13 July 2006

A tale of two seasons

Things could only get better, or could they?

Following their disastrous 2005 season, which saw the Mets lose 36 games, Hyannis coach Greg King and GM John Howitt were hoping for a fast start to the 2006 season.

But the Mets stumbled out of the gate, losing three of their first four games bringing fears of a repeat of last year.

"Everything that could go wrong did go wrong," says Howitt of last year's turmoil.

Undeterred, Howitt and King redoubled their efforts and brought in a new crop of Cape Leaguers to Hyannis and with it came a new set of expectations.

"An awful lot of effort went into the selection of this year's team," Howitt says. "We spoke to a number of scouts and coaches that we trust and cross-checked players more than ever before."

All the off-season's hard work has seemed to pay off as the team has gelled of late, recently winning three straight and their 10-10-2 record had them just two points out of playoff contention in the tightly contested Western Division.

"The coaching staff kept positive," says King of his staff's approach at the beginning of the season. "Last year was a humbling experience, but I haven't done anything different this year, it's just a great group of kids."

"They have really come together as a team," continues Howitt. "Coach King has the respect of all the players and has brought the team together. As far as a team jelling this is the best I've seen," says the GM.

In a complete reversal from last year, their new attitude has the Mets in the playoff hunt and near the top of the league in hitting.

Macias strong in leadoff spot

Sitting atop their hit parade is leadoff hitter David Macias. The Vanderbilt sophomore, who batted .328 for the Commodores, has continued his hot hitting ways for the Mets, leading the team in both average .312, and OBP .418.

The switch-hitting centerfielder has been on fire of late getting on base at a .538 clip during the Mets recent three-game winning streak.

Macias' talents were on display during Monday's loss to Bourne. With his team down 3-0 in the bottom of the first, the diminutive outfielder worked a full count, fouling off a number of tough pitchers, before earning a walk.

"He's the perfect leadoff hitter," says his coach. "When you can put pressure on a team with a runner on first, whether it's a steal or a hit-and-run, it makes a big impact."

Following Macias in the order are two of the league's top hitters, Harwich and Boston College's Jared McGuire and N.C. State's Matt Mangini.

McGuire, who earned a spot on the team after being offered a temporary contract, has been a pleasant surprise in the field and at the plate.

Mangini, who leads the team in total bases, is joined by fellow Wolfpack player Ramon Corona in what the coach considers a much improved infield.

"Mangini has made some unbelievable plays at third," says King. "Our defense has been fairly strong this year."

Furbush returns as leader of staff

The defense has buoyed the Mets pitching staff, which is led by hard-throwing Charlie Furbush. The St Joseph's of Maine product was recently named NCAA New England Division III Pitcher of the Year, following his 10-1 record for the Monks.

The Portland, Maine native earned a spot in the Mets rotation last year after being offered a temporary contract, and led the team in innings pitched and strikeouts, a trend the lanky left-hander is on pace to repeat in 2006.

"He has a major league arm, and has been drawing a lot of attention," says King of his fellow Mainer.

Unlike '05, Furbush is joined by a number of hard working teammates who have been a steadying influence on the young pitcher.

"Last year we wanted a kid like Charlie to see what it was like to play against Division 1 talent, but it kind of backfired," says King of the character issues on last year's squad. "This year's team is totally different."

The Mets new attitude has paid dividends on the field, where the hard work of their best players has trickled down throughout the roster.

"Matt Mangini is one of the best players in the country, and he's sprinting on every groundball giving us the full 90," says King of Mangini's efforts out of the box.

In a league where the talent is spread fairly evenly throughout the teams, sometimes the right attitude can make the difference between first and last. Something the Mets and their fans know all too well.

"We've done pretty well so far," says King. "But I think we can still do better."

By Dave Colantuono