Myron Pines, Unique Situation - 19

Myron Pines assessed his new young pitcher in August 1991, calling him a starter-type with a good arm, according to The Seattle Times.

"I think he will move up very quickly," Pines, the manager for the rookie Arizona League Mariners told The Seattle Times of the player. "He's thin, wiry, has a good arm but needs to get a little stronger."

The player Pines pegged as the starter-type - Derek Lowe - moved up quick enough. Lowe eventually made the bigs and stayed there for 17 seasons.

Pines made a career as both a coach and a scout, finding players and then working with them to get them to the bigs. One of the players he found as a scout: Lenny Dykstra.

Pines' career in baseball began as a player in 1971, signed by the Royals as an undrafted free agent.

Pines played three seasons as a pro. He started at rookie Billings, played 1972 at single-A San Jose and 1973 at AA Jacksonville. He hit .238 in his final season.

Pines soon turned to coaching. In 1981, he served as coach at Pacifica High School outside Los Angeles when he spotted Dykstra. Pines also served as a scout for the Mets.

"It's the old story," Pines told The New York Times of Dykstra's work ethic. "The little guy has to prove he can play, while the bigger guy has to prove that he can't."

In 1986, Pines served as head coach at Santiago High School and worked to rebuild the program, according to The Los Angeles Times.

"The kids are doing a good job," Pines told The LA Times of his Santiago team. "All I'm trying to do here is to keep them interested, to make sure that they're playing the game hard. That's all you can ask of them."

Pines joined the Mariners by 1988, serving as manager in the Arizona League. He moved to short-season Bellingham for 1990 as a coach and returned to the Arizona League for 1991.

In 1992, Pines continued to coach Santiago, while also working with the Mariners as a scout.

"I'm in a unique situation," Pines told The LA Times that April. "I'm a part-time scout and full-time coach, although the scouting takes up most of my time. I think I have an advantage over most scouts because I can study a player's mental makeup more closely.

Pines is later credited as scouting for the Astros.

• Los Angeles Times, April 14, 1986: Orange County Prep Review
• New York Times, Oct. 18, 1986: Part-time hero gets chance for more
• Seattle Times, Aug. 18, 1991: Two Tempe Right-Handers Top Arizona League Stats
• Los Angeles Times, April 8, 1992: Mariners' Pines Gets Up Close, Personal When He's Scouting

1990 Minor League Tally
Players/Coaches Featured: 2,798
Made the Majors:1,062-38.0%
Never Made Majors:1,736-62.0%
5+ Seasons in the Majors: 442
10+ Seasons in the Minors:265