Falcons’ Roebuck has aces up both sleeves
Examining his roster for the 2006 baseball season, Brownsville coach Scooter Roebuck can name all of his returning lettermen on one hand. With a roster only five seniors deep and an equal number of returning lettermen, Roebuck is staring at a lineup with an apparent lack of returning experience, but that picture is deceiving, as Roebuck has an ace up his sleeve.
Actually, he has an ace up each sleeve.
After seven playoff appearances in the last eight years, including section titles in 1999, 2001, and 2003, Roebuck and his Falcons appear primed for another Class AA post-season appearance as two of his lettermen represent seven of the Falcons’ 12 wins last year when Brownsville finished 12-6 overall, 7-3 in section play.
When many Class AA teams are looking for a second pitcher, Roebuck, also the school’s athletic director and economics teacher, has a pair of solid starters returning in senior Dave Novotney and junior Mike Rhoads.
“Novotney was our best pitcher last year,” Roebuck said, noting that the 6-foot-1, 175-pound right-hander, 4-3 a year ago, got the nod for the Falcons’ first-round playoff game and was the victim of a heartbreaking 1-0 loss.
“He’s our ace. He has a good fastball, locates the ball well, and keeps it down. He throws strikes.”
Rhoads, on the other hand, was 3-0 as a spot starter, but “played wherever we needed him, anywhere in the infield, and behind the plate,” Roebuck said.
“We had him in some tight spots, but he showed a lot of poise on the mound. He was as cool as a cucumber.”
When Rhoads isn’t on the mound, he will be the Falcons’ shortstop.
Although Brownsville appears to have an edge with starting pitching, finding “one or two more decent pitchers for relief and a quality third guy in the rotation are priorities,” Roebuck added.
Until Roebuck finds that third starter/front-line reliever, he can rely on an equally solid heart of the batting order, where the 3-4-5 slots will be filled by Rhoads, Neil Novak, and Nick Jellots.
Novak, who will be at third base, had two home runs and 14 runs batted in last year, displaying “good power to all fields,” Roebuck said. “He’s patient at the plate and can take a pitcher deep into the count.”
Slated to bat fifth, Jellots, who will be at first base, hit .330 last year and brings experience, leadership, and good defense to the lineup.
Leading off for the Falcons will be center fielder Matt Szuch, who earned All-Fayette County honors last year while batting .385.
“He gets on base and has above average speed,” Roebuck noted. “Defensively, he plays a solid center field.”
But while Brownsville’s starting rotation and the top of the order are set, it’s the bottom third of the lineup that causes Roebuck concern.
“We will be starting some kids with no varsity experience,” he said.
“Swinging the bat is an issue. We may have to work to score some runs.”
While Brownsville appears ready to contend for a playoff spot, Roebuck sees last year’s section champion, Washington, and Charleroi as two of the top teams.
“We’ve had a good early spring,” Roebuck said.
“We’ve been taking a lot of swings in batting practice and taking a lot of ground balls. We have a group with good work habits and players who are willing to stay after practice for extra work. These guys are focused on getting back to the playoffs.”