KOA Radio 850
May 14, 2012: Aurora, Colorado – Mark Gunter and George Crocker get together with Octávio Pexego prior to the opening of the Borealis’ big early-season match-up with the Tempe Knights. They’ll discuss Octávio’s past, present and future in the PEBA, his infamous temper, and more.
Gunt: Welcome, everyone, to Aurora for what should prove to be an exciting early-season test for both the Aurora Borealis and the Tempe Knights. I’m Mark Gunter…
Crock: And my, oh my, oh my, we’ve got some barnburners for y’all here this week. To start it off, we’ve got the ol’ “El Chupacabra” for you here on “A Crock of Gunt”. Ever notice how they’ve got my name first there. “Crock”… heh… that’s me!
Pexego: (rolls his eyes) I think the fans can figure that out, George. Thanks for having me, guys; I’m thrilled to be a part of your program.
Gunt: We’re thrilled to have you, Octávio. You’re off to a great start this season. With about a quarter of the year behind us, you are on pace to match your numbers from 2010, when you won the IL Royal Raker…
Crock: Dude! Just think; you could be the first to win the Raker in both leagues! How… cool… is… that! Imagine the advertising revenue, the fame and fortune. The babes! Why, you could be Mr. PEBA…
Pexego: Chill, George, chill. Yeah, it would be quite the honor. Keeping it here in Aurora, following up Mark’s great season last year, would be wonderful, but to be honest, unless we come home with the Rodriguez Cup, it’ll be a shallow accomplishment. I know Richardson feels kind of the same way about his award. I’ve been on my share of losers. Time to be a winner.
Gunt: Is there any game thus far that stands out in your mind?
Pexego: Maybe the fourth game of the year against Duluth. We didn’t play very well against Bakersfield to begin the year, and we really pounded them that day. I had a 2-HR, 6-RBI day. Those kinds of games do tend to stick out in your mind.
Crock: Tells us about last year. You’re brought in to be the stud leader to the Promised Land and you come in blazing. Dude, I tell you, it was fun watching ya. Then you slump. Then you get hurt two weeks before the playoffs. What was that all about?
Pexego: Well George (looking irritated), it’s not like I planned on it. It was really unfortunate. I went to the plate with one thing in mind – hit the ball hard – and I got jammed up and in. My back just went all tweak on me. I kind of feel responsible for our not winning. I was brought here as the missing link and, well… I was missing.
Gunt: In all fairness, Octávio, you weren’t the only player AWOL. Between Bradley and Garcia’s injuries and the odd disappearance of Mark Richardson…
Pexego: But don’t you see? As thin and tested as our pitching was, we needed one hit. (passionately) One. Even in the last inning of Game 7. One hit. I would have delivered that hit. Richardson’s failures? He knew he had to be the man with me out of the lineup and he just pressed. We know he’s a great hitter; his Raker Award proves that. He lacks the mental toughness to be that person. During spring training, I challenged him to be that player.
Crock: Interesting stuff. Do you think it’s working? He’s on pace for his best HR season, but his average is down. Besides, what do you know about toughness that could make Marky a better player?
Pexego: Crocker, you might have been a great player if time allowed, but you never got the chance. You would never know what it takes to develop internal toughness. Try growing up on the streets of Såo Paulo.
Gunt: Tell us about your experience growing up. Being from Brazil, one would expect a young athlete to gravitate towards soccer.
Pexego: Brazil is a tough place to grow up. Now I have this beautiful home I just bought during the offseason, but when I was little, we lived in this impoverished shanty village outside of Ubatuba. Half the streets were dirt. Sewage ran in open canals along the streets edge. Crocker, you have no idea what it was like. Fútbol was the only way out.
Crock: (looking incredulously) Sewage in the streets? Why… that’s nasty!
Pexego: My brother was a great player. He was going places. Even Pelé came and scouted him for the national under-17 team. But in case you haven’t noticed, crime is pretty bad in Brazil, and the local fútbol program was run by some shady characters. Let’s just say that my brother never made it to the U-17 team. I had to find something else or I would have ended up in the same boat as him.
Gunt: Wow… Octávio, I’ve never heard that story. I would think that’d make a guy pretty angry. How old were you?
Pexego: I was 12. I quickly switched to béisbol, and I think that my fútbol experience helped me. Fútbol’s footwork helped give me a solid foundation to hit from. And I was angry, Mark. Angry that I lost my brother. Angry that I lost fútbol from my life. My mother moved us from Brazil a year later to Florida, where I learned béisbol some more, and the rest is history.
Crock: Well, that sure explains your famous temper. So do you think that the “jerk abatement” work they made you go through in San Antonio last year worked? Did you learn anything? I bet that “dining etiquette” class was da bomb!
Pexego: Well, first of all, George, Jack Cobb did look like a Chupacabra that day in spring training. That monster was going after my teammates. I did what I could. But now… well, I don’t feel the same kind of pressure. I’m older, I’m surrounded by an amazingly talented group and we should win the championship. None of this losing like in San Antonio and Tempe.
Gunt: So with that in mind, what about your future. You’ve another year under contract with Aurora before becoming a free agent. Do you have any thoughts about 2014 and beyond?
Pexego: Well… thus far, I’m enjoying Aurora. The fans here have been great. I’m not a greedy guy, but I do want to be paid fairly and, frankly, Aurora has the resources. But then again, they have some great talent in the minors, so perhaps they’ll be willing to let me walk. We’ll see. I know the Tophams want to maintain a profitable team… for all I know I could be traded. Wouldn’t be the first time.
Crock: Free agent? Wow… would you follow Woodsy to Japan? What would you be asking? I bet $30 million isn’t out of the realm of possibility, huh? El Chupacabra, the $30 million dollar man? Dude, can I be your agent?
Pexego: Well, I will leave it up to my agent, who will not be named George Crocker…
Crock: Dude… what? Why not? Man, I can introduce you to the best people. Seriously, have your people contact my people. I’ve got these folks in Bogota who are about to give me a deal to play ball for them. Great pay and benefits. They can hook you up, dude. Join me… what a great 1-2 punch we’d be. National heroes!
Pexego: George, you keep talking about playing in Columbia, but do you even know these people? I’m telling you, they are no good. South American criminals are bad news and that’s who you are dealing with.
Crock: No, dude, they’re good folks. They run a clean organization. I’ve seen it… (looks panicked) Mark?
Gunt: George, I’d defer to Pexego’s experience on this one. It sounds like he knows what he’s talking about.
Crock: (drops his head in disappointment)
Pexego: Trust me, George; even those folks in Río (gestures towards Crocker’s jersey) are despicable. They’re my people, and I hate to say it, but… despicable, I say.
Gunt: We only have a little time left. Tell us, Octávio, what do you think about this series with Tempe and the rest of the season?
Pexego: Well, for one, I’m glad we don’t get Hancock and Conan in this series. Hancock is pitching lights out once more. How crazy would a Bradley-Hancock meeting be right now? Talk about lights out! Bradley has something like 44 K in his last 26 IP or so. I’m curious to see what the front office does about our outfield problem. John Knight is ready to come off the DL, but what will they do about that kid Pierce? You can’t send that bat back to the minors. He’s the real deal, I tell you. They have a real problem on their hands.
Gunt: Tempe is 5-7 after that early 17-game win streak. Is the timing right for Aurora to be facing Tempe, as perhaps they are a bit down?
Pexego: Nah. They’ll show up, and with solid pitching like that, they’ll give us fits. Besides, we’re almost mirror images of each other. Cobb, Cervantes and Hancock are all unbeaten, so it’ll be a stern test. I just hope we’ve won a game before facing Hancock.
Gunt: That wraps it up. Thanks to Octávio Pexego and good luck. Coming up, the Aurora Borealis take on the Tempe Knights. George Thompson facing off with Jeff Cobb. Good night, folks.
Crock: (whimpers) ‘night, y’all. Really, Pexego? You think? Bad people?
