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Where Are They Now? Matt Macri
Dowling Catholic: 2001
September 9, 2009
Dowling graduate Matt Macri was a two-time state champion during his senior season in 2001; one as an All-State shortstop and another as an All-State quarterback. He had the opportunity for a bright future in either sport, to him though, there was no decision.
“Baseball has always been my first love. I had several offers to play football at the D1 level but I wasn’t really worried about it because my mind was made up,” Macri said. “I knew I was going to play baseball.”
As many talented high school seniors are, Macri was drafted in the 14th round of the 2001 M.L.B. Draft by the Minnesota Twins. However he knew that barring a catastrophe in his life he would have an opportunity a few years down the road to be drafted again, at a higher round and with more money attached. He said he was animate about going to school, and that he did, to one of the most prestigious schools in the country.
Macri continued his Catholic ties and made a self-described easy decision to play college ball at Notre Dame. He also visited Texas A&M, Georgia Tech and Nebraska prior to his trip to South Bend. But none of the others could hold a candle to the tradition and clout of the Fighting Irish.
He was a good enough prospect for the Irish that he was slated to be a starter in his freshman season. That, however, would never happen due to a developing situation in his right elbow. In the February before his freshman season of baseball was to begin, he was making a throw and felt something pop.
“It felt a lot like if you sprain your ankle and feel a pop and pull, which is a very strange feeling to have in your elbow,” Macri said.
Two months later, in April, Macri had a surgery that is normally reserved for pitchers called Tommy John Surgery. This is a fairly serious procedure that takes plenty of time to heal, needless to say his freshman season at Notre Dame was spent rehabbing and observing, rather than starring as a true-freshman starter.
Ten months after the surgery Macri was cleared 100 percent to play, but said it wasn’t until months after that when he felt confident in his ability to throw again. At that time he said his right elbow was stronger than it was prior to the surgery.
“Just the nature of the rehab with keeping the shoulder strong and re-strengthening that elbow, it’s going to make it stronger,” Macri said. "Not to mention the ligaments they put in are triple-knot braided. It’s going to make it stronger.”
Macri’s junior season at Notre Dame was the only one where he was 100 percent for the complete season. And he had had a great season for the Irish, good enough to get him drafted again. This time, nine rounds higher than the first time he was drafted three years prior; he was taken in the fifth round of the 2004 Draft, by the Colorado Rockies. And unlike the first time he was drafted, he wisely accepted the offer, choosing confidently to forego his senior season at Notre Dame, and instead to join the Rockies organization.
Macri stayed with the Rockies until August of 2007, where he was able to escalate through the minor league system and was playing for the AAA Colorado Spring Sox. Then the Twins, who had had their eyes on Macri since he was a prep in West Des Moines, decided to trade for him, and shipped pitcher Ramon Ortiz to the Rockies for the Dowling graduate.
“In high school I played at the Metrodome for two games, so the Twins had some familiarity with me,” Macri said. “Teams definitely follow you and track you and the Twins liked what they saw and didn’t get me in the draft, and when the chance came, they picked me up, which I was happy about.”
Macri started his career with the Twins in AAA Rochester (NY) and on May 22, 2008 he was called up to the “big show” for the first time of his young career. And he shined. He earned his first major league hit in his first at bat, and had an R.B.I. single to right in his second ever at bat.
Macri ended up staying with the Twins in Minneapolis for a full month, and he hit .324 in that time frame. The players he was moved up for though, became healthy again meaning the Twins had no need for Macri at that point in time. So he was sent back down to Rochester, where he has remained for this season.
“That’s the way baseball is,” Macri said. “It’s a lot about being in the right place at the right time, and I was having a good year and some things happened where they needed a guy to come and fill. I could have hit .600 and I still would have been sent back down. But you can’t be bitter; it’s just the business of the game. I was happy with the way I performed and I think they were too.”
Macri is having a down year offensively for Rochester this season, but is continuing to mold himself as a defensive force. He’s been consistently playing his primary positions of third base and shortstop, as well as playing second base and for the first time ever first base. Macri seemingly will not be making any stints to the big leagues for the remainder of this season, but is still in a good position to find himself up there a good in the seasons to come.
TJ Rushing, High School Playbook
P.S.
Macri on Principal Park: “I think it’s be fantastic to come back to Des Moines one day and play. If I remain in the International League it’s not going to happen, but if something happens where I can play back there, I think it’s be exciting,”
Macri on Twins All-Star catcher Joe Mauer: “He’s the best hitter I’ve ever played with or against. He’s going to go down as one of the best hitters of our generation.”
Macri on the difference between AAA and the pros: “The biggest difference is consistency. The guys up there do it day in and day out. Down here in the minor leagues we are striving for that. The guys here will falter once-in-awhile or lose their focus. And up in the bigs they’re pretty consistent throughout the year and that’s what everyone here is working for essentially.”
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