The lefty was a key…
By Brian Towey
The road from Archbishop Molloy’s Fenway-esque diamond, sandwiched between the apartment complexes of Briarwood, to Rice University’s Houston campus, steeped in ivy and baseball tradition, has been a winding one for Jesse Roman.
The lefty was a key ingredient in Molloy’s run to the city championship game as a senior, doubling as an outfielder and a pitcher for coach Jack Curran.
But when his high school career came to an end, Roman settled on Northeast Texas Junior College, a two-year school in the remote Northeast corner of the lone-star state, for his first step up to the next level. Roman had traded in the comforts of home and the biting New York City winters for a place where baseball is savored like fine wine and the promised the makings of a Texas accent.
“It’s been a strange road,” said Roman, with traces of a drawl masking his New York accent. “When you first come to Texas, it’s a culture shock. It’s funny. You hear the [Texas] accent and people are making fun of the way you speak. Then you lose the [New York] accent and pick up the Texas one. Right now I’m somewhere in the middle.”
While Roman was slow to grasp the local way of speech, the Puerto Rico native had little trouble adjusting to his new baseball surroundings. Roman’s stellar play during his two-year stint at Northeast Texas caught the eye of Rice coach Wayne Graham, who had been combing the deep Texas talent pool for a left-handed hitting outfielder with some punch.
“We were looking for a left-handed hitting outfielder who could hit right-handed pitching,” said Graham. “We had good reports from our scouts, and Jesse fit the description, so we signed him.”
Rice University’s ivy-fraught campus brings to mind the manicured greens and gothic archways of some of the school’s East Coast, Ivy League brethren. Before the school earned a reputation as a hardball titan, Rice was recognized as one of the top academic institutions in the West. After mastering a formidable academic-athletic juggling act in high school, Roman hasn’t wavered in the face of a dizzying course load or a 90-mile per hour fastball.
“In a lot of ways,” said Roman, “it’s like Molloy. It’s a great school.”
Roman credits his high school experience in the classroom and on the field with helping to ease his transition to major college baseball.
“[My experiences with baseball] helped tremendously out of high school,” said Roman. “Not only Jack Curran, but even down through the junior varsity coaches. The baseball at Molloy was excellent.”
While the competition has stiffened along with the schoolwork, for Roman, the results have largely been the same. During Rice’s 43-23 run through the 2000-2001 season, Roman batted .311, hitting four home runs and driving in 43 runs in earning first-team all Western Athletic Conference as the Owls’ DH, helping Rice to capture its fourth straight WAC title.
This year’s spring has seen more of the same from Roman, now at first-base, as the lefty has batted .275 with four home runs and 35 RBIs, good for second on the team, helping Rice to a No. 5 ranking nationally. After a slow start at the plate ,Roman has settled in nicely, stringing together a slew of solid games the past few weeks.
“I still don’t think he’s hitting as well as he might,” said Graham. “He’s a strong hitter and a good fielder. I think he’ll probably get hotter as the season goes on.
“Last year I had a great year,” said Roman. “This year it’s taking me a little longer to get settled. But I’m coming around.”
In making the jump from the high school and junior college circuit to major college baseball, Roman has had to tangle with some imposing pitchers staring down at him from the mound. While the quality of pitching has been the biggest obstacle the 5-foot-11, 190-pounder has faced on his journey, Roman has taken it in stride.
“Probably the toughest thing to adjust to has been the pitching,” said Roman. “Every time you go out there you’re going to see a quality pitcher.
“I think Jesse’s biggest strength is that he can hit quality pitching,” said Graham. “He’s a well-coordinated athlete and a very capable hitter.”
As the season winds to a close, Roman hopes he and his teammates will be making plans for a trip to Omaha, Nebraska, the annual site of the College World Series. With a chance at gaining entry into the elite group of teams that have graced the diamond at Rosenblatt Stadium among College Baseball’s elite eight, Roman is optimistic about what this spring holds and beyond.
“[This experience] has been a dream for me,” said Roman. “I’ve always wanted to be on a team that could be a contender for Omaha.
“Basically, I’m looking forward to getting my degree. And I do look forward to playing pro ball. I think I have a legitimate chance of getting drafted this spring. I’m just trying to get that opportunity.”
Reach Contributing Writer Brian Towey by e-mail at TimesLedgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 130.
