“Super scout” leaves Pirates after being denied chance to interview with Yankees

Mike Leuzinger, who’s described by Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review as a “super scout,” has left the Pirates after being denied an opportunity to interview with the Yankees.

Leuzinger has been with the Pirates since 2004 and told Biertempfel “that kind of stung” when the team denied the Yankees’ request shortly after the season ended.

I wish I could’ve known what the job was. I asked [director of amateur scouting Joe DelliCarri] if he would reconsider. I just wanted to have that opportunity. I’ve been an area scout for 20 years and I think I can do more. When I looked into the crystal ball a couple years down the line with the Pirates, I think I’d be in the same spot.

Obviously an area scout--even one described as a “super scout"--leaving an organization isn’t usually particularly newsworthy, but given some of the other recent stories about how the Pirates run things I figured it was worth pointing out.

As Biertempfel writes: “It seems odd the Pirates would value him enough to block the Yanks from stealing him away but also not offer Leuzinger a promotion nor give him any indication one is possible in the near future.”