Former Red Sox Pitcher Brian Rose Begins First Season Coaching Bishop Stang

By Tom Joyce (@TomJoyceSports)

How many MIAA high school baseball coaches can say they played alongside Pedro Martinez, Jason Varitek and Nomar Garciaparra? Not many, but Brian Rose can.

The Dartmouth native and first-year Bishop Stang head coach is a five-year big league veteran who spent parts of four seasons (primarily as a starting pitcher) with the Boston Red Sox.

Rose, who played pro ball for 11 seasons, has coached AAU teams in the past, and is an assistant hockey coach at Dartmouth High. Even so, he is excited for his first opportunity to lead a high school baseball team, even if the Spartans are one of the Dartmouth High alum’s old high school rivals.

“I thought it was good timing,” Rose said. “It was an opportunity where I was looking for a place to coach and they were looking for someone to coach their team. It was a good fit.”

“I enjoy every minute of it,” he added. “I enjoy baseball. I like putting together practices. We’re pretty eager to get our game schedule going, but the weather hasn’t been cooperating. The boys are ready and we’re looking forward to it.”

When noting the differences between the big leagues and high school baseball, Rose said that, in the preseason, it is preparation. During Spring Training, players have a month and a half to prep for their season, while in high school, teams are lucky to have a full week outside before they jump into game action.

“There’s a lot you have to do, not only to get ready for Opening Day, but to prepare these kids through fundamental training, team practices, going through individual responsibilities,” Rose said. “It really has to happen over the course of a full season. You really have to try to do your best to get prepared and get these guys ready for the tournament. I think it’s a little bit of a challenge, but I think my past has prepared me to coach these kids to be fundamentally sound and using our time wisely.”

In addition to being talented enough to enjoy a big league career, Rose’s experience learning from MLB coaches during his time with the Red Sox, New York Mets, Colorado Rockies and Tampa Bay Devil Rays (now Tampa Bay Rays) is another major asset he brings to his team.

“I was very fortunate to have a lot of great coaches, not only with the Red Sox, but with other organizations as well,” Rose said of his playing days. “You take little bits and pieces from these guys who made me a better player, and being a better coach is something I’m trying to do everyday now. Just like a player, you try to improve on all fronts.”

Reflecting on big league career, the 1997 International League (East Coast Triple-A) MVP said one of his favorite pitching memories came in May of 1999 against that year’s World Series champs, the New York Yankees. Rose picked up two wins against Boston's most hated rival in one week, hurling seven scoreless innings at Fenway Park against the Bronx Bombers on May 19th, and six innings of one-run ball at the original Yankees Stadium on May 25th.

“It’s crazy when you look back at these lineups and see how many of these guys were Hall of Famers and the careers they had,” Rose said. “It’s crazy. I just wish I was healthy enough to stay there longer. That’s my one regret. The injuries happen and it’s just unfortunate. The elbow injury took me out of the game.”

In addition to his coaching duties, Rose works at the Bristol County District Attorney’s office for the Community Affairs Division under District Attorney Tom Quinn.