‘OFF TO A GOOD START’
New Braves coach starts with fundamentals
One look at the recent history for the Santa Fe Indian School baseball team and firstyear head coach Jude Torres knew he had a tough job ahead. One look at the team and he knew where he had to start. And one look at the players on hand and he knew the job might not be quite as difficult as it first seemed.
“We have good talent,” Torres said. “It’s just a matter of teaching them organized baseball. For the most part, they relied on their own decisions on baserunning and stuff like that.”
Torres, an Española Valley grad, is the team’s sixth coach in as many years. Under the previous five one-and-done coaches, the Braves compiled a 23-100 record. He was an assistant at St. Michael’s before heading across the city to take on the challenge of resurrecting a program that should not have really needed it. Santa Fe Indian School has not had a winning record in at least 10 years.
“It’s just a good fit for me,” Torres said. “I actually have been playing baseball with the AllIndian League since I was 13. I know a lot of their families and I know the culture.”
As a Native American himself, the coach said he can relate to the players on a personal level.
It’s part of our culture,” Torres said. “It’s been around a long time.”
So now the coach and his staff, which includes lifelong friends and frequent teammate Rainbird Taylor, have been focusing on drilling the basics.
“We’re teaching them organization,” Torres said. “The main thing is defensive responsibilities and baserunning and fundamentals. You have to start with the fundamentals.”
And, so far, “we’re off to a good start,” he said. Indeed, with a 6-2 mark on the young season, the team is already showing signs that the increased attention is paying dividends as they head into the Braves Invite today and Saturday.
“I’m confident in my team,” Torres said. “We’re at least going to be competitive. I have two years to do something since I have just one senior. We’ll be contending next year, if not sooner.”
The team is already showing that it can powder
the ball, putting up a lofty .388 team batting average with junior Jayson Sanchez leading the way at .615, followed by sophomore James Bridges at .533, Jaron Tenorio at .526 and Kai Aguilar at .476.
On the hill, “one of the key players is Kurt Candelaria,” Torres said. “He’s got a live arm and he’s a solid defender at shortstop. But I see his role as the closer. He’s one of our harder throwers. I try to keep his arm fresh, so I bring him in for shutout phase.”
As far keeping the team moving forward, third baseman/pitcher Tenorio gets the nod, Torres said.
“His role is a good leader,” he said. “He has that leadership role on the team. The players listen to him. Even though we haven’t named a captain, I use him as the captain on the team.”
Tenorio brings things to the team that cannot be coached, Torres said.
“He does show the leadership and he’s a hard worker,” he said. “He has that heart where he loves the game. He inspires others and he’s very positive.”