PORT ST. LUCIE – The Mets closer of the future’s story is unremarkable, except for the fact that he didn’t play baseball at Jersey City’s Snyder High School. And that he dropped out of Snyder after his sophomore year. And after getting his GED, he moved to the Dominican Republic to live with his aunt. And when he was 17, he was discovered by a scout while playing softball there.
Besides that, though, 21-year-old Leslie Brea from Jersey City via San Pedro de Macoris is just another young face in the Mets’ clubhouse who won’t be on the 2000 opening day roster.
But one day he might be in a Mets’ uniform on opening day. He needs a season at Double-A Binghamton this year. And then one at Triple-A Norfolk the next season before his scheduled 2002 appearance at Shea.
“He’s a potential closer,” assistant GM Omar Minaya said.
He might end up being more of a middle-man, but that’s all to be determined. One thing is for sure though. He was never supposed to be in the Mets clubhouse.
“I never thought he would be a baseball player,” said Leslie’s father, Rafael Brea, 49, by phone from Manhattan, where he is a superintendent of an apartment building.
Leslie is a ballplayer. Even after dropping out of school, which is particularly a problem when your mother, Julia, teaches grammar school and your father, who came over from the Dominican, built a foundation for his family by working in Manhattan all week before coming home only on weekends.
So what did they say?
“What didn’t they say?” Leslie responded.
This is what there is to say about the right-handed Leslie’s stuff. He throws a fastball in the mid-90s that is complemented quite nicely by a slider. He is working on a third pitch, a change-up.
“I got the grip down,” said Brea, who was acquired for Butch Huskey in December of ’98. “I just got to get it down.”
The 5-foot-11 Brea admits he wasn’t the best kid at Snyder. No drugs or anything, just a bunch of fights. Plus, he didn’t watch his grades close enough.
But he also said he didn’t want to ruin his arm as he would’ve been the best and most used pitcher on the team. And ..
“The team wasn’t really all that,” Leslie said.
The fact that he didn’t play just might be to Brea’s advantage.
“He’s a kid who has a fresh arm, which hasn’t been used that much,” another assistant GM, Jim Duquette, said.
That is why the Mets’ plan is to have Brea start games at Double-A this season. This will give him the opportunity to build up arm strength and improve his basics.
After earning his GED at 17, Brea’s friend, Jose Gomera, said, “Let’s go to the Dominican Republic.” Since he was just hanging out anyway, he agreed. So off he went to live with his aunt, Fiol Richardson.
He played in a league over there, but nobody noticed him in the outfield. Then one day, he was throwing a softball and a friend of a Mariners’ scout saw him.
“I wasn’t paying attention to him,” Brea recalled. “He came over and said, ‘Why don’t you come for a tryout.'”
Seattle signed him, using a bonus of $4,500. This started Brea’s story. Now, all it needs, is a major-league ending to make it truly a remarkable one.
