Bad timing

They say timing is everything in sports, and that goes for sportswriting, too. Sometimes the sportswriter's best best-designed plans can go awry in a hurry.

For example, I had a feature story written about Wild Things catcher Chris Rosenbaum, pictured, that I planned to use in Saturday's edition of the Observer-Reporter. All I had to do was plug in what Rosenbaum did during Washington's exhibition game Friday night and add some details from the game. The only problem was Rosenbaum didn't play Friday night, so the story was scrapped for a few days. It was then planned for Tuesday's edition.

There was one problem. Rosenbaum was released Monday.

So, here's a story about a guy who didn't make the Wild Things:

By Chris Dugan, Sports Editor
dugan@observer-reporter.com

Chris Rosenbaum has an undergraduate degree in finance and a masters in business administration. He has won two NCAA national championships and delivered the game-winning hit in one title game. He’s even written a blog for Major League Baseball’s Website, spent a summer playing baseball in Rancho Cucamonga and has a knowledge of all the new tax laws.
What Rosenbaum hasn’t had, however, is a starting job to call his own. Not since his days at the University of Tampa three years ago.
Rosenbaum, a 26-year-old from Castleton, N.Y., is one of three catchers in spring training vying for roster spots and playing time with the Wild Things.
“I’m just looking for an opportunity to see what I can do,” Rosenbaum said. “I haven’t had many at-bats the last three years.”
Those years were spent in the Los Angeles Angels system. Rosenbaum is a career .272 hitter as a professional but he’s never had more than 116 at-bats in a season. Last year, Rosenbaum batted .319 for Rancho Cucamonga in the Class A California League.
“My agent says I always look good on paper,” Rosenbaum joked. “I just haven’t had a starting job. When I was at Rancho Cucamonga, I was batting .400 at the all-star break but only playing one game every two weeks.”
Rosenbaum was stuck in the Angels’ system behind two Latin catchers who are considered prospects. He was released at the end of spring training this year. Rosenbaum, however, was able to use the MBA he earned at Tampa to work for H&R Block preparing tax returns.
“At the busiest time of the year,” Rosenbaum said. “Was working up to 70 hours a week.”
While the work was steady, there was something missing.
“When you get released, a part of you doesn’t know what to do next. You’ve played baseball almost your whole life,” he said.
Rosenbaum’s girlfriend went to work finding all the independent teams with no more than one catcher on their roster. At the time, that included the Wild Things. Rosenbaum emailed each of the teams and Washington was the first to offer a contract. It helped that new Wild Things catcher Darin Everson is a former catcher.
“I was just looking for an opportunity to see what I can do, maybe have some success and see where it takes me,” Rosenbaum said.
Rosenbaum had plenty of success at Tampa, which won NCAA Division II national championships during his junior and senior seasons. Rosenbaum had a pinch-hit game-winning hit in the 10th inning in the championship game. As a senior, he went wire-to-wire as Tampa’s starting catcher, batting .341.
He signed a free agent with the Angels and began writing a blog about his experiences in the minor leagues for his hometown newspaper. In 2008, while playing for Cedar Rapids (Iowa) of the Class A Midwest League, Rosenbaum’s blog was picked up by the Cedar Rapids Gazette. Major League Baseball eventually learned of Rosenbaum’s blog, entitled “Looking Through the Mask”, and struck a deal for it to appear on mlb.com during the 2009 season.
Rosenbaum hopes to write the next chapter in his baseball career in Washington County.
“He’s competing for a job,” Everson said. “He’s improved each day he’s been here. He’s a tireless worker and handles pitchers very well.”