El Paso Chihuahuas ready to begin 2024 season
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – The El Paso Chihuahuas – the San Diego Padres’ Triple-A affiliate – will open up its 2024 season with a three-game series against the Albuquerque Isotopes that begins on Friday at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The Chihuahuas held a practice at Southwest University Park on Wednesday before its series against the Isotopes this weekend.
How freaking BEAUTIFUL ⚾️
The @epchihuahuas holding a practice at Southwest University Park today before it opens its season on Friday w/ a 3-game series against the Isotopes in Albuquerque.
The Chihuahuas’ home opener is next Tuesday (Apr. 2) against Round Rock. pic.twitter.com/P1F7W1Pz3N— Sam Guzman (@SamGuzmanTV) March 27, 2024
The 2024 season will be the Chihuahuas’ first under the direction of new manager Pete Zamora. Zamora became the eighth manager in Chihuahuas history when the San Diego Padres made the announcement in January.
Zamora is entering his ninth season in the Padres organization and his second season as a manager. He managed the Single-A Lake Elsinore Storm in 2023 and was a pitching coach in the organization from 2016-2022. Zamora was scheduled to be the Chihuahuas’ pitching coach in 2020 prior to that season being cancelled. After being drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 20th round of the 1997 June Amateur Draft out of UCLA, Zamora pitched professionally in the Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Milwaukee Brewers and Arizona Diamondbacks organizations. On June 7, 2000, Zamora pitched the first perfect game in the history of the Double-A Reading Phillies.
Ultimately, the goal for every player that’s in an MLB organization’s farm system is to make it to the big leagues. So, playing in the minor leagues challenges players to not only to win ball games, but to also do it while performing well individually in order to get a shot at getting called up to the majors.
“The whole goal up there [at the MLB level] is winning, which is awesome,” El Paso Chihuahuas infielder Matt Batten said. “Obviously, the goal here [El Paso] is that you want to win, that’s a big part of it, but there’s also personal sides to this. You want to get back to the big leagues.”
“If you’re playing baseball and winning games, your stat line might be a little bit better and might help you get to the big leagues,” El Paso Chihuahuas right-handed pitcher Nolan Watson said. “I think just trying to stay focused on winning games and reaching the championship here at the Triple-A level, I think that’s the key.”
For El Paso Chihuahuas manager Pete Zamora, he’s hoping to get his players ready for the big-league level if they get the call.
“I think our goal here in El Paso is simply to help the team up there win baseball games. We want to be complimentary players to the San Diego Padres when needed. Obviously, we want to win baseball games here for the city of El Paso and the people of El Paso,” Zamora said. “If we’re winning here, then that means when we move guys up to San Diego, ultimately we want to help them win there.”
The El Paso Chihuahuas begin the 2024 season on Friday against the Albuquerque Isotopes (Colorado Rockies Triple-A affilate) at Isotopes Park. First pitch for the opening game of the series is at 6:35 p.m. MT. Game two of the series is on Saturday and the series finale will be on Sunday.
The Chihuahuas will then return to the Sun City for its 2024 home opener at Southwest University Park on Tuesday against the Round Rock Express – the Texas Rangers Triple-A affiliate.
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