Fans and love of the game
keep the Tecos at their best

By Sandra Iruegas

Baseball games involve for fans thoughts of homeruns, cheering crowds, and hotdogs. For the ballplayer, the game signifies hard work, distance, and time away from loved ones.
We go to the games and we see how they play, we know what number they wear, but do we know our Tecolotes team?
Los Tecolotes de Los Dos Laredos is a diverse team with players who come from all over the map. What was the hardest part of being a ballplayer? The answer was not training or dealing with injuries. It was being away from loved ones.
Tecolotes shortstop Julio Cesar Hernandez, 23, from Guadalajara, Jalisco has been with the Tecos for five years, and though he is single and has no kids he leaves behind parents, two sisters, and one brother. Being away from his family is difficult. "I don't see them for a long time," he said. Baseball has always been part of his life; he has been playing since he was six years old and says he enjoys meeting so many people from all over. The personal highlight of his career is being the Tecolotes' MVP in 1998.
Left fielder Joel Chimelis, 35, from Brooklyn, New York has been with the Tecos for four years. Life on the road is hard for him as well; Chimelis leaves behind a wife and three daughters when duty calls. He says that this is the only career for him; he has been playing baseball since he was 10. "This year's team is very united and we all play hard," he said. He added that team members become friends and family. His career highlight was being named MVP of the all-star game in 1996 when he played for Oaxaca.
Andres Santos, 25, plays right field. A native Laredoan, he has been a part of the Tecos for four years. Santos graduated from United High School and went on to attend Laredo Community College and then Northwood University in Dallas, were he got picked up to play back home. Though he plays for his hometown team, he is still apart from his family for weeks at a time when the Tecos play out of town. Santos has also been playing ball since he was a young boy. "I am fortunate to get paid for doing what I like to do, play ball," he said. His personal career highlight is from his first year on the team, when he hit five homeruns in five consecutive games.
Reymond Nuñez, 29, of the Dominican Republic, has been playing professionally for 12 years, but this is his first season with the Tecolotes, at third base. Nuñez is married and has two daughters. He finds being away from his family difficult, but he is aware that this comes with territory. Nuñez added that he has been a part of many teams but he has never been on a team that is so united. "That helps to win," he said, adding that bonding with this team has been a career highlight.
A native Nuevo Laredoan, first baseman Alejandro "La Cuca" Villarreal, 27, is single and resides in Nuevo Laredo with his family. He too finds it difficult to be on the road without close contact with his family. "Baseball is my love. There isn't anything else I could do," he said unequivocally. He is most proud of his performance last year when he batted over .300.
"We are giving 100% of ourselves and we want to win the championship for you, the fans," said Nuñez. "We need your support and we appreciate your attendance and positive energy."