Mets Stay on Top by Going Down Under

By Matt Himelfarb
Posted Tuesday, February 13, 2007

The efforts recently by MLB may not be nearly as earth shattering as when Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947, but the fact is that two of baseball’s two big market teams, the New York Mets and the New York Yankees and their executives are working to form an alliance in China in an effort to globalize baseball. While current high school’s in this nation report a decline in kids trying out for baseball and in a game where performance-enhancing drugs may very well define the beginning of the 21st century of this nation’s national pastime, I feel that international signings beyond the Caribbean are something we may be taking for granted.

As it remains to be seen whether Ghana and China will follow suit, but most Australian players draw rave reviews of their athleticism and work ethic, which are of little worth compared to there keen understanding of the language and culture of the U.S.

Australian Shaun Tabrett all but concluded that his future career was as an automotive mechanic, until he was converted to a pitcher for high level Australian ball (Under 18) and now finds himself in a New York Mets uniform. By the same token, it’s a wonder why MLB goes through a strenuous process to sign the Alay Soler’s of the world and spend exorbitant sums of money to claim ‘jewels’ from their next door neighbor. What they fail to notice is that a few blocks up, there is an open garage sale.

Such statements as those drawn from our conventional wisdom are a backdrop to the statistics that better explains it. There are about 70 Aussies in pro ball at the moment and with only about 18 scouts in Australia. Teams that look to make a high investment in pitching like the Minnesota Twins, who currently have 14 Aussies in their organization, see it as somewhat of a new world. Each and every year, as in Latin America, there’s currently a considerable difference between the number of position players and pitchers produced each year, the latter with a lot less. The success rate of Americans is about 1:15, while Australia is about 1:10. Perhaps the reason some teams haven’t been so aggressive in the Australian market, is the lack of proven success at the big league level. Seattle has been exceedingly fruitful signing players out of Japan, but hasn’t been able to replicate their success in Australia. Injuries have derailed the once promising minor league career of LHP Travis Blackley, who after a 17-3 season with AA San Antonio in 2003, was “the jewel of the organization.” Outfielder Chris Snelling, signed out of Corpus Christi College in Australia has had incessant injuries, most notably knee surgery that has prohibited him from playing a full season from 2002-2006. On the bright side the twenty-five year old is slated to be in the Washington Nationals starting outfield on Opening Day 2007.

In an effort to dip into this pool the Mets have appointed senior Australian coach Tony Harris, who won manager of the year titles in 96-97 and 98-99 while managing the Adelaide Giants as the resident scout in Australia, with this move the Mets have planted themselves as players in the long run in this country. The teams last notable signing there came in 2000 when they signed then catcher Justin Huber and they have over the last two years signed a myriad of starting pitchers which all came after they signed catcher Patrick Matt. While none of them have yet to play a minor league game, they’re all expected to be in Port St. Lucie in Spring Training and expected to bring out of the best in each other.

Lachlan Hodge LHP: Couldn’t have sounded more sincere upon signing the most lucrative contract ever given to an Australian player, “The Mets are such a famous team that it’s sure a great honor to now be one of them.” Like most players signed out of Australia he surfaced while at the MLB Academy on the Gold coast as a 17 year-old in January of 2005. He was well prepared though having worked with Barry Holland who looks after many of Australia’s top amateur arms. Lachlan held out from signing a big league contract then and continued to work with Holland who exceedingly refined his control and action. Unfortunately, the Mets will only get a slight glimpse of Hodges when he heads to extended spring training in April as finishing school remains a top priority for him.

Shaun Tabrett, RHP: Although most Australians are quintessentially fit, that doesn’t alienate them from injuries. The 6-4 slender built righty experienced some tendinitis as a 16 year old, but that setback may have been somewhat of a blessing in disguise considering he didn’t even have to turn to surgery to resolve the problem. While rehabbing his sore arm which had caused him to miss a slew of tournaments he’d been selected to play in, including an Australian Schoolboys team to tour South Africa and an Australian U19 team to play in Taiwan. During this time he regained his velocity from a year ago. Fellow Mets farmhand Deolis Guerra who pitched the entire season in A Hagerstown last year proved that at that age it’s only normal for pitchers to gain about 5 mph on their fastball. Tabrett has a list of good qualities such as an able body, indispensable makeup, no reluctance to go after hitters and last but not least a maturity level evident by his rehab. He’s armed with a solid curveball, changeup, and a high 80’s fastball that won't be viewed by fans until 2008 when Tabrett is projected to play in the U.S..

Gavin Dlouhy RHP: Signed in July of 2006, Dlouhy had a more unlikely road to the big leagues. A converted pitcher, he was a teammate of Tabrett’s while at the NSW’s institute of Sports Career Development, a three year program. He may have been the biggest surprise to have been sent to the MLB academy, sporting a low 80’s fastball while at NSW. With some improved conditioning, Dlouhy left his mark with scouts there, when he added a deadly split finger, though his off-speed stuff remains a work in progress.

Pat Maat C: It could have been done by design, maybe not, but all three pitchers mentioned above will have no communication problems with their battery mate while at Port St. Lucie. Maat possess an upper cut power swing and is yet to fill out, while defensively his footwork appears to be one of his few glitches. The U.S. should get their first peak at Maat later this year, since he signed in late 2005 and school is now completed. After all the Aussies are done in extended spring training, Maat might be the quickest to move up in the system, possibly eyeing a debut with the GCL Mets.

Any questions or comments about this article? Email Matt Himelfarb at:liberalgeek@optonline.net