12/4/2013-The White Sands Pupfish will begin their 4th year in the Pecos League this May.
Optimism is high in Alamogordo. After having another down year fans are looking forward to Spring Training.
Alamogordo was once the center of the Pecos League and hosted the first two All-Star Games.
There will never be a city that supports their team like Alamogordo supports the Pupfish.
Coach Ryan Hanson will take the reigns of the Pupfish and is in process of building the 2014 team.
Some of the best Pecos League Players have played in White Sands. Despite all of the support the Pupfish have never won a playoff game and only qualified for the playoffs once.
This despite playing in a division that has Roswell and Alpine as the Pecos League Champions all three years.
Wally Anderson has recently taken over as vice president of baseball operations for the Pupfish. "The Pupfish are great for the city of Alamogordo and the Tularosa Basin. We have fallen behind the other cities and teams in this league and one problem has been coaching, with four coaches in four years. We have always had the players to win from day 1.
"We need a coach and his staff that cares about community and becomes involved with it. Prior coaches had no interaction with the community, except assistant coach Ryan Parent, two years ago. They all say they will be involved with their city, saying they will do this and they will do that and nothing happens. It doesn't appear to be the same in other cities and coaching staffs in the league, and that is why they have had success.
I still believe in large part, the Alamogordo community doesn't know we have a professional baseball team here. It will be my responsibility to change that, and I will need the coaching staff and incoming players to help. Our 2014 Pupfish team will be challanged on and off of the field to change that image, if they want to succeed."
Trinidad Triggers Manager and longtime Alamogordo Resident JD Droddy:
"The Pupfish need an identity of some sort. Right now they are the shadow of Alpine and Roswell. They never really have had a coach that wanted to be there."
Pecos League Commissioner Andrew Dunn:
"All of the coaches have put good effort in.
I think 2014 will be a good year for the Pupfish they will have a better year. The Pupfish have always had good teams from day 1. We have some new promotions and some exciting things planned for 2014."
The Pupfish open Spring Training May 5th before opening the season May 14th against Roswell.