Carroll Rogers of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution talks about how the Braves were able to draft slugger Jason Heyward in the 14th spot in the 2007 draft.

According to Rogers, the Braves used several tactics in order to keep the kids from Georgia from being drafted by other teams. Some tales include phantom bad medical reports on pitcher Adam Wainwright, a fax circulating that said Jeff Francoeur wanted a $4 million signing bonus and Heyward’s high school coach was asked to throw bad batting practice so that other scouts couldn’t get a good look.

Roy Clark, the former Braves scouting director who drafted Heyward, Francoeur and Brian McCann did not admit to his shenanigans. He said, “One day in the next 10, 15 years, I will talk about it.”

Rogers says the Braves went to great lengths to get Heyward, who they started watching since age 11. One Braves scout, Al Goetz, slipped into the woods behind the field to watch the games so that other scouts wouldn’t see him in the stands. Clark got friendly with a family who lived behind Francoeur’s high school, so he watched him play from there.