Jan 11 2006 01:57 PM
[url]http://www.baseballagent.com.au/Players_News_Pages/Tabrett.htm[/url]
His name is Shaun Tabrett but I prefer "Sydney Schoolboy." Could he replace the hole in the heart of Wayne Ough adoptive's parent?
| ]Sydney schoolboy signs with the NY Mets 17 yr old Shaun Tabrett who has signed with the New York Mets already knows about the hardships of sport. There's an old maxim in professional baseball about pitchers:- at some stage during their professional career they will end up on the disabled list [DL]. Shaun experienced that even before he signed a professional contract. During his time at the ABF/MLB Academy on the Gold Coast this year Shaun had his first major experience with a sore pitching arm. After daily physio had not solved the problem it was off for an MRI and an enforced rest - difficult at the best of times for an active teenage athlete - but even worse when you are pitching well and in the middle of the now famous MLB funded Academy on the Gold Coast. It is possible that in his haste to get back on the mound he didn't give himself enough time to rehab the tendonitis and before he knew it - he was sore again. This time he went off to one of the leading baseball physios in the country and he was ordered to rest his arm and do a series of strengthening exercises every day. This did two things - his arm returned to its pre Academy strength but in the meantime Shaun concentrated on his hitting - taking extra batting sessions with the NSWIS Head Coach - Andres Desjardin. In the meantime pitching guru Barry Holland was slowly bringing him back up to full pitching strength to have him ready in time for the Australian U18 Championships in Geelong in January. His hitting improved so dramatically under Desjardin that he began to seriously consider switching from pitching to become a hitter. Already at least one scout had noted his hitting and began talking to his agent about signing him as such. Things all came to a head a few days prior to the start of the U18's when that scout made him an offer. A few phone calls to scouts by his agent saw 4 clubs fly into Sydney on the Monday prior to the Tournament to look at him and his pitching team mate Brad Tippett who was also creating interest. Shaun pitched for NSW against a visiting American team and the Mets scouts Tony Harris who had been watching him closely and had been to Sydney twice since the Academy to monitor his development made his move and soon negotiated a lucrative deal with his agent that included various incentive bonuses and College options. Shaun started with the North Ryde Junior Baseball Club as a 5yr old and has played A Grade Baseball from U10's to U16's and even tried his hand at coaching when he assisted the U11's & U14's in his club as a pitching coach. Such was his natural ability that he represented his District [Ryde Hornsby] at State Cup & Youth League Level for 6 straight years - the first player in his District ever to do so. State Representation soon followed - U14's followed by the U16's. The following winter he was invited to take part in the NSWIS program and selection in the NSW U18's who went on to win the Australian Championships in Geelong in January 2005. An invitation to the prestigious MLBAAP on the Gold Coast was his reward for outstanding performances in Geelong. Due to his early promise as an elite athlete he was enrolled in the Talented Sports Program at Narrabeen Sports High School and competed for NSW in the National Schoolboys tournament in Brisbane when he was selected in the Australian Schoolboys team to tour South Africa. He was also selected in the Australian U19 team to play in Taiwan. Unfortunately his arm injuries stopped him from playing in those tournaments - a setback that he accepted with patience and good grace. His reward for his dedication and determination came when he signed that Mets contract on his first day at the U18's in Geelong this year. "His performances as a two way player at the National Schoolboy tournament in May this year were encouraging," commented agent Trevor Jarrett, who began fielding queries from scouts almost immediately. His work at the Academy only enhanced his reputation with the scouts - and especially with Mets scout Tony Harris who worked closely with him on the Gold Coast. "We saw his potential as a pro almost immediately", said Harris from his Adelaide home, "and when things started to happen just prior to the U18's I didn't hesitate to fly to Sydney to finalise an offer with his agent. With his long lanky body, good velocity and movement on his pitches we knew he was our man."" Andre Desjardin, Head Coach of the NSW Institute of Sport where Shaun was a scholarship holder was not surprised at the contract from the Mets. "Here we have a player of great intensity and focus who has shown amazing determination throughout this difficult time and despite the setbacks he just kept coming back for more," he said from his office at Blacktown in Sydney's West, "he is a wonderful example to other players of what can be achieved if you never give up and put in the hard yards." The plan is for Shaun to report to spring training and extended spring training in Florida next March -then to travel to the Mets Academy in the Dominican Republic for about a month of intensive training before returning to Australia in time for the AAA World Championships where Shaun is hoping to be selected as one of the starting pitchers for Australia at the tournament in Cuba. |