Baseball scouts are a nomadic bunch, always on the road, away from their families, living out of suitcases, all in the quest to find the next great arm, power bat or smooth-fielding shortstop.
Sal Agostinellis job takes him to Latin America a couple of dozen times a year. The Dominican Republic. Venezuela. Panama. It doesnt matter where. If theres a player that might one day help the Phillies, Agostinelli, who heads up international scouting for the team, is going to pack his bag and travel the most remote back road to see the guy.
But Thursday, Agostinelli plans on being at home on Long Island in front of his television. He wont miss this Phillies opener. He wont miss Freddy Galvis big-league debut.
I guarantee Ill be smiling when I see him out there, Agostinelli said.
Sal Agostinelli could use something to smile about these days.
On Feb. 27, he watched his 20-year-old son Dan head off to Parris Island and the Marine Corps. Its what Dan wanted and Agostinelli always supports his son, like his dad did in all his endeavors. But it was difficult just the same.
Things got even more difficult for Agostinelli two days later when his father died after an illness. Donato Agostinelli was 84.
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Still stinging from the loss of his beloved father, Agostinelli arrived in Clearwater for his annual spring training visit in mid-March. One of the first people to seek him out was Freddy Galvis.
Hes a special kid, Agostinelli said one recent day in Clearwater. I feel like weve watched him become a man.
Galvis was 14 when Agostinelli first saw him play shortstop in the Latin American Games in St. Maarten in 2004. He recalled how the kid was so tiny he couldnt hit the ball out of the infield. But there was something about the kid just the same. The hands were the softest Agostinelli had ever seen. There wasnt a play he couldnt make at shortstop.
He wasnt the biggest kid on the field, Agostinelli recalled. He wasnt the fastest kid on the field. But he was always in the right spot. He was 23 when he was 14. Very mature. You just gravitated toward him and the way he played baseball.
Relationship building is crucial in scouting Latin America. There is no draft so players can sign with the highest bidder or the team that does the best job recruiting. For nearly two years after the Latin American Games in St. Maarten, Jesus Mendez, Agostinellis right hand man in Venezuela, stayed on Galvis. Mendez got to know Galvis father, Freddy Sr., a well-known coach in the familys hometown of Punto Fijo. Every time Agostinelli made the trip to Venezuela, he checked in on Galvis, watched him play, put him through a workout, and marveled at how much he was improving. In time, Agostinelli and Mendez became so close to the Galvis family that Freddy Sr. promised them his son would sign with the Phils once he became eligible at age 16.
There were some anxious moments along the way. At first, some teams shied away from Galvis because he was so small. (Agostinelli didnt because, in addition to physical tools, he scouts head and heart.) Eventually more and more teams saw what the Phillies did and became interested in Galvis. Agostinelli had to get a little creative in keeping Galvis away from those clubs. Hed hear that a team wanted to look at the kid then convince the kid to stop by the Phils academy for a workout instead. The Tampa Bay Rays waved 250,000 in front of the family.
Freddy Galvis followed his heart.
On the day of his 16th birthday, he signed with the Phillies for 90,000.
We had gotten to know him so well that we knew he wanted to be a Phillie, Agostinelli said. Latin American people are very loyal. If you build a relationship with them you see how loyal they are.
Within days of his signing, Galvis was in Florida starting his climb up the Phillies ladder.
Former GM Pat Gillick saw Galvis play shortstop shortly after the youngster came to the States. It was love at first sight.
I just want to tell you thats a hell of a signing, Gillick told Agostinelli in a telephone message shortly after seeing the 16-year-old play shortstop.
Agostinelli recalled that phone call recently.
As a scout you spend so much time looking for these kids and learning about their makeup, Agostinelli said. You worry about every kid you sign. To hear that from a Hall of Famer, its kind of a little reinforcement of what you do and why you do it.
There will be three products of the Phillies Latin American scouting operation in PNC Park on Thursday. Carlos Ruiz of Panama will be the starting catcher. Agostinelli and his staff signed him for the bargain price of 8,000. Antonio Bastardo of the Dominican Republic will be in the bullpen. Agostinelli and his staff got him for 10,000.
Twenty-two-year-old Freddy Galvis, star of the Phillies spring training camp, will start at second base in place of injured Chase Utley.
Im happy for him and our entire organization, Agostinelli said. Our entire organization has done a great job with Freddy. Seeing him out there really makes me feel good.
And the 50-year-old Agostinelli could use a reason to feel good. Oh, his dad had a good life. Agostinelli will be the first one to tell you that. But he misses him, dearly, just the same.
Donato Agostinelli came over from Italy when he was 27, worked construction in New York City, learned English and worked 25 years for the U.S. Postal Service. He knew nothing about this game of baseball that his boy Sal had fallen in love with, but he knew about hard work, hustling your butt off, and doing the job right. He encouraged his son to run a lot to improve his speed. At his fathers urging, young Sal swung a sledgehammer 200 times a day to strengthen his hands. It made him a stronger hitter and he lasted 10 years as a minor-league catcher, long enough to impress people with his smarts and work ethic to earn a career in baseball and an important place in what has been the Phillies most successful era ever.
Sal Agostinelli still lives by the lessons he learned from his dadwork hard, hustle your butt off, do the job right.
Sometimes it all leads to a Freddy Galvis.
And a reason to smile.
E-mail Jim Salisbury at jsalisbury@comcastsportsnet.com