8/11/2012-Pecos League settles numbers off the field. The 2012 season is complete and with any independent league there were highs and lows below is the report of 2012 Pecos League Teams.
1. Santa Fe Fuego-The Pecos League took a huge chance by moving into Santa Fe and playing at Fort Marcy Park. Santa Fe had never had a Professional Baseball team and Fort Marcy Park was not thought of as a professional park. This quickly changed in November 2011 when a The Pecos League won a heated City Council vote to sell alcohol in Fort Marcy Park. From that day forward Fuego Nation was born. Fans loved their Fuego and seeing high quality baseball at Fort Marcy Park. The fact the Fuego lost 2/3 of its games didn't matter the Fuego lead the league in attendence and all offensive categories. The 7000 foot elevation and short fences at Fort Marcy Park made the games extremely exciting. The Fuego are now a fixture in the Pecos League after one year of playing the only people that disagree are the pitchers who have to pitch there. They also had a great group of staff that helped run the team.
2. Las Cruces Vaqueros-The Las Cruces Vaqueros had a great bounceback year from 2011. The team finished in 2nd place in the standings and scored alot of runs. Fans quickly realized this and the Vaqueros more than doubled attendence of 2011. The renovations to the bleachers at Apodoca Park helped. The new coaching staff and new players helped even more. Vaqueros fans are excited and energized for the 2013 season and beyond. Apodoca Park is the New Mexico Gem of the Pecos League. The City of Las Cruces has made Apodoca Park very affordable and viable for the Pecos League. The change in off the field staff helped as well.
3. Alpine Cowboys-The Alpine Cowboys had another solid year in the Pecos League. They had some struggles with two week road trips to Santa Fe and Trinidad, but they finished in first place and the only complaints their fans had was the team was on the road too much. The Alpine Cowboys organization finally got a viable lease with Sul Ross State and the City of Alpine to use and maintain Kokernot Park.
4. Trinidad Triggers-Trigger time was born in Colorado as the Pecos League moved to Trinidad Colorado. The Triggers had great support in their inaugural year despite complete turnmoil within the City of Trinidad. The Pecos League's agreement to move to Trinidad was made between Andrew Dunn and City Manager Ed Gil De Rubio in 2011. Gil De Rubio was ousted out of office and things were crazy from that point forward. Justin Lowery was removed as field manager halfway through the season. Assistant Operations Manager Tom Davis was removed near the end of the season. Despite losing these three key people the Triggers made the playoffs and have a favorable lease to play in Central Park. Local fans loved the Pecos League and the Triggers. The Triggers had huge crowds for opening night and the fourth of July.
5. White Sands Pupfish-The Pupfish had a terrible year on the field and it reflected with the attendence.
The Pupfish failed to make the playoffs and the players had little interaction with the community. This combination proved fatal for the Pupfish in 2012 but will be improved for 2013. Despite this the Pupfish have a great deal in Alamogordo and the Pupfish will be a permanant fixture in the Pecos League. The Pecos League has a three year commitment to stay in Alamogordo and the City of Alamogordo is one of the top supporters of the Pecos League. The team will goto their desert camo look for 2013 and bring in a new staff. The Pupfish will have a rebound year for sure in 2013.
6. Roswell Invaders-To say the Roswell Invaders were a dispointment would be a huge understatement. The Invaders were the model franchise in 2011 winning the Championship and leading the league in attendence. 2012 was a disaster from the rainout opening day. Three days later the Coaching Staff and the General Manager had a standoff and the team was left with no general manager. The loyal fans from 2011 turned on the team immediately.
Attendence immediately plummeted. The 2nd general manager resigned after working only two weeks. She could not get things organized mid season and could not work with staff or team that was there. The Invaders Organzation lost alot of credibility which was established in 2011 almost overnight. Things quickly spiraled when the Host Hotel Frontier Motel nearly doubled their rates mid season.
The Pecos League attempted to move all games out of Roswell for rest of season and began to have series questions about the viablity of Roswell to support a team.
The loyal Invaders were left confused and mad at league. The lease with the City of Roswell and the Pecos League will not work at Joe Bauman Park so the Invaders are currently in need of two basic things for the 2013 season a place to play and a place to stay. A lease from either NMMI or the City that will allow the Invaders to be comparable to the other Pecos League Teams. A deal with a host hotel that is comparable to other cities in the Pecos League. The Pecos League is committed to attempt to bring in new staff to run the team and to try to get the Invaders back to their status of 2011.