new launching pad

Ralph is his given name, but he’s known as Rocket, a reference to the hustle he displayed as a young player. Rocket Wheeler is 55 now. His pro playing career consisted of six minor league seasons in the Toronto Blue Jays’ system. He’s devoted now to launching the careers of other players; he has been coaching or managing in pro ball since 1981, spending the last eight years in the Atlanta organization. He’ll spend his ninth as manager of the Double-A Mississippi Braves, it was announced today. Wheeler has won three minor league manager of the year awards at three different levels. In 2008, he was Baseball America’s choice for minor league manager of the year after his Class A Myrtle Beach club won 89 regular season games. That was the slugging bunch that included Brandon Hicks, Willie Cabrera, Eric Campbell, Concepcion Rodriguez, Ernesto Mejia and Tyler Flowers. Wheeler also knows the Southern League, having managed in it for three years while with Toronto. At this stage, it’s tough to predict what players Wheeler will have when the M-Braves open the 2011 season, though he’ll likely have a few that he managed at Myrtle Beach the last couple of years. As a veteran baseball man who has no doubt seen it all, you can bet Wheeler will get the best out of them.