He’s enthusiastic. I think he’s one of the only players I’ve ever seen sign for big money who has played that way. He loves baseball, that’s why he plays hard."
Cruz, who says baseball breathes in his home, has been with the Blue Jays for five years, coming over from a second tour of duty in Pittsburgh when his son Ismael was the Jays’ director of Latin operations. He stuck around when the younger Cruz left to take a job with the Dodgers.
"Toronto has good people right now," said the elder Cruz. "I feel like family with them – (Mark) Shapiro, Ross (Atkins), Gil Kim, Charlie Wilson, Dana Brown, Charlie Wilson, Andrew (Tinnish). There are so many good people in this organization, I feel like I’m at home."
The younger Cruz says his father’s reach goes beyond baseball. "I’ve seen what he’s done with the players before he signs them, after he signs them, and when they’re retired," said Ismael Cruz. "It’s nice to see people who look older than him coming up to him and thanking him for signing them. Besides baseball, he’s helped so many people in their lives, you can’t even count how many. I feel proud."
For Pablo Cruz, winning International Scout of the Year is a huge honour, but there’s a bigger prize.
"I got this gift today, but (Thursday) is my 50th anniversary. I got this trophy from baseball, but my wife (Josefina) needs a trophy tomorrow for supporting me for 50 years."
Cruz, who is a member of four Hall of Fames, is the fourth Blue Jay to win the award since its inception in 1984, joining legends Bobby Mattick, Mel Didier and Jim Hughes.