BISCUITS OPENER: Mead brings 'Down Under' attitude daily to the ballpark
Australian Curtis Mead has been a highlight for the Biscuits this season. (Graham Dunn)
By GRAHAM DUNN
To date, there have been 36 Australians to wear a Major League uniform.
If Montgomery Biscuits manager Morgan Ensberg has his way, there will be at least one more in the “show” in the near future.
Curtis Mead is on the fast track to reach the majors, thanks to a powerful bat, a strong arm and a relentless desire to succeed.
“He has great work ethic. He is blue collar,” Ensberg said. “He stopped me yesterday and said he wanted to work at third base every other day in the early part of the season. (I’ve) never had a player come up to me and say they want to work like that. He had a huge performance at the Arizona Fall League.”
As an Australian, Mead garners more respect from his manager. It’s not that Ensberg has a wish to make a home “down under,” but he’s a big fan of players from “The Lucky Country.”
“There isn’t a single player from Australia that isn’t loved by everybody,” Ensberg said. “There has never been one; it’s impossible (not to love them)... He is an incredible human being, an incredible teammate. He is extremely tough. Australians make tough baseball players.”
Mead, who is just 21 years old, appreciates the compliment, although baseball comes naturally following his dad, who also played professional ball in Australia.
“Dad was involved and he got me playing T-ball at 5 years old,” Mead explained. “I played it as a hobby but after age 15 it became a sport.
“(My father) didn’t have a pathway to America when he played. It’s so much better now in 20 years to have a chance to play in the major leagues. I appreciate the fact that I get this chance on this scale.”
His profession could have been football - the Australian Rules version that gathered a following in the states back in the days of infancy of ESPN. But Mead stepped away and chose to concentrate on baseball in high school.
The choice looks to be paying dividends.
Mead is considered one of Tampa’s top prospects, currently ranked sixth by MLB.com in the Tampa farm system. Originally signed by Philadelphia, he was traded to the Rays’ organization and has quickly moved up the ladder.
Leaving home at age 18 wasn’t easy but Mead was determined from the day he headed to the states to be successful. Giving up football for baseball was the right choice, he said. But there were questions about where he might fit in on the diamond.
“Being away from home (has been the hardest part),” he said. “Leaving home was tough. I didn’t know about the US. I needed a couple of months to get settled. Now every time I leave home, I look forward to coming back to play.”
He got a chance to prove himself in the Arizona Fall League, but that also meant not getting to return to Australia for a few months.
“It helped to have the positive thoughts and the supportive people (around me)… it’s great,” he said. “You hope to leave a positive impact on those you come in contact with and I’ve tried to do that. So not being at home was difficult but at the same time, I have enjoyed it here.”
Mead will get an opportunity to represent his country in the next World Baseball Classic, which is yet to be rescheduled, but there are hints it might resume in 2023. COVID-19 canceled the event in 2021. He has already agreed to play whenever the event is set.
He got another rare treat late last season when he was called up from Class A Bowling Green to Triple-A and played the final games with the Durham Bulls championship team.
“Teammates here are awesome,” he said. “I’ve gotten to know them and to have that chance to play late in the season at Durham was a dream come true. Since most of us started in Bowling Green and moved up together, I come into the clubhouse and know everyone makes a difference.”
Ensberg has gotten the production he wanted from the Aussie in the early stages of the season. Mead has stayed consistent with his power and the batting average has been on a steady climb.
“He’s going to hit with power and he will get his average,” Ensberg said. “He’s still learning the game since he’s only 21. But you can’t ignore his workout ethic…. We should send everyone to (Australia) to work out.”
The Biscuits suffered a rare seven-game sweep at the hands of Tennessee last week and look to turn the fortunes around against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.
The opener is set for 6:35 p.m. for Golden Biscuits Tuesday.
The rest of the series includes Military Wednesday; 80s T-Shirt Giveaway & Thirsty Thursday; 80s Music Night on Friday; 80s Pop Culture Night and MAX Fireworks on Saturday (6:05 p.m.); Kids 80s Headband Giveaway pres. by Kona Ice on Sunday at 3:33 p.m.