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Sunday, Jul. 20, 2008

Revere having ride of his life

DAYTON, Ohio – If minor-league baseball is such a grind, with its leg-wearying schedule and tedious bus trips in the heat of summer, why is Ben Revere bubbling with energy and flashing his spectacular smile in his first full year as a pro?

Here's why: Revere, a Lexington Catholic graduate and Kentucky's Mr. Baseball in 2007, has been hitting .400 or better most of the season for the Beloit (Wis.) Snappers, a Class A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins.

With his quick bat, keen eye and fleet feet, Revere has enjoyed stunning success at the plate since joining the Snappers in early May.

“I'm a little bit surprised. I never thought I'd do this well,” Revere said before playing against the Dayton Dragons last Sunday, when he boosted his average to .401, 40 points higher than anybody else in the Midwest League, and the highest average in all of the minors' full-season leagues.

If he keeps it up, the 5-foot-9, 166-pound center fielder might soon get bumped up to the Twins' Class A team, the Miracle, in Fort Myers, Fla., or possibly the Class AA Rock Cats in New Britain, Conn.

“I never think about moving up,” Revere said. “I just go out every day, work hard and take it one step at a time.”

He has taken giant steps since being drafted in the first round and signing with Minnesota for $750,000 last year.

Revere was an immediate hit in the Gulf Coast League, where he batted .325 and helped the Fort Myers Twins win the rookie league title last summer.

After spending a few weeks in extended spring training this year, Revere has been on a three-month tear for the Snappers, quieting the critics who chastised the Twins for making him the 28th overall pick in the draft. The doubters thought Revere was under-sized.

“Anybody hitting .400 in professional baseball, that's encouraging, and it somewhat validates our selection,” said Mike Radcliff, Minnesota's vice-president of player personnel.

“Our organization has a history of going against the grain. We factor in playability, even if it is in a different physical package. Ben's a perfect example. He's not 6-foot-2, but he can play.”

Revere has won over Beloit Manager Nelson Prada.

“Ben is short, but his profile in the game isn't to hit homers,” Prada said. “His profile in the big leagues will be to hit for average, get on base, steal and score runs. He does all that.”

Revere's speed is the X-factor, whether he's beating out an infield grounder or chasing down a fly ball in center.

“I know my speed is why they drafted,” he said, “so I know I've got to make the most of it.”

Prada noted that Revere recently “got like six hits in two games on balls that didn't get out of the infield, high choppers, slow rollers, that he turned into hits.”

Prada and Snappers hitting coach Rudy Hernandez are trying to fine-tune Revere's bunting skills.

“Ben hasn't needed to bunt, but he's going to need it in the future,” Prada said. “With the way he can run, it should be part of his game. He trusts his hitting too much. Sometime he's going to be 0-for-8 or 0-for-10, and he'll have to put down a bunt to get out of a slump.”

Revere is already a threat on the base paths, with 28 stolen bases. A few weeks ago Hall of Famer Paul Molitor, who spent most of his career in Milwaukee but ended it in Minnesota, visited the Snappers.

“I talked to him for five minutes,” Revere said, “and he completely changed my game and made me a much better base runner.”

Revere is still learning the finer points of patrolling center field, figuring out the angles and how to get the best jump on the ball. His throwing arm was a concern coming out of high school, but he thinks he has dramatically improved its strength, which was a focus of his time in extended spring training.

Even though he's only a year out of high school, Revere has easily adjusted to being away from his parents (John and Brenda) in Richmond. Having played on summer travel teams since he was 9 years old prepared Ben for life on his own.

“I've been away from home for months at a time before, and I've played 100 games in a summer before, so I'm used to this kind of environment,” he said. “It's no biggie.

“It's a little tiring, but this is what I've always wanted to do.

“I rest my body, eat healthy and get down on my knees and pray to God that I don't get injured.”

Revere's swing hasn't needed much tweaking.

He has virtually the same mechanics that enabled him to hit .517 his senior year at Lexington Catholic, and .489 in his high school career.

That's why, if he stays with Beloit the rest of the summer, he could become the first Midwest League player in 52 years to finish the season with a .400 average.

“I don't let that get in my mind because if I do I'll start struggling,” Revere said. “I just want to keep putting the ball in play and running.”

Prada thinks Revere has a shot at .400.

“He's a very talented guy. He's got bat speed, running speed, good eye-hand coordination, and all that combined converts into .400,” Prada said.

“We're telling him not to get caught up with that stuff, though. Hit .380 or .370 and it's still a great year.

“But we hope he can get .400. Not many people can do it, but he's got a chance.”

No wonder Revere is bubbling with energy and flashing his spectacular smile.

“I love this game,” he said.