New York Mets scouting supervisor Marlin McPhail says he’s only signed one kid — ever — out of an open tryout camp.
Still, McPhail keeps conducting several camps per year, because you never know when you might stumble across a left-hander who can sling bullets or a track star who can swing the bat a little. McPhail says the Cincinnati Reds discovered a high school kid named Gookie Dawkins at a Newberry, S.C., tryout a few years back. Gawkins became a top draft pick and is now the heir apparent to Barry Larkin at shortstop.
“Yes, it does happen. People do get signed,” says McPhail. “But honestly, it’s few and far between. Most kids who can play have already been noticed — even in a remote area like this.”
Hey, when you’re working for the guys in the Big Apple, Salisbury qualifies as remote.
Anyway, one of McPhail’s handful of 2001 camps took shape at Newman Park last week.
Why Newman? Partly because Mets area scout, Allen Wilson, the same guy who coaches the South Rowan Legion team, lives a few miles away. Partly because Jim Gantt, who coaches Catawba College and the Rowan Legion, doesn’t mind the Mets using that field he keeps in such nice shape.
Tryouts started at 8:30 a.m., which means hard-working Rowan Legion guys like Nick Lefko and Cal Hayes Jr. had to roll out of bed several hours earlier than they’ve gotten used to.
“Coach Gantt asked me to come out,” said Lefko, suppressing a yawn that was obviously a product of missed shuteye. “I was really glad to get the opportunity.”
Others are glad, too. Only 15 hopefuls show up — a size that a pleased Wilson calls “manageable” — but it’s a talented group.
The kids in the bunch are rising seniors like East Rowan’s Hayes and Lefko, South Rowan shortstop Ronnie Shore and West Rowan outfielder Matt Morgan. They’re joined by an impressive cast of veterans — a veritable who’s who from recent American Legion teams. Speedster Nick Heard and sweet-swinging Buck Hamrick arrive. So do recent Catawba grad Travis Goins and Tribe teammate Dennis Love.
There are also a few unknown quantities. One catching prospect has made the trip down from Mars Hill. Only one pitcher is on hand, which shocks Wilson.
“Usually we see mostly pitchers at these things,” he says.
Another familiar face belongs to former North Rowan outfielder Justin Wishon. Fresh off a solid career at UNC Wilmington that didn’t impress scouts enough to make him a draft pick, Wishon’s sailing in a different boat than Lefko and Hayes. Their future’s ahead of them. But Wishon’s reached the point where his career is over unless he can make an impression on a pro team in the next year or so.
“I check out all the tryout camps on the Internet,” he says. “I did a Braves tryout camp in Charlotte. I did OK. They took my name down. I mean, I just want to play. I’d go anywhere.”
Wilson and McPhail put their charges through the paces for three hours. They evaluate wooden-bat swings, grade arm strength and time players in 60-yard dashes across the outfield grass. Speed is the most easily quantifiable baseball skill. You have it or you don’t.
Hayes and Heard have it. They turn in 6.8s, which means they’re swifter than the major-league average of 6.9. Wishon checks in at a crisp 6.85, closely followed by Lefko (6.9) and Morgan (7.0). Lefko sprints against Heard, the original centerfielding Nick, to whom he is often compared.
“Heard gives me lots of tips and he’s someone I’ve always looked up to,” said Lefko. “Can he still run? Oh yeah. He blew me away.”
Prospect’s arms are tested under extreme scenarios. Outfielders fling balls home and to third base from deep right field. Infielders fire to first from deep short as McPhail hammers hot grounders at them.
Lefko also impresses with his arm, hanging with older guys like Wishon. Wilson says Lefko’s arm, fabulous by local standards, would rate a tad below the average big leaguer’s. But Lefko’s arm strength’s going to increase over the next five years.
“Personally, I like to see kids play games,” says McPhail. “But a camp like this gives us a chance to control conditions.”
McPhail doesn’t hand anyone a million-dollar contract based on the workout, but he didn’t expect to.
“The odds are long for anyone making it in this game,” he says. “But this gives these kids a foot in the door, especially the younger guys that were here. This gives them that little extra look.”
McPhail gets names, numbers and addresses from the participants, but understandably isn’t interested in commenting on whether or not anyone’s caught his eye.
“This is a Mets camp,” he says with a smile. “I’d hate to read in the paper that the Mets are real high on so-and-so. Why do the work for everyone else?”
If McPhail is intrigued with one of the youngsters from the Newman tryout, we won’t know it before next June’s draft. And his interest may not be expressed until someone’s drafted out of college years from now.
One thing we do know. The Legion guys who participated got an eye-opening experience.
“Cal Jr. won’t say much to me about how things went,” says his dad, Cal Hayes Sr. “But I heard him and Nick (Lefko) talking about the tryout on the phone. They sounded pretty excited.”
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Contact Mike London at 704-797-4259 or mlondon@salisburypost.com
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