Rockets have local flavor

While other amateur baseball teams have folded in recent years, the Portland Rockets had about 30 players out at Runkle-Miller Field Sunday for tryouts.
And not only are the Rockets alive and well, expectations are high for this summer.
“From a team that was 38-12 last year, the impetus is to be a powerhouse again this year,” said Rockets manager Randy Miller. “Every year is new and new guys are showing up and we open the competition.
“We’ve got some guys who have some nice pedigree …”
Portland has 35 games on its summer schedule, even with some perennial opponents off the list. The Decatur Dirty Birds, formerly the Geneva Cardinals and area rival, were one of the most familiar teams to collapse since 2011.
“Several teams in our league have folded because they just can’t afford it,” Miller said. “We’re again going to be travel warriors …  but we’re going to try to get as many home games as we can.”
As for the team itself, several familiar faces — both local guys and Rockets veterans — were back in Portland Sunday. One of the most familiar players, however, may not be back this season.
“We’re going to see if our captain Heath Williams is back,” Miller said of Williams, a 2004 JCHS graduate who has anchored the Rockets as second baseman and leadoff hitter for several years. “As he’s getting older, he’s got more family business to do, but he’s an all-American performer and we’re hoping he can work it into his schedule to play.”
Williams, who changed out of shorts into some baseball pants and took some swings and infield practice, hadn’t made a final decision as of Sunday. Several other local faces, however, will be returning to Portland.
Mitch Waters, a 2002 JCHS grad, returns home after playing in Italy for the Sala Baganza Baseball Club for two years before stepping up a level to play for Novara United this spring.
“I’m just glad to be back home playing ball,” Waters said. “I’m excited. It looks like a lot of good, young talent and hopefully I can just be a good leader to them and have a good season.”
Waters, who dominated on the mound for Sala Baganza, ran into some trouble this year while on the roster for last-place Novara with an 0-4 record.
“It was a very good league,” Waters said. “They put it at the equivalent of like Class A or AA over here in the minors. Great competition.”
Before playing in Italy, Waters pitched for the Rockets and had a stint with the Kalamazoo Kings of the independent Frontier League. He pitched at Ancilla College and Manchester, College, where he led the nation in saves in Division III in 2006.
“We’ll look for big things from him,” Miller said of Waters, who no-hit the Cincinnati Chiefs in his last outing for Portland in 2010. “We’re just tickled he’s around and not in Italy right now.”
Two other JCHS alums — Rockets veteran Thomas McCowan (2008) and newcomer Billy Wellman (2009) — will also be with the team. They were both part of the Patriot squad that went 25-3 and hit 65 home runs in 2008.
Portland expects a big offensive boost from Wellman, who was the top hitter for Ball State University this season with a .324 batting average, 26 RBIs and four home runs.
“He’s having a good year at Ball State. … He’s been catching on fire and he’s earned their trust,” Miller said. “We want him here. … We’re happy he’s home and it’s going to make for a lot more fun in the ballpark.”
Another major returning piece is South Adams graduate Dan Bollenbacher, who will be back as a starting pitcher. He and McCowan both sat out their college season after transferring to the University of Northwestern Ohio.
“Bollenbacher is back and that’s huge,” Miller said. “He had a 42-inning stretch of shutout baseball (in 2011).”
With Waters and Bollenbacher, Miller predicts the Rockets pitching rotation will be as solid as ever.
“That could be one of our strong suits, but you never want to say that because you always need more pitching,” he said. “Bollenbacher is back. Mitch is back. Ethan Tribolet, who was the ace at Huntington University this year, he pitched for us a couple years ago and he’s coming back.”
Bill Geeslin, Eathan Daggett and Tyler Reynolds will also be back on the mound for the Rockets.
In the field, former Rocket Bryan Brudi is back after playing for Decatur; Dalton Tinsely and Geoff Bowers return; and power-hitter Ben Smith will be in the lineup for part of the season before leaving to play in a Canadian league.

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