Editor-In-Chief
McALLEN, Texas - It's been a long, long, long time since Choche Gonzalez toiled behind the plate for the old and beloved McAllen Palms of the late 1960s, when Ruben Canche manned an always-dusty third base and when glitzy La Plaza Mall on South 10th Street here was but a gleam for architects, builders and the city's tax revenue office. The old ballpark, a wooden structure styled in the ways of Old Time baseball is long gone, the menacing fastballs of Alamo's Camilo "The Chief" Estevis no longer blazing past hitters on the still sun-splashed Sunday afternoons.
Until now.
Organized baseball is coming back to McAllen in the form of the just-announced McAllen Thunder team. They will suit-up and play in the North American Baseball League that now features the tenacious Edinburg Roadrunners and the scrambling Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings. The Thunder will be in the league's Southern Division, with the WhiteWings, Roadrunners, San Angelo Colts and the Yuma, Ariz., Scorpions - the latter being managed this coming season by the notorious Jose Canseco.
As with most minor league efforts in the sport, the arrival of the McAllen team was offered in a press conference yesterday that took the appearance of Big Time ball. Only, it isn't, and, sadly, it won't be. But it'll require three bases and a home plate and nine innings of play, so...
Much was made of Matt Stark, the 46-year-old Californian who will manage the team. Stark was introduced as a player with extensive experience. He has it, if only for a variety of minor league teams in this country and a host of Mexican League squads that includes the fabled Reynosa Broncos. Stark also was characterized as a manager with the experience needed to improve young players. The league teams are not affiliated with any Major League Baseball teams and are said to be even lower than A baseball, the lowest of the AA and AAA levels in the established and recognized minors.
His statistics in the majors? Not so good.
He played in 13 games, 5 with the Blue Jays and 8 with the Chicago White Sox. He went 1-12 at the plate for Toronto and 4-16 for Chicago. Four of his five hits were singles, the fifth a double. In all, he had 3 major league RBIs. His cumulative Major Leagues batting average stands at a lowly .179.
As with many major leaguers who lose favor with their Big League clubs, Stark headed for Mexico, where he bounced around for a variety of teams that included Reynosa, Mexico City (Diablos Rojos), Monterrey (Sultanes), Yucatan (Leones) and Culiacan (Tomateros), according to the blog, BroncosdeReynosa.wordpress.com.
His MLB career may have been short-lived, but Stark was in good company when he was drafted. You may recognize these other players who joined him that year in the amateur draft: Roger Clemens (Red Sox), Tim Belcher (Twins), Wally Joyner (Angels), Calvin Schiraldi (Mets), Dave Magadan (Mets) and Jeff Kunkel (Rangers). All of those players had better MLB careers than Stark, but it isn't rare for a top prospect to fall short. I remember a young flame-thrower by the name of David Clyde who went from high school one week to start a game for the Texas Rangers the next one in a game that filled old Arlington Stadium to the rafters. Clyde peaked that night. He won the game, but never lived up to his promise.
It happens in sports.
Matt Stark being in McAllen makes one wonder, but then we saw disgraced former major leaguer Jose Canseco of steroids fame come around here last season. For some reason, team owners believe fans are bowled-over just because these players and managers are described as having played someplace better. The RGV WhiteWings have former minor leaguer Eddie Dennis as manager, so Stark's in similar company here.
Why his arrival was ballyhooed by club and league officials at yesterday's announcement is the mystery. But we know they do it as part of the overall promotion, as part of a desire to create a buzz. To brand Stark as a player with major league experience, however, is a bit of reach.
Thirteen games and 5 hits in 28 at-bats is not something to crow about.
Still, it's about the game at this low level. It's about paying the five or six or seven bucks to watch players who know the game do their best, about blowing-off a movie and taking a seat behind third base with a beer and a hot dog and long list of humorous hecklings, about yelling "Kill the umpire!," about rising when a ball heads for the lights way above the fence, about laughing at a miscue, about ogling the legs of the chick in shorts nearby, about applauding or booing, about slapping the scorebook on your leg as you leave the emptying ballpark after the game...
- 30 -
[EDITOR'S NOTE: Because they have no ballfield of their own in the sparkling City of Palms, the McAllen Thunder will share one being used by the above-mentioned Roadrunners in nearby Edinburg. No word yet on Thunder players or mascot or ticket prices for their games...]
75 comments:
I would rather go to the games sponsored by the San Benito Boys and Girls Club. You can watch T-ball through Little League and only have to pay a dollar for a hotdog. Lots of fun and the kids really put on a show.
hmmmm. let's see Jerry Deal and Tony Chapa posted press releases about this new baseball team and The Tribune wrote the overlal story. hmmmmmm. No comaparison. The Trib gives reader more than what the teams is saying, which is as always misleading and pumped up. Deal you blew it and Chapaneco you had no chance against better reporting. LOL!!!
i have no problem with the Wings or other teams, bjut they do promote it as Big Time baseball. It is not. Go to an Houston Astros game and then go see the Whitewings. You'll see what I mean. Good story.
OUTstanding story! Better than most. live in Edinburg and have been to Roadrunners games. they're okay, but not great. Maybe the editor has seen superstars play in the Big City. when you taste steak you don't like hamburger so much anymore. keep up the good work!
I actually go to White Wings games occasionally in Harlingen but I know what I am going to see. I am somewhat disgusted by the shameful (and wrongful) promotion of this league and its teams. I was the one who first mused on Jerry's blog about the credentials of Eddie Dennis' managerial record and I thin started all of this debate. I count 9 or 10 teams in this league (there own website at one time promoted 16 teams). What happened to the remainder of the teams? Also, of the 9 or 10 teams, the teams do not even play a full round robin so they will be playing temas within their own division about 20 tiems each...how boring. Also, about Manager Stark, he actually had more strike outs than hits in his Major League career. Hey, I would take it, just to make the major leagues. But to really promote this guy as some bona fide ex-big leaguer is a bit of a stretch. There are ex-big leaguers with better credentials living in the RGV that no one even knows about (Pedro Borbon was on the Big Red Machine in the '70s). Then this league has the audacity to promote Jose Canseco as its premier ex-big leaguer? Give me a break. Steroids were the least of his problems. Twice arrested on domestic violence charges, his house foreclosed on, beat up tourists, and most recented signed a contract for an MMA fight and put his twin brother up to showing up in his place. Maybe tis leage can be the WWE of baseball...now that's a thought!
According to the Whitewings own website their schedule includes 42 games against the Roadrunners and 20 of those games in a row. Looks more like intramural play!
Voice, I have gone to Whitewings games, and last year the outfielders was horrible, they missed easy catchable balls, the pitching was something else.
Last year they were charging $6.00 bucket seats.
And then the clown eddie dennis, would go to the umpires and complained. I saw them two times and decided the movies were better.
I have a feeling McAllen is going to build a baseball field.
By the way, MR. Editor, I saw Los Broncos de Reynosa play, way back then. My dad took me several times. They played good baseball.
Mexican baseball is not too bad. I saw the San Antonio Missions play last year. They are a double AA team, let me tell you they play good ball. And Wolff stadium is really nice. They also attrack quiet a bit of people.
what does Jerry Deal have to say about all this? Nothing. Figures.
Jerry continues to fill every other article with baseball stories. True, he is paid to promote the teams so I guess we will have nothing but fluff coming out of MLN until after the Valley baseball season.
Just give us the real story. facts, not promotional stuff. We like to feel like we're smart enough to make sense of things. So the manager is no Alex Rodriguez. So what? But just tell us, don't hide the info. Thanks, Trib.
Chapaneco is attacking Jerry Deal saying deal cannot compete with him A 2-year-old would put Chapete to shame! is the dwarf retarded? is he still unemployed and sending his wife off to work every day while he types away all his nonsense. Retard blog. Can't write or spell or think. LOL!!
yeah, it's Press Release Friday on chapa's dying blog. nothing to read, not for adults anyway. plus he's attacking again. Pobre viejo parece un sonso!
Well, he is attacking the police, for chapete is that time of the month.
Pinche viejo hotinchon, I heard he was yelling at a cop outside the restaurant, acting like if he likes him. Afterwards, the word around the police station, was how big the cholona is, and how unattractive.
The word around some of the members of heat, is how the PAC plans to open their own blog, and allow police officers to defend themselves from the personal attacks from el faldillon. This chapated PUNK, hides behind a key board and smears people for no cause.
Thank you Mr. Paz-Martinez for allowing us to give this punkie ass two bid renegade, a taste of his medicine.
Hey, I'll buy that cutie commissioner from Brownsville as many round trips to Mexico on Frontera as her heart little desires. Just say when lovely, my bags are pack.
Pinche enano, is attacking Jerry Deal for calling his blog un-bonifide. Hey, Faldillon, your blog is a rag line blog that has no credibility, five fu%#%*ng comments,go clean house, AND GET DINNER READY because CHOLONA WANTS HER SUPPER ON TIME,JAJAJAJJAJJJA.
Glad to read, the Dow Jones S/M is up on points, reading the Washington Post and drinking Latte at Starbucks in the morning with such good news, gives my coffee better taste. Glad to see the S&P and NASDQ also gaining points.
Even My 2011 Ford, King Ranch edition drives better.
(Cutie Commish) Anon, I agree, behind that lovely smile, I bet there is tiger in the tank. By her vote, I gather she doesn't like to fly, well, how about a cruise?? I'm ready, anytime you are.
That McAllen manager says he's glad to be back in town. Where's he been, trying to hit a major league curve? LOL!
Chapa still around? Just saying. OL!!!
Brownsville man, Chapete is like a Roach, he won't go away, even when no one blogs at his cheap ass blog.
Oh well, in this world we live we things we don't like, Chapate.
If Deal, is going to turn his blog into a minor league baseball blog, lets hope he doesn't forget his other bloggers. REally no one cares for minor league ball.
Deal is just doing what he's told and paid to do. he's not a newsman on any of this. sorry, jerry.
Hector, I am beginning to believe, Mr. Deal wants to have it both ways.
He has Chapa on his side that is very critical of him and now he is trying to promote small time baseball, so sad.
Don Juan, with a name like that, it is disappointing to see you making moves on something or a woman as simple as the lady on the side bar. Common dude, she is way to plain Jane, get out of the Valley.
As the editor of this good blog writes, puro low end.
Personally, a 5ft 9in, and no more than 132 lbs. French, Viet-Namese, I say, are the prettiest women on this side of heaven. Just an opinion of course.
Press release day for Tony Chapa. Is he just a retard secretary now? amazing how he can just keep doing taht and think he's helping anything. get your ass out and get soem facts, dwarf. four-foot-seven-inches tall? That's not tall! LOL!!!
Another press release by Chapete! from Eddie Sucio Lucio. Chapaneco just posts it without comment, like he's maybe too stupid to put it in any sort of context. what if Lucio sends hima press release saying something stupid? Oh, yeah, chapete will post it! No doubt about it.
One more thing. Melissa Zamora the commissioner from Brownsville is smart in voting against the silly airline funding joke. One smart lady. Hope she runs for mayor one of these days.
Well, hopefully she will, but at the moment, you got some heavy weights running for Mayors of Brownsville.
Maybe in the future the lady can try her luck.
Chapaneco, just received a rebuttal from no other than Deal, Jerry is right, Chapaneco, doesn't know jack Sh*&*t about Journalism.
Chapanenco, knows 5 things, pick on the Harlingen police, pick on city employees, pick on the Trib and Myleadernews, and pick on the old guard. Anything else, he is toast.
Chapapenco, no vale un pinche nickle. He continues to blow his own horn, by saying he is number one, viejo jotinchon, que tiene a la cholona, trabajando, para manternlo. Faldillon.
Oyeme bien pendejo, yo soy mas hombre que tu, corrilon.
Unemployed and sending his vieja out to work every day. Four-foot-seven inches tall. That mental dwarf chapa is the poster boy for Stupid Mexican. He's still the number one Pendejo in town! LOL!!!
Anon, (vieja to work) es un mandilon, he gets about 6 comments a day and says he is getting 42. Forty two fleas are going to chase your dwarfy ass, when one of those fat cops sits on you, mamon.
Editors note, look, I am glad they removed the tent city usa.
No toilets, no water, no electricity, man made walls with old mattresses box springs, horrible, drug addicts, Harlingen has plenty of crazies, we don't need any more.
Maybe el viejo mamon de chapis can adopt a homeless, they are at about the same level.
I think bloggers like blogs need a break to, enjoy the day with the family.
Agree. It's okay to step away from the day to day stuff. It is a nice weekend. See you soon!
Enjoy your family, Paz. And get back in the fight ASAP! We need you in the valley.
the weeeknd's for family. Unless there's a big story around. doesn't seem to be today. Take your break and enjoy it, dude.
Two comments on about 7 headlines,el chapaneco, has lost it again, jajajajajaj, viejo inutil bueno para nada. And he wants to compete with the Trib and myleadernews.com.
His trashy blog is endorsing Joe. H for Mayor of San Benito.
Mr. Hernandez, el champaneco, has put the curse on you. Tell him you don't need his endorsement, jojjo quickly.
Pancho villa's finger for sale? wow!! what's next? Hitler's mustache? and $9,500? pleeeeeese.
Chapaneco endorsing anybody is a laugh. He knows squat about politics, always picks losers. He does it like a child would do it. Poor mayor he's been supported by a dwarf. Support your wife, chapete! Get a job and get out of the barrio, man! Que relajo!!!
oh, no. sorry to see Brownsville Porter lost in the soccer game upstate. They have good soccer at the school. there were high hopes I can tell you.
Every time Chapaneco endorses someone they lose. Mr. former mayor, you are doomed.
Endorsement from a low rent blog, is like getting a curse from a witch doctor.
Hurry was your self with Savila, and put Volcanico on the doors. El Pinche chpanaeco, is loose like the devil. HHHHEEELLLppppppp!!!!
Two comments all day, today, wowow, el enanin, is trying to say bad things about the Harlingen cops, but his idiotic senseless comments, aren't jiving anymore, viejo brujo faldillon, ponte a trabajar faldillon, support la cholona, two comments all day, what a laugh jajajajaja, hhahahahahah, jijijijijijiji, jojojojojoj jujujujujuju, el chanpaaneco, esta en la lona.
One, two, and three the winners, the Trib and Myleadernews.
Selling body parts is against the law, better becarefull. Over $250.00 is a felony, better watch what you are selling.
Porter High has very good soccer. Every year. we're proud of them and know they'll have a good team agains next year. way to go, Cowboys!
A dui is expensive, you might be looking at around $5.000.00 dollars. Guys don't drink and drive, I don't know, about anyone of you, but I would rather buy a watch, than pay some damn city, or state, or lawyers, money. Screw all of them.
Yes,, congratulations to the Porter Cowboys, you guys makes us proud. Nothing to be shame about, that is why the games are played. Hats off to the Brownsville Porter Cowboys. Lets get ready for next year.
ALL:...As always, good interesting comments. About Pancho Villa's finger, well, check out ElPasoTimes.com. Apparently, the bandit's finger is not the only weird thing for sale at that pawn shop. (2.) Never had a DUI charge, so I don't know what it costs in court fees, fines and attorney representation. But none of that is cheap. And we don't know whether it is, as drunks say after the fact, a "sickness," or merely guys and gals being stupid. I should note that state officials looking at the proposed Sobriety Checkpoints know it's not simply alcohol. Use of narcotics also is part of the motoring problem... - Editor
It is expensive, you pay a bondsman to be bonded out, after the arrest, believe me, than probation for one year, around $32.00 a month, in addition to a one time $50.00 to crime stoppers, plus fees for battered spousal abuse, then a specil permit license, around $150.00, fines, court cost, attorney fees around 1.500 to $2.000, it adds up quickly.
Interesting about the Mexico migration to McAllen. How many are we talking about?
Mr. Editor: What a shallacking THE TRIBUNE HAS DONE TO the blog del enano, I mean Champaneco, or Senor Naco, as he was referred to at the breakfast table last Saturday.
54 comments to 4 and two today, a total of six.
Mamon, how do you dispute the numbers. Even Deal, is kicking your dwarfy naco rear end.
Vete a trabajar con la cholona, maybe as a janitor, porque as a blog operator, you are FIRED. JAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJ.
Harlingen Man, you are right, but he didn't write the article, someone else did. 6 comments.
A good old style southern whipping, viejito mondingas, ora si te allaste a tu padre cabron.
Chapaneco will wake up oen day and realize he is just wasting his goddamnbed time. Pobre Dwarf. Mr. hemoroid
As they say, the Tribune doesn't seem to have a dog in the hunt. It goes after the story and is not Old Guard or New Guard. I can count on it to be fair, too. What else is ther?
Ese Chaparro, no vale nickle, es flonke, es naco, nomas no. Lives in Nacosville, aka Harlingen.
Anon, what is a Naco??? I have that word frequently, but don't know the meaning.
Jonesy, a Naco is a lazy, crazy, dumb Indian, mostly from the Chiapas state. One of the poorest state in Mexico.
Tecos are usually low lifes, dumb, indians from Mexico, they are considered at a lower level than Nacos.
Nacos are dumb, tecos are more sonsos than nacos. OR they say, in Texas, puro escrape.
So is it fair to say Champaneco is a Naco/Teco, because he doesn't work, and his cholonona supports him?? Or is he just un viejo sonso que nadie quiere. Well except cholonnnona.
Tony Chapa has no idea. His blog is dead and his readers have left the building. No one wants to see or hear anything he has to say. the man has been spayed. Pure and simple. He acts like he is el ultimo Pendejo, a man who may as well be an open sore for Harlingen. Go away, dwarfo.
Good weekend for the Tribune. One story + 64 comments. Chapaneco must be furious. A little furious anyway since he's like a dwarf. LOL!!!
Serioulsy is HIV in the porno industry something new? They go together. It's mostly idiots doing it so that other idiots can watch it on the internet. We're america, no?
Mr. Editor, it sure seems like in America the old axiom that money talks, is truth.
$500.000 dollars is quiet a bit of money for a green card. But I am sure some people will fork the cash out, welcome to cash strap USA. Bring plenty of green backs.
Hope those Mexicans paying their way into this country aren't tied into the drug cartels. That wiuld be a disaster. Not sure I buy in to this program. Citizenship for $500,000? Double it!
Well, what did the porno stars think, they are HIV inmune.
That is one bad illness, eventually it can kill you.
For bloggers who frequent gentleman's club, I say becareful!!!!!!
Hey, like them jeans from Walmart.
$500.000 dollars...huh...not bad, not bad, uncle sam, you should have told us, it is about the money, isn't it???
Universal green, oh yea, what a pretty color that is.
People of Walmart? Priceless!
I just can't believe someone would sell Pancho Villas fingers, hell for $9.500 there better be dna testing.
Federal Income Taxes, damn, if some people out there haven't done them yet, they better hurry up, tomorrow is the DAY, hurry, hurry, hurry up.
i get a $456 refund this year. about time! Pinche Tio Samuel quiere todo.
T-ball with kids little kids is betetr than the baseball the Whitewings play. I went last year but I'll neve rgo again. waste of time and baseballs.
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