After being in existence only one year, the Hamilton Joes have already placed two young men in Major League Baseball. The latest to sign won’t make his living with bats and balls but instead will handle a microphone.
Mike Rosa, the Joes’ play-by-play broadcaster will tackle those same chores for the Chicago Cubs minor league team, the Daytona Cubs in 2010. Joe’s pitcher Bill Kitchen signed with the Seattle Mariners last summer.
“I’m just happy,” Rosa, a recent Miami University graduate said. “It happened so fast.”
In December, Rosa was encouraged by Joes’ Assistant General Manager Josh Manley to attend the baseball winter meeting in Indianapolis. That’s where he found out about the Daytona opening and applied.
“I applied on a Sunday and was offered the position on Wednesday,” Rosa said.
Giving people an opportunity to polish their skills for the next level is a large reason the Joes exist. “We started the Joes so area college players had somewhere to play and develop when school was out,” said team founder and president Mike Brennan. “That same philosophy applies to our interns working promotions, sales, media and all aspects of a baseball operation. By giving these young people a chance to do what they love, it gives us a chance to put on a fun, exciting, inexpensive entertainment option for Butler County.”
Rosa, who was a left-handed pitcher for Joes’ manager Darrel Grissom at Miami University Hamilton, believes his time with the Joes was crucial to his professional development.
Besides a summer of play-by-play experience, Rosa received a lot of good advice. “Josh Manley was just unbelievable when it came to helping me out. He even helped with my resume and cover letter and opened a lot of doors in the baseball world. He knows that world so well and I can’t put into words how much he helped. For anyone looking to get a start in baseball, the Joes are excellent.”
Rosa, who attended Sycamore High School in Cincinnati, couldn’t help but be influenced by the Reds announcers he grew up with, including the Joes namesake. “I really like Marty Brennaman and I’m glad his son Thom is with the Reds now,” he said. “As a kid I loved to listen to Joe Nuxhall. He was laid back and he made you feel at home. That’s how I’d like to do it, have fun.”
Rosa will spend the next few months learning all his responsibilities with his new team. The Daytona Cubs season starts with an exhibition game on April 7. The Hamilton Joes are a member of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate Baseball League and play their home games at Foundation Field in Hamilton. |
