Rooker, grandson create unique battery
Tyler Scruggs' grandfather gets teary-eyed watching his grandson play baseball.
But they are tears of joy.
Scruggs' grandfather, former Pirates pitcher Jim Rooker, sees the South Park junior do things that many players his age cannot.
Scruggs, 17, is considered the top catchers in the WPIAL. At 6-foot-1, 230 pounds, he is a Division I prospect who most likely will be drafted next year. Scruggs was a member of the 10-man Pittsburgh Tribune-Review all-area baseball team as a sophomore after batting .549 with 33 runs scored, 26 RBI and 13 stolen bases.
"Tyler is such a tremendous athlete," said Rooker, who is the pitching coach for South Park (5-2, 1-1). "He does things other kids just don't do or think of doing. I can't figure out how he does it.
"I was a good athlete and my son was better, but Ty makes us look like JV players. I get emotional when I watch him play. Sometimes I just have to turn away because it is so emotional."
Rooker, 62, has teared up a lot lately in the South Park dugout.
Rooker, who lives in Beaver County, was happy to accept the South Park position, because when Scruggs was young, Rooker was on the road with the Pirates as a broadcaster. In fact, the two never even played catch in the backyard.
"I have always liked to watch Tyler play, so this was a way to get a closer look," Rooker said.
Even though Scruggs has never caught a pitch from Rooker, he has received many other gifts, including advice drawn from his major-league career.
"I don't know if he could throw with me now," Scruggs said, jokingly. "He might have to warm up his arm first. I am just glad to have him as part of this team. I know it is a long drive for him. But the kids on the team really like him. He tells me things which help make my game better."
Rooker said he wants Scruggs to make his own name, but he would like to think his grandson could play baseball because of his grandfather.
Scruggs' mother and Rooker's daughter, Stephanie, said her son never let success go to his head.
"He told me he likes having his Pap be part of the team," she said.
South Park baseball coach Steve Bucci said Scruggs is a gifted athlete, who works on his game year-round.
"He has gotten better each season," Bucci said. "He is good enough to call games himself."
South Park junior pitcher Adam Gill said Scruggs helps Gill every day. Gill added Scruggs knows how to analyze pitches and his knowledge of the game gives Gill confidence on the mound.
"I respect him," Gill said. "He knows what I want to throw and usually makes the right call."
Rooker said he tries to stay objective when offering opinions of his grandson.
"I try to stay away from the grandfather approach," Rooker said. "I have had too many people who are big-league scouts who have been around the game who know who he is. It is just a matter of how much better he can get before he graduates."
Scruggs has started for South Park since his freshman season, but prior to that he was an outfielder (a position Rooker played before becoming a full-time pitcher).
"I didn't even know how to block a ball," said Scruggs, who bats and throws right. "I would have balls go past me all the time. I thought it would hurt, but now that I know how, it doesn't hurt. It also was difficult squatting all the time, but you just have to know what you are doing."
Rooker said former Pirates manager Jim Leyland, who is a Major League scout for the St. Louis Cardinals, described Scruggs as a legitimate MLB prospect.
"Jim has told me he has to scout Tyler because he is on his list," Rooker said. "That makes me so happy because I noticed how good a player he was years ago."
McGuffey baseball coach Don McGary, who watched Scruggs go 4 for 4 against McGuffey on Wednesday, said a player such as Scruggs comes along once in 10 years.
"He is phenomenal," McGary said. "He is a blue-chipper all the way. You can tell he had a good upbringing and being related to Rooker helps. He is a junior, but he plays like a senior."
