27 July 2006

Diminutive dynamos spark their teams

The beauty of baseball can often be found in the smallest of details. 

Working the count, fouling off a tough pitch, or taking the extra base on a routine ground ball. 

Too often, in this age of steroids and prodigious home runs, the fans and media overlook these details and the players that produce them. 

"The smaller player has to bring something different to the table," says John Lalonde, director of scouting for the Toronto Blue Jays. "Whether it is speed or their defense they have to find different ways to help the team." 

In the Cape League’s Western Division two players, Cotuit’s Jeff Rea (5 foot 8) and Hyannis’ David Macias (5-9) have come to epitomize that style of play. 

Whether it is the tremendous defensive play of Macias or the speed and timely hitting of Rea, both players have won the admiration of their coaches with their approach to the game. 

"He’s been great all season," says Mets manager Greg King of his fleet-footed centerfielder. "He has the same demeanor whether he goes 0-for-4 or 4-for-4. Every time he steps on the field you know your are going to get his best effort." 

Cotuit manager Mike Roberts has similar thoughts about Rea. 

"Jeff has a great demeanor for baseball," says Roberts. "He’s very consistent in his mental approach to the game. He has the makeup, demeanor and skills to play at the next level." 

The comparisons don’t end there for this talented pair of over-achievers. Both players hail from the South, and overcame the stereotypes of their size to land spots in the baseball crazed SEC. 

Rea among league leaders 

Macias impressed the coaching staff at Vanderbilt while playing in the Sunbelt tournament in Texas, and went on to win the leadoff and centerfield spots during his sophomore campaign in Nashville. 

Rea had a similar process in landing his scholarship at Mississippi State University. While playing in a high school all-star game at Mississippi State, Rea impressed the coaching staff but was still dogged by questions about his size. 

"The coach liked what he saw but told me he thought I might be too small. But I hit a home run during the game and he stayed in touch." 

Rea went on to start at second base during his freshman year, earning freshman All-American honors while batting .324 in the leadoff spot for the Bulldogs. 

The Mississippi native was slowed by a wrist injury during his sophomore year, but rebounded with a .372 average this spring, and has continued his hot hitting ways this summer on the Cape. 

At press time, Rea was in the top 10 in the league in average, fourth in RBIs, third in hits, and first in runs, putting together the kind of year (minus the power) that landed 2005 Cape League star Evan Longoria the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft. Rea was named starting leftfielder for the West stars; Macias did not make the team. 

Drafted by the Red Sox in the 33rd round, Rea came to the Cape with hopes of improving his standing with the Sox, but is comfortable with the idea of returning for his senior year at MSU. 

"The senior draft is becoming more popular as teams look for more polished players that can move up quickly," says the recently named All-Star. 

If he returns to school, the Red Sox lose their rights to sign Rea and he will re-enter the draft next spring. 

"Jeff has the ability to play in the pros," says Roberts. "Except for the power, he hits the ball as well as anyone on our club." 

Roberts should be familiar with the plight of the smaller player. His son Brian faced similar circumstance coming out of high school. 

The Baltimore Orioles All-Star second baseman, who stands just 5-9, went undrafted following his senior year of high school, and received only one scholarship offer, and that was from his father, then manager at UNC-Chapel Hill. 

"He didn’t get any scholarship offers except from his dad," says Roberts. "We wanted him to go somewhere else, but everyone thought he was too small." 

Scouts must find intangibles 

The younger Roberts went on to star at UNC for two years before transferring to the University of South Carolina. 

Following a summer with the Chatham A’s, Roberts was drafted in the first round in 1999, making it to the majors in 2001 after just 120 games in the minor leagues. 

"People said he was too small until he added some strength, then they just called him short," jokes the elder Roberts. 

The coach sees similarities between his son’s experiences and those of in Rea and Macias. 

"I see parallels with Jeff and some other players considered too small. The question is whether there is a scout out there willing to take a chance and look at the intangibles." 

The Blue Jays’ LaLonde concedes that is the most difficult part of a scout’s job. 

"You have to look at them through two different lenses to evaluate size versus intangibles. It is the most difficult thing we do as evaluators, measure intangibles." 

Adds King. "Scouts tell me the little guy has to prove that he can play, while the big guys have to prove that they can’t." 

It is a stereotype that both Rea and Macias have faced throughout their careers and for the most part overcome. 

"I hear it sometimes," says Rea. "But for the most part the scouts I talk to don’t bring it up. Though in the back of their mind they might be questioning my durability." 

"Obviously scouts are looking at players like Matt," adds Macias, of the attention his teammate Matt Mangini has drawn this summer. "But I’m just trying to have a good season and see what happens." 

For the soft-spoken Texan that means setting the table at the top of the order, and playing what his coach calls some of the best outfield defense he’s seen in a long time. 

Following his sophomore year at Vanderbilt, which saw the centerfielder hit .328, Macias was installed at the top of the Mets’ batting order where he flourished for most of the season. 

"I enjoy the leadoff spot," Macias says. "I like to go up there and get the team going." 

Working hard is a given 

It is an opinion shared by his SEC counterpart, who has batted leadoff for the Bulldogs all three years of his college career. 

"It’s your job to go deep into counts," says Rea. "If you have a six- or seven-pitch at-bat, that’s a big help to your teammates, and something I’ve really worked hard on." 

Hard work is something neither player shies away from, knowing they have to do all the little things right to make it to the next level. 

"I’ve always been the underdog, the small guy on the team," says Rea. "But I kind of feed on it." 

Adds Macias. "I’m not as big or strong as a lot of other players. So I have to work hard on bunting, my speed and making contact. It’s made me work harder." 

By Dave Colantuono