July 27, 2004

Former Evergreen Little Leaguer gets drafted by Philadelphia Phillies
From T-ball to the minors, pitcher Kevin Rose has his eyes set on home plate with the Phillies

By Mariecar Mendoza
Staff Writer

In the midst of the afternoon in California, I call Kevin Rose, Evergreen’s baseball prodigy. Answering his phone, sounding groggy and exhausted, I turn apologetic at the thought I might have awakened him from a nap, but Rose explains he just got back from practice.

Holding his cell phone to his ear in New York—nearly 3,000 miles from the Evergreen community where he grew up—it’s almost dinnertime for Rose and one day closer to the majors.

Standing tall at 6-foot-2, San Jose native Kevin Rose could easily be confused with a basketball player. But anyone who grew up with Rose knows that the love of his life is the all-American sport of baseball.

With his recent draft by the Philadelphia Phillies in June, Rose is simply fulfilling a prophecy set forth by his former teammates and coaches who always knew there was something spectacular about the kid from Evergreen.

“I was real excited to find out he got drafted [by the Phillies],” said former college teammate Pat McGuigan, 19. “[My
roommates and I] were listening to the draft—that’s how we found outand we called him to let him know. He didn’t believe us. He thought we were joking.”

According to McGuigan, the fact that Rose thought it was all a joke was no surprise. “He was a real quiet leader for the pitching staff,” McGuigan said. “He did a lot of things that the other guys didn’t think were necessary, but he stayed with his own regimen and it worked for him.”

McGuigan, who met Rose at the University of San Francisco (USF), was a pitcher alongside Rose. Though it was tough pitching next to Rose, McGuigan found him to be a great friend and teacher.

“It’s exciting to know that someone that you played with, and someone you know really well, is going on to the next level,” McGuigan said.

USF Assistant Baseball Coach Greg Moore said that in his four years at USF, “Rosey showed how much preparation plays a part in development. He just kept getting bigger, stronger and better. Everything is coming together for him because of how he prepares and works so steadily. I’m excited to watch him climb the ladder.”

Moore wasn’t surprised when Rose was drafted to begin in the minor leagues. “The scouts did their homework,” added Moore. “He’s the type of player that succeeds in pro baseball. Rosey is a self-starter that has the baseball intelligence to make adjustments. That type of work ethic and ability to improve plays for a long time in minor league, and eventually, major league baseball.”

From little league to pro ball
Beginning his career at the age of 6 with the Evergreen Little League, Rose said he fell in love with the game from the moment he stepped on the field.

“The competition is the most fun aspect of the game for me. I love to get out there and compete against others,” Rose said. “The competition still thrills me; if it didn’t, I’d be in the wrong business.”

Sixteen seasons later, at age 22, Rose is still in the game for the rush of the challenge. With his unwavering passion for baseball, Rose doesn’t look like he’ll stop until he makes it to the major league.

Culture shock
Currently pitching in New York for a minor league team, the Batavia Muckdogs—a short season class A affiliate of the Phillies—Rose is definitely experiencing some culture shock, which is to be expected when one goes straight to the minor leagues from college-level baseball.

“The biggest challenge so far this year is getting used to the changes that the coaches want me to make. The coaches are very helpful, but it is difficult to make adjustments,” Rose said, admitting that all the adjustments have paid off. “Now that I have gone through some of this learning phase, I have been pitching better.”

Of course, Rose still has a long journey before he steps on major league soil. But with the long hours he puts in, it’s hard to believe Rose isn’t already an all-star.

“We have been playing since June 18 and we play nearly every day. We have only three off days all season, which ends Sept. 6,” Rose explained. “The daily grind is tough … this is the biggest difference between college and professional baseball.”

Rose pitched at the USF, where he graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in biology and a minor in chemistry.

“Academics and baseball weren’t too hard for me to balance,” Rose said. “I was ahead [with my] credits and didn’t have to take that large of a load during the season.”

Social life on hold
But if his ease at conquering the books and the game doesn’t leave your jaw on the floor, Rose delivers one more surprise.

“If baseball doesn’t work out for me, I’d like to go into medicine,” he said, which makes it hard to believe that Rose is still single. “Maintaining a social life during the season is difficult because of all the long hours. I end up spending most of my time with my teammates,” he said. “I don’t have a girlfriend [because] it would be tough during the season. Maybe I’ll have time in the off season.”

However, for career-driven Rose, girls are the least of his priorities.

“My main goal right now is to make it to the major leagues,” Rose said. “It’s the dream for almost all kids who play the game and lucky for me, I still get to chase that dream.”

For more information about the Batavia Muckdogs and current statistics on Kevin Rose, visit www.muckdogs.com.

Q&A with Evergreen’s Kevin Rose

Evergreen Times: “The use of steroids has always been an
issue with the major leagues, is it the same with the minor leagues?”

Kevin Rose: “The steroid issue is different in the minor leagues. Unlike in the major leagues, we are frequently tested and are subject to harsh penalties. I think this is a good for the game because steroids are inherently unfair.”

ET: “What’s your fastest pitch, your favorite pitch and your specialty?”

Rose: “My fastball is 88-90 mph and my best pitch is a change-up. I also throw a slider.”

ET: “How do you like the East Coast?”

Rose: “The town I live in is real small, so that’s very different. The whole town is probably smaller than Evergreen. As for the weather, it’s very different, and the humidity and thunderstorms are not my type of ideal weather.”

ET: “I know you’re a pitcher, but if you could play any other position, what would it be?”

Rose: “I love pitching, but if I played another position, it’d probably be infield, since I played there in high school.”

ET: “Do you get butterflies before a game?”

Rose: “I still get nervous for games. We see some crowds of 5,000 and at certain stadiums, close to 10,000.”