This guy was born ready; Spokane Indians' Mayberry has; been around baseball all his life

At 18 years old, John Mayberry Jr. apparently had it made.

Drafted by the Seattle Mariners 28th overall in 2002, all he hadto do was sign a contract to begin his career playing professionalbaseball.

He decided it could wait three years.

Mayberry Jr. instead accepted a scholarship to Stanford, playingthree years for the Cardinal and improving his draft stock enough tobe selected 19th overall by the Texas Rangers this June, and beginhis professional baseball career in Spokane.

The Indians open the season tonight at Eugene and open the homeseason Sunday at Avista Stadium against Everett.

The career delay was a calculated risk for Mayberry Jr., but he'sgot a shrewd adviser.

His father, John Sr., played 15 season in the major leagues, mostnotably with the Kansas City Royals in the mid-70s after the HoustonAstros selected him sixth out of high school in the 1967 amateurdraft. He compiled 255 home runs, 879 RBIs, two all-star appearancesand finished second to Fred Lynn for American League MVP in 1975.

John Jr. had the chance to immediately follow in his father'sfootsteps, but an education at Palo Alto was too much to pass up.

"It was obviously a very difficult decision to put off probaseball three more years," Mayberry Jr. said. "I wanted to be awell-rounded individual and get my education."

He's one quarter shy of a political science degree, which heplans to finish this winter after his first professional season.

First, Mayberry Jr., will get to start a dream he's beencultivating since he toddled around the Royals clubhouse while hisdad was a coach.

"The biggest thing I remember was the spreads the Royals hadafter their games," said the 6-5 3/4, 230-pound Mayberry, whoapparently didn't miss many. "I'd get to go down after the game, andthey had some amazing meals down there. I was definitely one of thekids they thought would never leave."

Despite dabbling in basketball, if you can call 14 points and 10rebounds as a senior forward at Rockurst High School in Kansas Citydabbling, he was always cut out for baseball.

"I've played since I was about two or three years old," MayberryJr. said. "It's just one of those things that, because my dad is whohe is, I had no choice but to grow up around the game, and I justnaturally took a liking to it."

Before he completes the second leg of the father-son major leaguecombo (They've already become the first to be drafted three times inthe amateur draft's first round), he has some adjustments to make.

He'll be playing right field for the Indians, not first base,where his father played, and where Mayberry Jr. made all of nineerrors during his career at Stanford.

It's an organizational decision, as the Rangers have MarkTeixiera, their fifth-overall pick in 2001, at first base, leadingthe majors in homers with 20. Texas also drafted Adrian Gonzalez, afirst baseman, first overall in 2000 - and he's currently in Triple-A Oklahoma.

"I think about it in terms of lottery tickets," Spokane managerGreg Riddoch said. "If you've got more to offer and you can playmore positions and you are more adept at those positions, you have amuch better chance than a guy who's locked into one slot."

Riddoch isn't worried about the switch to right field, asMayberry Jr. has played there in the Cape Cod League and with theWorld University national team, and is athletic enough to play thereprofessionally.

He'll be tutored while in Spokane by hitting coach Mark Whiten,who spent most of his major-league career in right field.

He's also got to rediscover the swing he had in 2004 as asophomore at Stanford, when he batted .333 with 16 home runs. In hisfinal season, he slipped a little to .303 and eight homers.

"I didn't have the year I had last year," Mayberry, Jr. said. "Itwas kind of hard to stay consistent for whichever reasons, but mydad's played 15 years and with that experience you realize thatsometimes the best swings are line-drive doubles and some yearsthey're home runs. This year, they were doubles."

In his first batting practice session with the Indians, thesecond pitch he saw from Whiten came in high and tight, seeminglytoo far inside for his long arms to handle. Mayberry Jr. whipped hisbat through the zone, got inside the ball, and crushed it out toleft-center field.

Another issue for Mayberry Jr. to deal with will be living up tothe legacy created by his father, which some handle well (KenGriffey Jr.) and some don't (Pete Rose Jr.).

Mayberry Jr. knows one thing, though. He will be faster than hisdad, who stole all of 20 bases in 15 seasons.

"I was kind of cracking jokes about being faster than him,"Mayberry Jr. said. "I didn't get to see my dad play, but I havememories of him at a old-timers game off Ferguson Jenkins, and hehit one to the wall. For everybody else, it's a stand-up double. Hegot thrown out by 15 feet."

Indians outfielder Steve Murphy, who grew up playing baseballwith Mayberry Jr. in Kansas City, where they attended the same highschool, doesn't worry too much about him handling any perceivedpressure.

"Being in Kansas City and having his dad be a Kansas City Royalshall-of-famer, he's used to the Kansas City media kind of being onhim," Murphy said. "He's had it basically since his junior year ofhigh school, you know, 'Hey, you're Big John's son, John Jr.,' andwhen he was getting into the draft, there were cameras at ourpractice and at our summer team, so he's used to the attention."

The positive aspects of having a big-league father easilyoutweigh the negatives, when Mayberry Jr. has to just make a phonecall to talk with someone who's been through everything baseball hasto offer.

"The biggest thing he said I would have to adjust to was justplaying every day," Mayberry Jr. said. "In college you play threegames a week, but here you're playing seven days a week. That's thebiggest adjustment he said he had to make when he was drafted by theAstros, just staying focused through the entire year."

John Mayberry Jr. would like to create a legacy for himselfoutside of being just "Big John's son," but he admits there is oneaspect of his father's career he would love to recreate.

"My dreams are just like everyone else's, to make my career inthe big leagues and play 15 years."

"I mean, what more can you ask for?"

This guy was born ready; Spokane Indians' Mayberry has; been around baseball all his life

At 18 years old, John Mayberry Jr. apparently had it made.

Drafted by the Seattle Mariners 28th overall in 2002, all he hadto do was sign a contract to begin his career playing professionalbaseball.

He decided it could wait three years.

Mayberry Jr. instead accepted a scholarship to Stanford, playingthree years for the Cardinal and improving his draft stock enough tobe selected 19th overall by the Texas Rangers this June, and beginhis professional baseball career in Spokane.

The Indians open the season tonight at Eugene and open the homeseason Sunday at Avista Stadium against Everett.

The career delay was a calculated risk for Mayberry Jr., but he'sgot a shrewd adviser.

His father, John Sr., played 15 season in the major leagues, mostnotably with the Kansas City Royals in the mid-70s after the HoustonAstros selected him sixth out of high school in the 1967 amateurdraft. He compiled 255 home runs, 879 RBIs, two all-star appearancesand finished second to Fred Lynn for American League MVP in 1975.

John Jr. had the chance to immediately follow in his father'sfootsteps, but an education at Palo Alto was too much to pass up.

"It was obviously a very difficult decision to put off probaseball three more years," Mayberry Jr. said. "I wanted to be awell-rounded individual and get my education."

He's one quarter shy of a political science degree, which heplans to finish this winter after his first professional season.

First, Mayberry Jr., will get to start a dream he's beencultivating since he toddled around the Royals clubhouse while hisdad was a coach.

"The biggest thing I remember was the spreads the Royals hadafter their games," said the 6-5 3/4, 230-pound Mayberry, whoapparently didn't miss many. "I'd get to go down after the game, andthey had some amazing meals down there. I was definitely one of thekids they thought would never leave."

Despite dabbling in basketball, if you can call 14 points and 10rebounds as a senior forward at Rockurst High School in Kansas Citydabbling, he was always cut out for baseball.

"I've played since I was about two or three years old," MayberryJr. said. "It's just one of those things that, because my dad is whohe is, I had no choice but to grow up around the game, and I justnaturally took a liking to it."

Before he completes the second leg of the father-son major leaguecombo (They've already become the first to be drafted three times inthe amateur draft's first round), he has some adjustments to make.

He'll be playing right field for the Indians, not first base,where his father played, and where Mayberry Jr. made all of nineerrors during his career at Stanford.

It's an organizational decision, as the Rangers have MarkTeixiera, their fifth-overall pick in 2001, at first base, leadingthe majors in homers with 20. Texas also drafted Adrian Gonzalez, afirst baseman, first overall in 2000 - and he's currently in Triple-A Oklahoma.

"I think about it in terms of lottery tickets," Spokane managerGreg Riddoch said. "If you've got more to offer and you can playmore positions and you are more adept at those positions, you have amuch better chance than a guy who's locked into one slot."

Riddoch isn't worried about the switch to right field, asMayberry Jr. has played there in the Cape Cod League and with theWorld University national team, and is athletic enough to play thereprofessionally.

He'll be tutored while in Spokane by hitting coach Mark Whiten,who spent most of his major-league career in right field.

He's also got to rediscover the swing he had in 2004 as asophomore at Stanford, when he batted .333 with 16 home runs. In hisfinal season, he slipped a little to .303 and eight homers.

"I didn't have the year I had last year," Mayberry, Jr. said. "Itwas kind of hard to stay consistent for whichever reasons, but mydad's played 15 years and with that experience you realize thatsometimes the best swings are line-drive doubles and some yearsthey're home runs. This year, they were doubles."

In his first batting practice session with the Indians, thesecond pitch he saw from Whiten came in high and tight, seeminglytoo far inside for his long arms to handle. Mayberry Jr. whipped hisbat through the zone, got inside the ball, and crushed it out toleft-center field.

Another issue for Mayberry Jr. to deal with will be living up tothe legacy created by his father, which some handle well (KenGriffey Jr.) and some don't (Pete Rose Jr.).

Mayberry Jr. knows one thing, though. He will be faster than hisdad, who stole all of 20 bases in 15 seasons.

"I was kind of cracking jokes about being faster than him,"Mayberry Jr. said. "I didn't get to see my dad play, but I havememories of him at a old-timers game off Ferguson Jenkins, and hehit one to the wall. For everybody else, it's a stand-up double. Hegot thrown out by 15 feet."

Indians outfielder Steve Murphy, who grew up playing baseballwith Mayberry Jr. in Kansas City, where they attended the same highschool, doesn't worry too much about him handling any perceivedpressure.

"Being in Kansas City and having his dad be a Kansas City Royalshall-of-famer, he's used to the Kansas City media kind of being onhim," Murphy said. "He's had it basically since his junior year ofhigh school, you know, 'Hey, you're Big John's son, John Jr.,' andwhen he was getting into the draft, there were cameras at ourpractice and at our summer team, so he's used to the attention."

The positive aspects of having a big-league father easilyoutweigh the negatives, when Mayberry Jr. has to just make a phonecall to talk with someone who's been through everything baseball hasto offer.

"The biggest thing he said I would have to adjust to was justplaying every day," Mayberry Jr. said. "In college you play threegames a week, but here you're playing seven days a week. That's thebiggest adjustment he said he had to make when he was drafted by theAstros, just staying focused through the entire year."

John Mayberry Jr. would like to create a legacy for himselfoutside of being just "Big John's son," but he admits there is oneaspect of his father's career he would love to recreate.

"My dreams are just like everyone else's, to make my career inthe big leagues and play 15 years."

"I mean, what more can you ask for?"

This guy was born ready; Spokane Indians' Mayberry has; been around baseball all his life

At 18 years old, John Mayberry Jr. apparently had it made.

Drafted by the Seattle Mariners 28th overall in 2002, all he hadto do was sign a contract to begin his career playing professionalbaseball.

He decided it could wait three years.

Mayberry Jr. instead accepted a scholarship to Stanford, playingthree years for the Cardinal and improving his draft stock enough tobe selected 19th overall by the Texas Rangers this June, and beginhis professional baseball career in Spokane.

The Indians open the season tonight at Eugene and open the homeseason Sunday at Avista Stadium against Everett.

The career delay was a calculated risk for Mayberry Jr., but he'sgot a shrewd adviser.

His father, John Sr., played 15 season in the major leagues, mostnotably with the Kansas City Royals in the mid-70s after the HoustonAstros selected him sixth out of high school in the 1967 amateurdraft. He compiled 255 home runs, 879 RBIs, two all-star appearancesand finished second to Fred Lynn for American League MVP in 1975.

John Jr. had the chance to immediately follow in his father'sfootsteps, but an education at Palo Alto was too much to pass up.

"It was obviously a very difficult decision to put off probaseball three more years," Mayberry Jr. said. "I wanted to be awell-rounded individual and get my education."

He's one quarter shy of a political science degree, which heplans to finish this winter after his first professional season.

First, Mayberry Jr., will get to start a dream he's beencultivating since he toddled around the Royals clubhouse while hisdad was a coach.

"The biggest thing I remember was the spreads the Royals hadafter their games," said the 6-5 3/4, 230-pound Mayberry, whoapparently didn't miss many. "I'd get to go down after the game, andthey had some amazing meals down there. I was definitely one of thekids they thought would never leave."

Despite dabbling in basketball, if you can call 14 points and 10rebounds as a senior forward at Rockurst High School in Kansas Citydabbling, he was always cut out for baseball.

"I've played since I was about two or three years old," MayberryJr. said. "It's just one of those things that, because my dad is whohe is, I had no choice but to grow up around the game, and I justnaturally took a liking to it."

Before he completes the second leg of the father-son major leaguecombo (They've already become the first to be drafted three times inthe amateur draft's first round), he has some adjustments to make.

He'll be playing right field for the Indians, not first base,where his father played, and where Mayberry Jr. made all of nineerrors during his career at Stanford.

It's an organizational decision, as the Rangers have MarkTeixiera, their fifth-overall pick in 2001, at first base, leadingthe majors in homers with 20. Texas also drafted Adrian Gonzalez, afirst baseman, first overall in 2000 - and he's currently in Triple-A Oklahoma.

"I think about it in terms of lottery tickets," Spokane managerGreg Riddoch said. "If you've got more to offer and you can playmore positions and you are more adept at those positions, you have amuch better chance than a guy who's locked into one slot."

Riddoch isn't worried about the switch to right field, asMayberry Jr. has played there in the Cape Cod League and with theWorld University national team, and is athletic enough to play thereprofessionally.

He'll be tutored while in Spokane by hitting coach Mark Whiten,who spent most of his major-league career in right field.

He's also got to rediscover the swing he had in 2004 as asophomore at Stanford, when he batted .333 with 16 home runs. In hisfinal season, he slipped a little to .303 and eight homers.

"I didn't have the year I had last year," Mayberry, Jr. said. "Itwas kind of hard to stay consistent for whichever reasons, but mydad's played 15 years and with that experience you realize thatsometimes the best swings are line-drive doubles and some yearsthey're home runs. This year, they were doubles."

In his first batting practice session with the Indians, thesecond pitch he saw from Whiten came in high and tight, seeminglytoo far inside for his long arms to handle. Mayberry Jr. whipped hisbat through the zone, got inside the ball, and crushed it out toleft-center field.

Another issue for Mayberry Jr. to deal with will be living up tothe legacy created by his father, which some handle well (KenGriffey Jr.) and some don't (Pete Rose Jr.).

Mayberry Jr. knows one thing, though. He will be faster than hisdad, who stole all of 20 bases in 15 seasons.

"I was kind of cracking jokes about being faster than him,"Mayberry Jr. said. "I didn't get to see my dad play, but I havememories of him at a old-timers game off Ferguson Jenkins, and hehit one to the wall. For everybody else, it's a stand-up double. Hegot thrown out by 15 feet."

Indians outfielder Steve Murphy, who grew up playing baseballwith Mayberry Jr. in Kansas City, where they attended the same highschool, doesn't worry too much about him handling any perceivedpressure.

"Being in Kansas City and having his dad be a Kansas City Royalshall-of-famer, he's used to the Kansas City media kind of being onhim," Murphy said. "He's had it basically since his junior year ofhigh school, you know, 'Hey, you're Big John's son, John Jr.,' andwhen he was getting into the draft, there were cameras at ourpractice and at our summer team, so he's used to the attention."

The positive aspects of having a big-league father easilyoutweigh the negatives, when Mayberry Jr. has to just make a phonecall to talk with someone who's been through everything baseball hasto offer.

"The biggest thing he said I would have to adjust to was justplaying every day," Mayberry Jr. said. "In college you play threegames a week, but here you're playing seven days a week. That's thebiggest adjustment he said he had to make when he was drafted by theAstros, just staying focused through the entire year."

John Mayberry Jr. would like to create a legacy for himselfoutside of being just "Big John's son," but he admits there is oneaspect of his father's career he would love to recreate.

"My dreams are just like everyone else's, to make my career inthe big leagues and play 15 years."

"I mean, what more can you ask for?"