Sunday, December 9, 2012

Caballero's Journey

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For the past two summers, you’d be hard pressed to find a better pitcher in the southwestern part of the country than Alfredo Caballero.  A mountain of a man, armed with a 96 mile-per-hour fastball, his resume boasts all-star selections, a Pitcher of the Year Award, a championship ring, and strikeout totals that resemble stats from players in video games.  “El Gallo Negro,” as he’s known, has been the toast of the town in Alpine, Texas, and recently received a promotion to the team in San Angelo, where his success continued.  Though things may seem to come easy to Alfredo now, they haven’t always been that way.
Born in Uvalde, Texas, Alfredo and two brothers, Victor Jr. and Marcus, grew up in a very poor family.  His mother and father, both hard workers, did their best to provide, but the family was without some of the luxuries other might take for granted.  Caballero remember winters as a boy when his mother would have to boil pots of water on the stove in their trailer home to fill the bathtub so he and his brothers could bathe.
Paying the bills was a family affair.  Since the age of four, Alfredo and his brothers would help their father, a mechanic, service freight trucks on Saturdays.  Not an easy task to begin with, the Caballero boys would have to travel all over southern Texas to service every big rig in Uvalde, Del Rio, and Eagle Pass, sometimes clocking 17-hour days.  During hurricane season, the trucks would travel distances close to a thousand miles in a single day, bringing supplies to affected areas.  The boys and their father would be forced to grease down the engines while they were still scalding hot from the truck’s long journeys, as the drivers did not have time to wait for them to cool before disembarking again.  To this day, Alfredo will invite you to try to find a piece of skin on his hand that is pinchable.  His palms are tough and course from years of abuse at the hands of scorching engine grease.
The job would begin before sunrise and finish long, long after sunset.  One occasion that stands out in Alfredo’s memories is when he, his father, and his brothers worked so late into the next night that his brother Marcus fell asleep on the hood of a truck in the midst of washing the windshield.  Alfredo shook him awake and they continued on until four or five in the morning when Alfredo’s mother came and insisted the boys stop and come home to sleep.  Alfredo’s father continued on to finish the job.
The baseball field was an escape for Alfredo, though even there the playing field was still not level.
The Raleys were a prominent family in Uvalde, and like the Caballeros, they had three sons, all of whom excelled in sports.  Terry Raley, boys’ father, had been a minor league baseball player in the Toronto Blue Jays farm system during the 1980s.  In Uvalde, Terry Raley would coach a little league team that featured the eldest brothers from each family, Russell Raley and Marcus Caballero.  Both Russell and Marcus were great shortstops, but Terry always gave the position to his son, and Marcus was relegated to right field.
Upset that Marcus never had a chance to play his best position, Victor Sr. decided to coach his own team the following season.  Victor Sr. had run track as a child, but had never played baseball and knew virtually nothing about the sport.  In fact, Alfredo was taught how to throw by his mother.
The team that Victor Sr. assembled, the Reds, was comprised of mostly Mexican children who had never played on an organized team before.  They had mostly played stickball, as they had been too poor to afford little league.  A rag-tag bunch, they were in stark contrast to the Raleys’ team, the Rangers, who were decked out in new jerseys and hats, and had the top of the line bats and helmets.  The Reds wore standard issue uniforms and all pitched in to buy the team one good bat.  The Rangers used Rawlings gloves, and the Reds bought their mitts at Walmart.
On top of the economic disparity between the two teams, there was another obvious difference: all of the Rangers’ players were white, and nearly all of the Reds players were of Mexican descent.
Though Alfredo says that he never experienced any overt racism, it was clear that, growing up in Uvalde, race relations were tense.  Walking through town during baseball season, Alfredo overheard a white woman, whom he actually knew, talking about the little league teams.  To a friend, she was accusing the Reds of being a racist team that only accepted Hispanics.  Upon noticing Alfredo and realizing that he had heard her rant, she became embarrassed and tried to smooth over her comments, but the damage had been done.
Despite their lower socio-economic status, inferior equipment, and a coach that didn’t know the sport, the Reds went on to win three consecutive little league championships behind Alfredo’s pitching, and his brothers’ play.
In high school, Alfredo would be teammates with Russell Raley, but the old rivalry lingered, and their relationship was not always the best.  Raley and another player from the old Rangers teams, Chase Gerdes, formed there own clique which created tension within the team.
While the Raleys and Gerdes were being recruited by big schools like Baylor, the University of Oklahoma, and Texas A&M, Alfredo was largely overlooked.  The team’s only reliable pitcher, Alfredo would pitch the biggest games, against the toughest opponents, and be forced to throw deep into the game, their coach not trusting anyone else.  As a result of the excessive workload, Alfredo would often struggle in the later innings of games, and often ended up losing by a slim margin, leading scouts to question his skill.
After pitching one season at Alvin Junior College, Alfredo transferred to division two University of the Incarnate Word, where he would have a turbulent, though successful, college career.
Brooks Raley made his major league debut with the Chicago Cubs this past season.  Cory, the youngest of the brothers, was drafted by the Cleveland Indians but turned down a pro contract to play at Texas A&M on a scholarship.  Russell Raley, the eldest brother, briefly played in the minor leagues for the New York Yankees before retiring due to injury.
            After bouncing around independent ball for a season after college, Alfredo found a home in Alpine.  He was the 2011 Pecos League Pitcher of the Year as a starter, and in 2012, was moved to a closer’s role, where he was dominant and helped the Cowboys win their first Pecos League championship.  He was also selected to represent Alpine on the all-star team in both seasons.  At the end of the season this year, he was promoted to the San Angelo Colts of the North American baseball league, taking a significant step up in the independent baseball ranks.
            The situation off the field has improved for the rest of the Caballero family, as well.  Gone are the 17 hour work days, touring southern Texas to service every truck in the area.  Victor Caballero Sr. signed a lucrative contract with one of Texas’ largest power companies, and is widely regarded as the best electrical mechanic around.  The Caballero bought a plot of land in Uvalde, and built themselves a new house.  The construction of their home, like their early service work and little league baseball play, was a complete family effort.  Marcus Caballero, having been a graphic design student, designed the blue prints for the entire home.  Different cousins and uncles helped with the sheet rock and roofing and plumbing.
Caballero will return to San Angelo for next season, and is expected to be the anchor at the end of their bullpen.  Though he may be a year or two older than the ideal prospect, there are few pitchers that have the makeup and poise that Alfredo possesses – and can throw a fastball in the mid-90s.  It hasn’t always been an easy road Caballero, but this may only be the beginning his baseball journey.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Alpine Cowboys Offseason


The Pecos League is still in its infant stages of existence, but in its short two year history one team has begun to stand out above the rest.

The Alpine Cowboys are quickly becoming the powerhouse organization in a league that is earning a reputation for sending players to higher levels of professional baseball.  Led by manager Ryan Stevens, the Cowboys have reached the playoffs in both years of the league's existence, and took home the 2012 Pecos League Championship, this August - not to mention, they won the Continental League Championship the year before joining the Pecos League.
Most players that participate in the Pecos League are looking to use it as a springboard to a higher level of play, which causes high turnover.  This past season's championship team returned only 10 players from the successful 2011 team.  To have consistent success year after year, when the majority of the players from any team change more often then the average person changes their clothes, requires phenomenal coaching, scouting, player development, and management.

“Its difficult to go through so many players,” said Stevens.  “You have to keep a set foundation with a style of play and the type of players that you bring in and out of here to be successful.” 

Under the direction of Stevens, who also scouts for the Washington Nationals, the Cowboys have continued to help players reach their goal of moving up the ranks, while still succeeding on the field.
The Cowboys are coming off a season in which they were 45-24, the best record in the league.  Alpine went 4-1 in the playoffs to win the Pecos League Championship over the Las Cruces Vaqueros in an exciting and action packed series.  The only thing more impressive than Alpine’s regular season and playoff record is the fact that they only lost six total games at home all year. 
If you ask any of the Cowboys players or coaches why they had such success at home they will immediately point to the city of Alpine and its great fans.

“Alpine is a great baseball town,” said Cowboys All Star closer Alfredo Caballero.  “The Cowboys are the best team to play for in the Pecos league.  We have the best field, the players are paid the best, and we have by far the best fan support in the league. The people in the city treat you great; why wouldn’t you want to play for the Cowboys?”
Said Stevens: “It’s special because the community is very involved in everything we do.  Alpine is the smallest pro-ball market in the country and it’s special when you can hold an organization together with such a strong tradition.  The expectations are to win every year.”
Part of that rich tradition comes in the form of the team’s stadium, Kokernot Field.  The General Manger of the team, Kristen Cavness, is a descendent of the original Cowboys owner, Herbert Kokernot, and is very involved in the day-to-day activity of the team.
“Kristen did a great job all year as the GM and holding everything together for us,” said Stevens.  “She did a great job with the game day operations and everything. She really made it a community effort and got a lot of people to volunteer.”

During spring training the team spent some time training at the Kokernot o6 Ranch and were able to take away positive things from the environment.
“When all the players got here they all got put up together at the o6 ranch and they stayed there with no internet, television, or cell phone service and they had nothing to do but spend time with each other,” said Stevens.  “They learned a lot about themselves and relied on each other.  I’d like to think doing that helped them form the bond and traditions that allowed us to be successful.”
There is no question that chemistry played one of the biggest roles in the Cowboys success this past season.  Just by watching a game it was evident that it was a special group of guys playing for each other in a Cowboys uniform.
“I think us winning the championship meant a lot to the city of Alpine,” said Caballero.  “We showed all year long we were a good team and took care of business in the playoffs.  The guys on the team will always continue to be my friends, I still keep in touch with all of them.”
 It didn’t take long for the success on the field to draw attention not only from the city of Alpine and the rest of the Pecos League, but also from the higher ranks of independent league baseball and affiliated organizations.
Just this last year the Cowboys had a player signed by the Washington Nationals and sent around 10 total players to higher levels of professional baseball.  In total, Stevens and the Cowboys have now sent over 25 players to a higher league and had three signed to affiliated organizations in the last three seasons.
As the winning continued for the Cowboys, Pecos League accolades began to trickle in for the team as well.  Ten Cowboys players were named to the Pecos League All Star Team, which happened to be coached by Stevens who was thrilled to receive the offer to coach the team.
“It’s always nice to win personal accolades but that is not what it’s about,” said Stevens.  “I kept talking to the team about how all stars and personal awards don’t matter unless you win the championship at the end of the year.  The goal is to always win a championship.”
Some end of the season awards were handed out to people in the Cowboys organization as well, including Brett Kennedy, who won Pitcher of the Year and Stevens who was named Manager of the Year.  Stevens eclipsed the century mark in career wins this past season and now has an overall record of 114-67.  Most people would be happy with personal accomplishments and attention, but Stevens refuses to let anything he does overshadow the players on the field.
“I don’t think about the personal success, I just think about doing things the right way and helping these kids out and winning championships,” said Stevens.  “Our reputation and consistency has allowed many of our players to gain recognition and coaches of other teams want the guys we have.”
 
With all of that being said, Stevens couldn’t be happier with the way this past season and the director of the Alpine Cowboys organization is going.
“Its definitely up there,” said Stevens.  “You have a vision of how you want things to go and where you want to bring an organization, and this was the direction I wanted to take them.”

“The tradition, community, stadium, and the entire atmosphere are what make the organization so special. If you want to be a part of winning organization, you want to be a Cowboy.”



Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Cowboys Earn Top Pecos League Honors


On the night the Cowboys clinched first place and a regular season title in the Pecos League, Alpine also came up big in the league awards.  Ryan Stevens was named the 2012 Pecos League manager of the year, and Cowboys ace Brett Kennedy was named 2012 Pecos League Pitcher of the Year.

In his third year managing the Cowboys, Stevens lead the team to a league best record at 44-24.  “I’ve been in pro-ball for a while, and I’ve won a championship, but I’ve never been named the Manger of the year in a league.  It’s a great honor.”

Stevens has moved a handful of players up to higher leagues already, this season, including Andrew Wall, who recently signed with the Washington Nationals organization.

Stevens also recorded his 100th career victory as a manager in professional baseball this season.  He is 108-67 (.617) in his career.

Kennedy, a right-handed pitcher from Atlanta, Georgia, won the award for the league’s top pitcher, as a rookie.  “I’m really honored,” Kennedy said, “It’s taken a lot of hard work throughout my career to get to this point, and I've had a great group of teammates, family, and friends around me this year to help me make it happen.”

Kennedy is 6-2, and leads the Pecos League in earned run average at 2.47, which is over an entire run lower than the next closest hurler.  Kennedy also has 69 strikeouts on the season, just one off of the pace in the league.

Steve Rinaudo, outfielder for the Las Cruces Vaqueros, was named the league’s most valuable player.  Rinaudo ranks sixth in the league in hitting with a .393 average, fourth in home runs, and leads Pecos League hitters with 85 runs batted in.  Additionally, Rinaudo has 22 stolen bases, which is good for fourth in the league.  Rinado went five-for-six with a double, two triples, and three runs batted in a recent game verse the Cowboys.

Both Stevens and Kennedy expressed similar sentiments regarding things moving forward.  “I’m thrilled to have won the award, but my goal, and the team’s goal, from the start of the season has been to bring a championship back to Alpine” Stevens said.

The playoffs begin on Thursday at Kokernot Park, with the Cowboys hosting the fourth seeded Trinidad Triggers.  Kennedy will take the mound in game one, for Alpine.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Invaders' Short signs with Yankees


 Roswell Invaders closer Charley Short was signed by the New York Yankees organization, announced last night.  Short had been nothing shy of dominant this season in the Pecos League.  The Barry University alum had an 0.60 ERA in 15 innings with 28 strikeouts and was six-for-six in save opportunities for Roswell.

Short will not be missed by the Cowboys, who were batting .055 (1/18) in four games against him.  The lone hit against him was an infield single by Justin McDavid, and Short had struck out 12 Alpine batters without allowing a walk.

One of Roswell’s strengths is their bullpen.  Simon Walters may look to Dakota Luefenburg or Brandon Godfrey to assume the ninth inning role.

Friday, July 20, 2012

The Return of Nacho


            Nick “Nacho” Ochoa made his highly anticipated return to the Alpine Cowboys last night as he was in the starting lineup at DH and batted fifth for the Cowboys against the Trinidad Triggers. 
Nacho is no stranger to the Cowboys or Kokernot Field as he spent the 2011 season with the team and hit .394 with five home runs and 24 RBI’s while spending much of the season as the team’s first baseman. 
 Ochoa spent the beginning of the 2012 season with the Abilene Prairie Dogs of the North American Independent League before deciding he wanted to return to the Cowboys for one last championship run.
Cowboys manager Ryan Stevens knows just how important Ochoa can be to a lineup and immediately jumped at the opportunity to bring him back to the place where his professional career first began.
“Nacho has always been a fan favorite, he is an original Cowboy, a power hitter.  He brings a swagger to the game and is definitely a force to be reckoned with,” said Cowboys manger Ryan Stevens.
Ochoa could prove to be an important pickup for the Cowboys, who have yet to have someone grab ahold of the starting first base job.  While the team as a whole rarely lacks the ability to score runs or hit for power, adding depth this late in the season can only have a positive impact on the team. 
As for Nacho himself, he is looking for his career to come full circle as he is planning his retirement following the season.
“Honestly I just came back here to retire,” said Ochoa.  “I played my first three years of professional ball here so this is home to me.  I came back to play my last year here and hopefully win us a championship.”
Since the news broke about Nacho coming back to the Cowboys, there has been a lot of positive reaction in the community and Nacho couldn’t be more thrilled to hear that the city of Alpine and the surrounding area is taking him back with open arms.
“The community has always been behind me since I first got here, it means the world to me,” said Ochoa.  “They have watched me grow up from a 21 year old kid to where I am at now and I couldn’t be happier to be back.” 

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Nationals Sign A. Wall


On Wednesday, the Washington Nationals purchased the contract of Cowboys left-handed pitcher Andrew Wall.  Wall, a reliever, has been assigned to the Nationals short-season single-A affiliate, the Auburn Doubledays.

Wall had been one of the most dependable arms out of the bullpen all season, with a 2.70 earned run average over 22 appearances, and a near three-to-one strikeout-to-walk ratio.  He was used as both a match-up lefty and a late inning reliever out of the Cowboys bullpen.  The 23-year-old rookie showed terrific development over the course of the season, as he proved he was able to get both right and left-handed batters out, and his fastball velocity increased into the low 90s. 

Photo Credit: Stephanie Ballard, Ballard Photography
“A. Wall’s been throwing really well,” Cowboys Manger Ryan Stevens said of his now former player, “He’s a power pitcher, and he’s a power lefty arm coming out of the pen.  There aren’t too many guys like him.”

Wall, who hails from Newfield, New York, and played his college ball at Ithaca College, will be right in his backyard with Auburn in upstate New York for the rest of the season. “It’s surreal,” Wall said, “Being only an hour away from home, it’s unbelievable.  It’ll be nice to have family there and friends there.”

In the short two-year history of the Pecos League, four players have made the jump to Major League Baseball affiliated teams, three of which have now come from the Cowboys.  Ryan Stevens is quickly garnering a reputation as one of the best managers around independent baseball, especially pertaining to his ability to move players up to higher levels.

“I try to find the best all around players that might have been overlooked.  We want to get them in the system and teach them ‘the Cowboy way.’

“It’s more than just [their skill] on the field, though.  We want guys who have good character and strong work ethic.  From there, we just try to give them the best opportunity to succeed.”

Two of Stevens’ 2011 Cowboys, David Valesente and Jon Edwards, are currently playing in single-A, for the Pirates and Rangers organizations, respectively.  Both signed affiliated contracts this past winter.

Wall looks forward to another new opportunity.  “Coming out of college, [signing with an afilliated team] wasn’t really something I saw in my future, but having the opportunity to play with a great group of guys, a great organization, and a great coach,” Wall said, “everything fell into place.”