Scout sows seeds of hope in Guatamala
Scout sows seeds of hope in Guatamala
By Jerry Wizig
Correspondent
Published May 27, 2005
Aided by the Houston Astros and several Galveston area baseball coaches, a
small Central American country may have planted more seeds for its blooming
young baseball program last weekend.
Guatemala, unlike Latin American countries like Puerto Rico, Mexico, the
Dominican Republic and others, has never sent a player to the Major Leagues.
Its most advanced prospect reached the Class AA level in the Los Angeles
Dodgers organization a decade ago before a career-ending injury stalled his
chances.
Several Guatemalans have played at the Division I-A level in American
collegiate baseball programs, including Joe Estrada, currently a senior
outfielder at TCU.
Galveston College started freshman Diego Castillo in its infield during the
past season after he joined the Whitecaps. Castillo was accompanied from
Guatemala by pitcher Rodrigo Ramazzini. Castillo received a scholarship to
Houston Baptist for the 2006 season along with Whitecaps pitcher Taylor
Powers.
Pat Dwyer, an associate scout for the Astros and Jamaica Beach resident,
visited Guatemala two years ago to distribute used baseball equipment to the
country's youth baseball programs. Through the Houston chapter of the RBI
Foundation and on Dwyer’s recommendation, Galveston College head coach
Javier Solis took a look at Castillo and considered him a prospect.
Noel Corrales and Fernando Marin, two officials with Guatemala’s amateur
baseball organization, brought four players from Guatemala City to a baseball
clinic last weekend. All 18 years old, outfielders Javier Castillo and Willie
Campos, shortstop Pedro Dieguez and second baseman Alfredo Revoloryo
participated in hitting, fielding and other drills with players from Alvin,
Houston, New Caney and Clear Lake.
Astros scout Ed Carreon and Bob Haberman, a former head coach at Blinn and
Wharton College, helped Dwyer and Solis.
“Baseball has been played in Guatemala from since around 1910,” Corrales
said. “The American cultural and political influences were not as great as
in some other Latin American countries, so baseball has not advanced as much.
Soccer is still number one, but we are working hard to improve our baseball.”
Another problem was Guatemala’s brutal civil war of almost four decades,
which extended until a peace agreement in the late 1990s.
Bill Amonette, a Clear Lake professional strength and conditioning trainer
who works with NASA’s astronaut program, was impressed and encouraged by
what he saw during his Guatemala visit with Dwyer.
“They seemed to have a very good developmental program with a lot of energy
,” Amonette said.
Dwyer felt one emphasis in the near future should be on starting youngsters
in Guatemala on the diamond at an earlier age.
“The younger the better to gain their interest and make a favorable
impression,” Dwyer said.
And, at some point in the future, perhaps make an impression in the Major
Leagues.
http://galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=83c5d9bb607d4150
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