THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 10, 1994 TAG: 9406100921
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940610 LENGTH: NORFOLK
Norfolk Tides catcher Brook Fordyce figures he faced that dilemma after last season. A third-round draft choice in 1989 out of high school in Uncasville, Conn., Fordyce endured the least-productive offensive season of his career, and admittedly regressed defensively as the summer wound down.
{REST} It put the hurt on Fordyce's status as a contender for Todd Hundley's job with the New York Mets in 1994. A .259 average and above-par 40 percent success rate throwing out base-stealers satisfied Fordyce to a point, he says, but his diminished offensive production made the Mets wonder.
They brought in free agents Greg Olson and Joe Kmak to training camp, and drafted Kelly Stinnett from the Cleveland Indians. While they and Hundley battled for big league jobs, Fordyce made a token appearance in spring training before trundling off to minor league camp to begin what he hoped would be a season of redemption in Triple-A.
``I figured that was the outlook, that I'd come here and, I like to say, re-prove myself,'' says Fordyce, 24. ``They said no, that's not the word we'll use, just build and show more consistency.
``But I say re-prove because that's what you have to do. Because if you didn't have to prove anything, maybe they would have given me a shot.''
Fordyce knew he had to show he could still do what he did earlier in his career. His first two seasons in rookie league and low Class-A ball, Fordyce was an all-star. He batted a combined .319 with 19 home runs and 92 RBIs.
He was a Florida State League all-star the next season as well, though he hit only .239, wilting in the heat of 112 games. Then in 1992 he bounced back to bat .278 for Double-A Binghamton with a career-high 11 home runs.
Which was why last season's offensive drop-off was alarming. Only 25 of Fordyce's 106 hits were for extra-bases, and just two were home runs, the first of which didn't come until July.
Two months into this season, Fordyce has moved toward re-establishing himself in the Mets' plans. Before Thursday, Fordyce was batting .273. His three home runs already surpassed last year's total, and his 29 RBIs had him well on the way to surpassing last season's 40.
Defensively, Fordyce is a more solid receiver, and the Mets say he is throwing better than ever. He has caught 45 percent of attempted base-stealers.
``I don't know that he necessarily had to prove something, but I think he needed to improve on things that he didn't do as well as he needs to, to play at the major league level,'' Mets minor league director Steve Phillips says.
``At every level, players have to make adjustments. He's catching better, his game-calling is improving, he's driving the ball better. He's improving in all the areas we hoped he would.''
A baseball workaholic who has played virtually year-round since he signed, Fordyce believes his improvement lies in greater relaxation, concentration and self-confidence.
``People told me that the harder you work in this game, it's not necessarily the better you'll do,'' says Fordyce, who no longer haunts the clubhouse day and night looking for extra work. ``So maybe I took note of that. Maybe I was trying to please everybody instead of myself.
``I just have to go out and be happy, know what I can do, believe in that and basically have fun. And this game is fun.''
Especially when you're on a roll back up the organization.
TIDES MOVES: The Tides have received outfielder Shawn Hare and pitcher Frank Seminara back from the Mets, who activated infielder Tim Bogar and pitcher Dwight Gooden.
To make room for Hare and Seminara, relief pitcher Gregg Langbehn was sent to Double-A Binghamton. by CNB