Tommy Hanson is why scouts will always have value

Atlanta Braves former top prospect and oft-injured starter Tommy Hanson was traded over the weekend to the LA Angels for relief flame thrower Jordan Walden. It is scary to think that three years ago Hanson was one of the most valued assets in the game with scouts raving about his ability and three above average pitches. However things do change, and there are many out there who are right in saying “I told you so” when it comes to Hanson. When evaluating a player, particularly pitchers, scouts and front offices use what is called bio-mechanic information. Essentially what this process does is try to assess a players mechanics and “baseball motions” to see if there are any alarming trends occurring that could lead to regression or even injury. Sometimes you can spot this with your eyes by noticing a player has a seemingly violent delivery, or if something seems off but you can’t quite put a finger on it. When you watch Tommy Hanson deliver the baseball, he drives almost entirely off...