Brewer Scout Earns Hire with D-Backs

[Mass Haas]

Link, text follows:

 

www.azcentral.com/arizona...s0903.html

 

Former scout hired to fill void left by Rizzo

Nick Piecoro

The Arizona Republic

 

WASHINGTON - Tom Allison was raised in Alaska, attended college in California, spent a few years scouting for the New York Mets in the southwest and seven more years with the Milwaukee Brewers living in Austin, Texas.

 

"I've been a baseball gypsy," he said.

 

But he had never met Josh Byrnes before interviewing for the Diamondbacks' scouting director's position. Now the two will be working side by side as Allison was named the club's new director of scouting Saturday.

 

Allison, 38, was one of nine candidates interviewed and replaces Mike Rizzo, who in July accepted a position as assistant general manager of the Washington Nationals.

 

"It was a very difficult decision," Byrnes said. "But we feel we found the right guy to keep this department moving in the right direction, as it has been for a long time."

 

Allison made it far as Triple-A for the Mets before retiring as a player and taking a job as an assistant in New York's scouting department in 1994.

 

The past seven years Allison was one of two national cross-checkers for Milwaukee, helping the Brewers replenish their farm system with players such as Rickie Weeks, J.J. Hardy and Prince Fielder.

 

"He'll be absolutely terrific," Brewers scouting director Jack Zduriencik said. "I thought it was only a matter of time before somebody gave him an opportunity. Josh has a good one there."

 

Allison said his first order of business will be to touch base with everyone in the Diamondbacks scouting department.

 

"They have a staff in place that should be thoroughly commended on the job they've done," Allison said.