2016 White Sands Pupfish Season Recap - Mickey Speaks Builds a Competitive Team Around Some of the Best Players in the Pecos League

The 2016 White Sands Pupfish were not a playoff team. They did not finish with a winning record, and their final 28-39 record doesn't immediately look like one of the more interesting seasons in franchise history. But the record does not tell the entire story.

Under manager Mickey Speaks, the Pupfish assembled one of the more talented individual groups the franchise had fielded in years. White Sands had one of the best hitters in the entire Pecos League in TJ Wharton. It had Eric Kalbfliesh putting together a franchise-record season for hits. It had Dubal Baez hitting over .400 and creating havoc on the bases. It had Anthony Pastrana leading the pitching staff and representing White Sands in the Pecos League All-Star Game.

And throughout the summer, the Pupfish demonstrated that they could beat some of the best teams in the league. They beat Alpine. They beat Roswell. They even defeated the Tucson Saguaros, a team that would finish 51-14 and win the Pecos League Championship.

For a White Sands franchise that had experienced several difficult seasons earlier in the decade, Mickey Speaks had restored a level of competitiveness and player development that made the Pupfish dangerous again.

View the White Sands Pupfish year-by-year Pecos League records.

Mickey Speaks Returns to Alamogordo

Mickey Speaks had taken over the Pupfish in 2015 and immediately produced one of the strongest seasons White Sands had enjoyed since the league's inaugural year. The 2015 Pupfish won 37 games, and Speaks had created stability after several seasons of managerial changes and uneven results.

He returned for 2016 with the goal of continuing that progress at Griggs Park. The Pecos League would ultimately credit Speaks with consecutive seasons managing White Sands in 2015 and 2016. His two-year run made him one of the most successful managers in the history of the Pupfish franchise.

View the official Pecos League historical standings.

A Completely Different Pecos League

The league around White Sands was also changing dramatically. The Tucson Saguaros entered the Pecos League for 2016 and immediately became one of its strongest franchises. Tucson played at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium and eventually went 51-14.

Roswell remained powerful under Bryan Kloppe and finished 44-23. Garden City won 38 games. Trinidad won 35. Alpine remained an established Southern Division rival.

White Sands was trying to compete in a league that was becoming deeper and more geographically complicated every year. The Pupfish finished 28-39, but they were considerably more dangerous than many teams with similar records.

View the complete 2016 Pecos League standings.

White Sands Opens by Beating Alpine

The season began with an immediate statement. White Sands defeated the Alpine Cowboys 11-8 on Opening Night. Joe Borowski collected three hits and drove in two runs.

The Pupfish produced 24 combined hits with Alpine in a game that looked exactly like early Pecos League baseball - offense everywhere and very little breathing room for pitchers. White Sands was 1-0. It was an encouraging beginning for Speaks' second season.

Read the official recap of White Sands' 11-8 Opening Night victory over Alpine.

TJ Wharton Becomes One of the Best Hitters in the League

No player defined the 2016 White Sands offense more than TJ Wharton. Wharton put together one of the greatest offensive seasons in Pupfish history.

He played 53 games and collected 96 hits in 227 at-bats, giving him a .423 batting average. Wharton scored 54 runs, hit 20 doubles, added three triples, hit 10 home runs and drove in 67 runs.

Those numbers placed him among the elite hitters in the entire Pecos League.

View TJ Wharton in the official 2016 Pecos League statistics.

Wharton could beat teams in almost every way. On May 25 against Tucson, he went 3-for-5 with a double, a home run and four RBIs. Three days later against Salina, Wharton went 4-for-4 with a double and a triple. On June 14 against Tucson, he collected four hits. On June 20 at Alpine, he hit two home runs.

He was not simply accumulating statistics against weak opponents. Wharton was producing against some of the strongest clubs in the league.

Wharton Earns an Opportunity in Ottawa

Eventually, Wharton's production created an opportunity beyond White Sands. On July 16, the Pupfish moved Wharton to the Ottawa Champions.

The move removed one of White Sands' best hitters from the lineup during the second half of the season, but it also represented exactly what Pecos League baseball was supposed to accomplish. A player came to Alamogordo. He dominated. Another professional organization noticed. And he moved on.

View the official Pecos League transaction moving TJ Wharton to the Ottawa Champions.

Eric Kalbfliesh Sets a White Sands Hits Record

Eric Kalbfliesh became the other major constant in the White Sands lineup. Kalbfliesh played throughout the season and ultimately established the franchise single-season record with 115 hits. He appeared in 66 games, another White Sands single-season high.

His presence gave Speaks an everyday player capable of consistently putting the ball in play and keeping the offense moving. Kalbfliesh produced several enormous games during the summer.

On June 19, he drove in five runs as White Sands stunned Tucson 13-12. On July 16, he went 4-for-4 with a home run and a double as White Sands defeated Trinidad 7-6. In the final week of the season, Kalbfliesh again delivered important hits as the Pupfish beat Roswell 11-10 at Griggs Park.

View the official 2016 Pecos League statistics.

Dubal Baez Hits .415

Dubal Baez gave White Sands another elite offensive player. Baez played 45 games and collected 71 hits in 171 at-bats. He hit .415 and scored an extraordinary 68 runs in only 45 games.

He hit 11 doubles and four triples and also stole 20 bases. That combination of batting average and speed made him extremely difficult to contain. When Baez reached base, he immediately put pressure on opposing defenses.

Between Baez and Wharton, the Pupfish had two hitters above .400 for much of the season.

View Dubal Baez in the official Pecos League statistics.

Joe Borowski Supplies Power

Joe Borowski became one of White Sands' most dangerous power hitters. He repeatedly delivered in important games.

On June 4 against Alpine, Borowski collected four hits and drove in three runs as White Sands won 7-5. On June 23 at Santa Fe, he hit two home runs and drove in three in a 5-1 victory. On July 4, Borowski homered again and drove in three as White Sands defeated Santa Fe 8-3. Late in July, he homered during an 11-4 victory at Fort Marcy Park.

Borowski gave Speaks another legitimate middle-of-the-order threat.

View the official 2016 White Sands game stories.

Vladimer Gomez Brings More Home-Run Power

Vladimer Gomez also became a major offensive weapon once he entered the lineup. On June 21 at Kokernot Field, Gomez went 3-for-4 and hit two home runs as White Sands defeated Alpine 9-2. He drove in three runs and scored three times.

Then on July 2 at Santa Fe, Gomez hit two more home runs as the Pupfish won 16-7. The combination of Wharton, Kalbfliesh, Baez, Borowski, Gomez, Aaron Olivas and Zac Johnson gave White Sands genuine offensive depth.

This was not a lineup opposing teams could dismiss because of the Pupfish's position in the standings.

Aaron Olivas Produces One of the Biggest Games of the Season

Aaron Olivas supplied another memorable offensive performance on July 3 at Fort Marcy Park. White Sands defeated Santa Fe 18-7.

Olivas drove in six runs. He homered in the first inning as the Pupfish scored nine runs over the first three innings and took complete control. White Sands collected 19 hits in the game.

For stretches during the summer, the Pupfish offense could overwhelm teams.

Read the official recap of White Sands' 18-7 victory over Santa Fe.

Anthony Pastrana Emerges as the Staff Leader

Anthony Pastrana became White Sands' most important starting pitcher. Pastrana appeared in 14 games and made 13 starts. He finished 5-4 and threw 74.2 innings.

He struck out 82 hitters, the highest total on the Pupfish staff. His 82 strikeouts became a White Sands single-season franchise record. Pastrana also completed one game.

View Anthony Pastrana's official 2016 Pecos League statistics.

One of Pastrana's best performances came June 23 against Santa Fe. He threw a complete game, allowed no earned runs, gave up only five hits and struck out eight. White Sands won 5-1.

Earlier in June, Pastrana also threw five shutout innings while striking out seven as the Pupfish defeated Alpine 4-1. He gave Mickey Speaks exactly what every independent manager needs - a starter capable of stopping losing streaks and working deep into games.

Pastrana, Wharton and Baez Become All-Stars

White Sands received significant recognition when the Pecos League selected its 2016 All-Star teams. Anthony Pastrana represented the Pupfish pitching staff. TJ Wharton was selected at catcher. Dubal Baez was also selected from the White Sands roster.

Having three players chosen for the Southern Division team reflected the amount of talent Speaks had assembled despite the club's losing record.

View the official 2016 Pecos League All-Star rosters.

Billy Waltrip Throws a Gem Against Salina

Pastrana wasn't the only White Sands pitcher capable of delivering a big start. On May 26, Billy Waltrip helped the Pupfish defeat the Salina Stockade 10-5.

Waltrip worked 7.2 innings, allowed only three earned runs and struck out 12 hitters. The performance gave White Sands a 4-5 record and helped stabilize the club after an uneven opening stretch.

Read the official recap of Billy Waltrip's 12-strikeout victory.

The Pupfish Could Beat Alpine

One of the clearest signs of White Sands' improvement was how competitive the club could be against Alpine. The Cowboys had been one of the defining franchises in the Pecos League from the beginning. Yet the Pupfish repeatedly gave Alpine problems.

White Sands beat the Cowboys 11-8 on Opening Night. On June 2, the Pupfish won 4-1 behind Pastrana and three hits from Wharton. On June 4, White Sands won 7-5 behind four hits and three RBIs from Borowski. Then on June 21 at Kokernot Field, White Sands won 9-2 behind two home runs from Gomez.

A team capable of beating Alpine repeatedly clearly had enough talent to compete. The challenge was producing that baseball consistently enough over the entire schedule.

View the 2016 Alpine-White Sands game archive.

White Sands Beats the 51-Win Tucson Saguaros

Perhaps the most impressive victory of the entire season came June 19. Tucson was on its way to one of the greatest seasons in Pecos League history. The Saguaros eventually finished 51-14 and won the championship.

But on this night, White Sands beat them. The Pupfish defeated Tucson 13-12. The teams combined for 29 hits. Eric Kalbfliesh drove in five runs. Zac Johnson earned the victory. White Sands improved to 12-21.

For one night, the difference in the standings meant nothing. The Pupfish had beaten the best team in the league.

Read the official recap of White Sands' 13-12 victory over eventual champion Tucson.

A Strong July Stretch

The Pupfish played some of their best baseball around the beginning of July. On July 1, White Sands defeated Santa Fe 10-9. On July 2, the Pupfish won 16-7. On July 3, they won 18-7. On July 4, they completed another victory, 8-3.

Four straight wins at Fort Marcy Park. During that stretch, White Sands improved from 18-28 to 21-28.

The Pupfish had suddenly begun playing the type of baseball their roster suggested they could play. They were hitting. They were producing power. And Pastrana gave them quality pitching.

For a moment, it appeared the season might still have another run in it.

View the complete July 2016 Pecos League game archive.

The Loss of Wharton Changes the Lineup

White Sands' chances of making a serious late push became much more difficult when Wharton left for Ottawa. He had been the club's most dangerous hitter.

A .423 batting average. Ninety-six hits. Twenty doubles. Ten home runs. Sixty-seven RBIs.

Replacing that level of production in the middle of a Pecos League season is almost impossible. For the player and the organization, the move was a success. For the White Sands lineup, it left an enormous hole.

Still, the Pupfish continued competing.

White Sands Beats Roswell 7-2

On July 19, the Pupfish produced another statement victory. Roswell entered the game 41-17. The Invaders were headed for the playoffs and were one of the strongest teams in the Southern Division.

White Sands defeated them 7-2 at Griggs Park. Vladimer Gomez reached base three times. Garret Alvarez threw seven innings without allowing an earned run. He allowed seven hits, walked only one and struck out five.

Again, the Pupfish demonstrated that their final record did not represent their ceiling on any given night.

Read the official recap of White Sands' 7-2 win over Roswell.

A Wild Final Home Victory

White Sands' final stretch also produced one of the wildest games of its season. On July 27 at Griggs Park, the Pupfish defeated Roswell 11-10 on a walk-off error.

Twelve pitchers were used between the two teams. Eric Kalbfliesh and Graylin Derke combined for five hits and five RBIs. Rob Rizzitelli earned the victory. The win moved White Sands to 28-39.

It was an appropriate home ending for a team that had spent the season giving better clubs difficult games.

Read the official recap of White Sands' 11-10 walk-off victory over Roswell.

28-39 Does Not Tell the Entire Story

The official Pecos League historical record lists White Sands at 28-39. That placed the Pupfish behind Tucson, Roswell and Alpine in the Southern Division race. There was no playoff appearance. On the surface, it was a losing season.

But there were important signs of quality throughout the roster. TJ Wharton was one of the best hitters in the league. Eric Kalbfliesh established White Sands single-season records for games and hits. Dubal Baez hit .415. Anthony Pastrana struck out 82 hitters. White Sands placed three players on the Pecos League All-Star roster.

The Pupfish defeated Tucson. They defeated Roswell. They repeatedly defeated Alpine.

The problem was not whether White Sands could compete. The problem was doing it consistently enough night after night.

2016 White Sands Pupfish - By the Numbers

Manager: Mickey Speaks
Regular Season Record: 28-39
Winning Percentage: .418
Home Ballpark: Griggs Park - Alamogordo, New Mexico
Playoffs: Did Not Qualify

TJ Wharton: .423 AVG, 96 H, 54 R, 20 2B, 3 3B, 10 HR, 67 RBI
Dubal Baez: .415 AVG, 71 H, 68 R, 11 2B, 4 3B, 20 SB
Eric Kalbfliesh: White Sands single-season record 115 hits and 66 games played
Anthony Pastrana: 5-4, 74.2 IP, 82 SO - White Sands single-season strikeout record

2016 Pecos League All-Stars:
TJ Wharton
Dubal Baez
Anthony Pastrana

Signature Wins:
White Sands 11, Alpine 8
White Sands 4, Alpine 1
White Sands 7, Alpine 5
White Sands 9, Alpine 2
White Sands 13, Tucson 12
White Sands 7, Roswell 2
White Sands 11, Roswell 10

View complete official 2016 Pecos League statistics.

View the complete 2016 White Sands Pupfish roster.

View complete 2016 Pecos League game stories.

Mickey Speaks Brought Stability to White Sands

That may be the most important way to view the Mickey Speaks era. White Sands had experienced tremendous instability during portions of its early history. Managers changed. Rosters changed. Results varied dramatically from one season to another.

Under Speaks, the Pupfish had two consecutive seasons with the same manager. The 2015 club won 37 games. The 2016 club did not match that win total, but it developed and promoted players and remained capable of beating virtually anyone in the league on the right night.

Speaks built relationships that helped bring players to Alamogordo. The 2016 roster included players from throughout the country, and several were receiving their first opportunity in professional baseball.

One later account of Shawn Kahre's career specifically recalled that Marvin Speaks helped recruit him to White Sands and that the club was managed by Mickey Speaks. That player-development network was an important part of how the Pupfish operated.

A Team With Legitimate Pecos League Stars

The 2016 White Sands Pupfish deserve to be remembered because they had players who were among the best in the league. TJ Wharton was not simply a good White Sands hitter. He was one of the best hitters in the Pecos League.

His .423 average and 96 hits in only 53 games are extraordinary numbers. Dubal Baez hit .415. Eric Kalbfliesh finished with 115 hits. Anthony Pastrana struck out 82 hitters. White Sands had three All-Stars.

That is real talent. The record did not always reflect it. But opponents saw it firsthand. Alpine saw it. Roswell saw it. And even the 51-win Tucson Saguaros saw it when White Sands beat them 13-12.

The Last Competitive Mickey Speaks Team

The significance of 2016 also becomes much clearer when looking at what happened afterward. Speaks would not manage the Pupfish in 2017. White Sands collapsed to 12-50 the following season. The club went 7-51 in 2018. Then 8-50 in 2019.

Compared with what came next, the 2016 Pupfish represented the end of an era in which White Sands could still consistently threaten the league's strongest clubs.

They weren't a championship team. They weren't a playoff team. But they were competitive. They had star players. They had a stable manager. And they could walk onto the field against Tucson, Roswell or Alpine believing they could win.

That would become much harder in the seasons that followed.

The Record Was 28-39 - The Team Was Better Than That

That is ultimately the best way to remember the 2016 White Sands Pupfish. The standings say 28-39. The individual performances tell a richer story.

TJ Wharton hit .423 and drove in 67 runs. Eric Kalbfliesh produced 115 hits. Dubal Baez hit .415 and scored 68 runs in only 45 games. Anthony Pastrana gave the Pupfish a legitimate front-line starter. Joe Borowski supplied power. Vladimer Gomez could change games with one swing. Aaron Olivas drove in six runs in one afternoon at Santa Fe.

White Sands beat the eventual champions. It beat Roswell. It repeatedly beat Alpine. And three Pupfish represented the club in the Pecos League All-Star Game.

Under Mickey Speaks, White Sands had become a respectable and dangerous professional baseball team again. The final record prevented the season from becoming a playoff story. But the roster, the individual performances and the quality victories made 2016 one of the last genuinely competitive summers in White Sands Pupfish history.

Mickey Speaks' Pupfish could play.

And on their best nights, they could beat anybody in the Pecos League.