Future Shock: Scouting Cepedes Aftermath by Kevin Goldstein

It was easy to write 4,000 words on a video as remarkable as the Yoenis Cepedes showcase video that was posted on Sunday night. It took the internet by storm, showed up on Deadspin (among many other places), and basically went viral. Then it was gone. It disappeared on Monday afternoon, but luckily, a loyal reader saved it and re-published it on YouTube, where it is quickly approaching 10,000 views. Then, Tuesday morning, a new version of it was put up by Edgar Mercedes, the Dominican-based advisor and president of Born To Play, one of the leading academies in the area. You can see the original here and the edited version here. Gone from the new version is the rap music and the roasting pig, among other things. I emailed Mercedes on Monday, and he got back to me yesterday, offering to speak with me on the phone. “We liked the article,” he said, without a hint of sarcasm. “I just wanted scouts to see it. I didn't expect somebody to write 4,000 words about...