--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was trying to land an 18-year-old…" description: "\"I was trying to land an 18-year-old strapping first baseman from Blanco, Texas, population 200. His name was Willie Upshaw. It turned out there were on..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c3/pat-gillick-30532_about_i-was-trying-to-land-an-18-year-old-stra_1520347.jpg" --- # I was trying to land an 18-year-old strapping first… ![“I was trying to land an 18-year-old strapping first baseman from Blanco, Texas, population 200. His name was Willie Upshaw. It turned out there were only three scouts who knew about Willie - Dave Yocum and I working for the Yankees, and Al LaMacchia from the Atlanta Braves.” quote by Pat Gillick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c3/pat-gillick-30532_about_i-was-trying-to-land-an-18-year-old-stra_1520347.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c3/pat-gillick-30532_about_i-was-trying-to-land-an-18-year-old-stra_1520347.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c3/pat-gillick-30532_about_i-was-trying-to-land-an-18-year-old-stra_1520347.jpg) > “I was trying to land an 18-year-old strapping first baseman from Blanco, Texas, population 200. His name was Willie Upshaw. It turned out there were only three scouts who knew about Willie - Dave Yocum and I working for the Yankees, and Al LaMacchia from the Atlanta Braves.” [Pat Gillick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-gillick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Scouting talent in obscure places requires persistence; only a few know about hidden prospects. **In simple terms:** Finding hidden talent needs effort and networks. Key Takeaway Seek out and trust rare scouting sources. Themes scouting talent discovery networking persistence obscurity Mood strategic optimistic Type reflective insightful When to use this quote - baseball drafts - minor league recruitment - talent scouting Key Concepts human capital information asymmetry talent pipelines Questions to Reflect On - How can teams improve scouting depth? - What systems help share scouting info? A Different Perspective Limited resources may miss other prospects. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Al](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/al/) [Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/als/) [Atlanta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atlanta/) [Atlanta Braves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atlanta-braves-947931/) [Baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) [Brave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brave/) [Braves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/braves/) [Dave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dave/) [First](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [His](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/his/) [Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew/) [Knew Willie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew-willie-5618296/) [Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/land/) [Name](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/name/) [Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Population](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/population/) [Scouts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scouts/) [Strapping Baseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strapping-baseman-5618297/) [Texas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/texas/) [Three](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Turned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turned/) [Upshaw Turned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/upshaw-turned-5618295/) [Were](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/were/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) [Willie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willie/) [Working](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working/) [Yankees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yankees/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [The Atlanta Braves are really all that our children know about this crazy baseball life, and we are so thankful for this upbringing for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-hudson/the-atlanta-braves-are-really-all-that-our-children-know-about-this/) [Tim Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-hudson/) > [I was a huge fan of Bobby Cox, a huge fan of Chipper Jones and John Smoltz. And just those guys, I grew up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-hudson/i-was-a-huge-fan-of-bobby-cox-a-huge-fan-of-chipper-jones-and-john/) [Tim Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-hudson/) > [When the Atlanta Braves were owned by Ted Turner, he was very passionate and did whatever it took to do something good - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-dream/when-the-atlanta-braves-were-owned-by-ted-turner-he-was-very/) [The-Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-dream/) > [If you don't like the way the Atlanta Braves are playing then you don't like baseball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-tanner/if-you-don-t-like-the-way-the-atlanta-braves-are-playing-then-you-don/) [Chuck Tanner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-tanner/) > [If Todd Van Poppel doesn't want to play for the Atlanta Braves, I'll be more than happy to take his place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chipper-jones/if-todd-van-poppel-doesn-t-want-to-play-for-the-atlanta-braves-i-ll/) [Chipper Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chipper-jones/) > [I am happy with what I do. I'd love to be the manager of the Atlanta Braves, but they hired somebody this week. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gibbs/i-am-happy-with-what-i-do-i-d-love-to-be-the-manager-of-the-atlanta/) [Robert Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gibbs/) > [Everybody in the world is going to know I played 20 years for the Atlanta Braves, but that doesn't change my broadcast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smoltz/everybody-in-the-world-is-going-to-know-i-played-20-years-for-the/) [John Smoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-smoltz/) > [When I was traded from the Oakland A's to the Atlanta Braves before the 2005 season, a childhood dream was realized. I grew up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-hudson/when-i-was-traded-from-the-oakland-a-s-to-the-atlanta-braves-before/) [Tim Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-hudson/) > [What happened in '96, unequivocally, is the biggest gut punch. I still believe the destiny of the Atlanta Braves changed that year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smoltz/what-happened-in-96-unequivocally-is-the-biggest-gut-punch-i-still/) [John Smoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-smoltz/) > [In 1974 when I was 22 years old, I was working for $95 a week at WSPB, which was an Atlanta Braves-affiliated AM radio…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-sager/in-1974-when-i-was-22-years-old-i-was-working-for-95-a-week-at-wspb/) [Craig Sager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-sager/) > [“Half of what’s wrong with people today is that they ain’t got no place to go that makes them peaceful. I don’t reckon you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayana-mathis/half-of-what-s-wrong-with-people-today-is-that-they-ain-t-got-no/) [Ayana Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayana-mathis/) > [I've been a fan of old country music, like Willie Nelson, Patsy Cline. I think I'm drawn to it because of the sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mclachlan/i-ve-been-a-fan-of-old-country-music-like-willie-nelson-patsy-cline-i/) [Sarah McLachlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mclachlan/) > [Willie Wells, Ray Dandridge, Leon Day, Buck Leonard, Quincy Troupe, Satchel Paige - earlier than when he was called up - Oscar Charleston and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monte-irvin/willie-wells-ray-dandridge-leon-day-buck-leonard-quincy-troupe/) [Monte Irvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monte-irvin/) > [Playing Willie Loomis was really fun for me because it was something nice and different to embody. It was neat playing this drunken servant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-earle-haley/playing-willie-loomis-was-really-fun-for-me-because-it-was-something/) [Jackie Earle Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-earle-haley/) > [Willie Nelson is the perfect person, it seems to me, to think about. Because something tells me that he operates on his own frequency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rudd/willie-nelson-is-the-perfect-person-it-seems-to-me-to-think-about/) [Paul Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudd/) ## More by Pat Gillick > [There's always, I guess, a philosophy that if you come in, you want to change all the parts, you want to change everything over.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-gillick/there-s-always-i-guess-a-philosophy-that-if-you-come-in-you-want-to/) [Pat Gillick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-gillick/) > [I was lucky to go to work every day for 50 years, to a job that I loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-gillick/i-was-lucky-to-go-to-work-every-day-for-50-years-to-a-job-that-i-loved/) [Pat Gillick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-gillick/) > [My label in Toronto was 'Stand Pat' and I think that was a fair assessment. I tried to be patient, but if a trade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-gillick/my-label-in-toronto-was-stand-pat-and-i-think-that-was-a-fair/) [Pat Gillick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-gillick/) > [If I was involved with the NFL, I'd seriously consider adopting some of the rules used in Canada. I've heard, unofficially, of course, some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-gillick/if-i-was-involved-with-the-nfl-i-d-seriously-consider-adopting-some/) [Pat Gillick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-gillick/) > [Philadelphia loves its team, and being able to win a World Series for the city, fans, players and our Phillies organization meant so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-gillick/philadelphia-loves-its-team-and-being-able-to-win-a-world-series-for/) [Pat Gillick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-gillick/) > [We fought like heck for every player and every advantage, but we knew we were part of something bigger than ourselves. To me, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-gillick/we-fought-like-heck-for-every-player-and-every-advantage-but-we-knew/) [Pat Gillick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-gillick/) > [Baseball is about talent, hard work, and strategy. But at the deepest level, it's about love, integrity, and respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-gillick/baseball-is-about-talent-hard-work-and-strategy-but-at-the-deepest/) [Pat Gillick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-gillick/) > [Building a baseball team is like building a house. You look for the best architects, the best builders - and then you let them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-gillick/building-a-baseball-team-is-like-building-a-house-you-look-for-the/) [Pat Gillick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-gillick/) > [No matter how much technology changes scouting, no matter how much free agency and big TV contracts change the business of baseball, I hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-gillick/no-matter-how-much-technology-changes-scouting-no-matter-how-much/) [Pat Gillick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-gillick/) > [What was the first name of the Houston club? It wasn't the Astros. It was the Colt .45s. A lot of guys now will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-gillick/what-was-the-first-name-of-the-houston-club-it-wasn-t-the-astros-it/) [Pat Gillick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-gillick/) > [You need to have camaraderie in the clubhouse. Wherever you're working, be it a baseball team or at a business, you want to walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-gillick/you-need-to-have-camaraderie-in-the-clubhouse-wherever-you-re-working/) [Pat Gillick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-gillick/) > [Texting is a lot like an answering machine. If you don't want to talk to somebody, it's like screening your calls. To me, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-gillick/texting-is-a-lot-like-an-answering-machine-if-you-don-t-want-to-talk/) [Pat Gillick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-gillick/) > [Safeco Field is a lot like a National League park. Because of that, we're more of a pitching-defensive type club. Anaheim and Oakland -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-gillick/safeco-field-is-a-lot-like-a-national-league-park-because-of-that-we/) [Pat Gillick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-gillick/) > [For me, the most important thing is running a good clubhouse. The X's and the O's - you sit up in the stands and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-gillick/for-me-the-most-important-thing-is-running-a-good-clubhouse-the-x-s/) [Pat Gillick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-gillick/) > [When you talk about the American League, you think of Fenway. When you talk about the National League, you think of Wrigley and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-gillick/when-you-talk-about-the-american-league-you-think-of-fenway-when-you/) [Pat Gillick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-gillick/) [Explore all 17 Pat Gillick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-gillick/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) [Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was trying to land an 18-year-old strapping first baseman from Blanco, Texas, population 200. His name was Willie Upshaw. It turned out there were only three scouts who knew about Willie - Dave Yocum and I working for the Yankees, and Al LaMacchia from the Atlanta Braves.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pat Gillick" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-gillick/i-was-trying-to-land-an-18-year-old-strapping-first-baseman-from/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-gillick/i-was-trying-to-land-an-18-year-old-strapping-first-baseman-from/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c3/pat-gillick-30532_about_i-was-trying-to-land-an-18-year-old-stra_1520347.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c3/pat-gillick-30532_about_i-was-trying-to-land-an-18-year-old-stra_1520347.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c3/pat-gillick-30532_about_i-was-trying-to-land-an-18-year-old-stra_1520347.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was trying to land an 18-year-old strapping first baseman from Blanco, Texas, population 200. His name was…” — Pat Gillick", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Pat Gillick", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-gillick/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was trying to land an...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-gillick/i-was-trying-to-land-an-18-year-old-strapping-first-baseman-from/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-gillick/i-was-trying-to-land-an-18-year-old-strapping-first-baseman-from/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```