Rockets hosting new tournament

For years the Portland Rockets served as hosts for the American Amateur Baseball Congress state tournament.

They'll be hosting a tournament again this year. But now, it'll be of their own making.

Citing a desire to put player's first, Rockets manager Randy Miller and Decatur Dirty Birds (formerly the Geneva Cardinals) manager Victor Canales together formed the World Baseball Congress. The organization's first tournament begins Thursday - Decatur will play the Cincinnati Chiefs at 7:30 p.m. - at Portland Memorial Park's Runkle-Miller Field.

The tournament, which will include games at Runkle-Miller and Jay County High School's Don E. Selvey Field, will include the Rockets and Dirty Birds along with six other teams from Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Illinois.

Instead of the AABC's double-elimination format, the WBC will use pool play Friday and Saturday to determine which four teams will advance to play Sunday. There will be one game Thursday, followed by three Friday night before each team plays a twice Saturday to round out pool play.

The top two teams from each pool will advance to a single-elimination tournament Sunday. All games will be seven innings, with the exception of a nine-inning championship game.

Miller and Canales did not charge any entry fee for a team to join the WBC, and hope that the tournament will be self-supporting. They are also seeking to expand the field from eight teams next year and beyond.

Ticket prices are $3 per day or $5 for the entire tournament.

"It should be really exciting baseball," said Canales. "It's not going to be a cake-walk for anybody. I don't think there is going to be a game that won't be contested. ... If you're a baseball fan, it's where you're going to want to be."

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