Coqui Steal PEBA Championship
San Juan completed its Cinderella Story in dramatic fashion. A franchise that had not made the playoffs since 2023 (as the Rio Grande Valley Ocelots) and only five times in its 25-year history stunned the storied Shin Seiki Evas, postseason participants for 22 consecutive years and looking for their third title in five. The Evas lost the final two at home, Game 7 lasting 4 hours and 34 minutes before the champion was determined in the 12th inning.
The 12th inning rally was started by a guy who had never batted above AA. With Wally Glasser hobbled at the start of the series, the Coqui chose the only centerfielder on its playoff eligible list - 22-year old Harry Ritchie. It was not anticipated he would play except in emergency but due to a 9th inning pitch hit, Ritchie went into center field and in the 12th got his PEBA debut. He lined a 1-1 pitch down the right field line for a two-bagger, eventually stealing third as part of a double steal and scoring on Box Car Gonzáles’ infield hit. Gonzáles earned the MVP for the winning RBI.
From then on it was Coqui baseball as they eventually scored three and won, 5-2. Harley Schneider, who had been intentionally walked and had stolen second as part of the double steal, then stole home as Eva catcher Connor Clavell’s throw went into center trying to nail Gonzales attempting to steal second. Dmitri Hill’s single plated Gonzales. (NOTE - Shin Seiki’s scorekeeper did not credit as a double steal but the replay clearly shows Schneider breaking for home before the throw).
“It feels totally incredible,” Gonzáles told the press afterward.”I could live to 1,000 years old and I’d remember this moment.”
The ending was fitting for the smallball-minded Coqui, a team where stars were few. Seven positions were either platooned or shared. The starting pitching staff, 8th in the Imperial League in e.r.a., rotated much of the season due to injuries.
Outside of the 32-year old Schneider, who was making his first go-around in the IL, the team’s best known talent consists of two local players - pitcher José Gómez, born in San Juan, and shortstop Roberto Salazar, who hails from an eastern suburb. Gómez is a three-time all-star while Salazar, who missed the final series with a back injury, has earned honors just once.
Two 30-year olds emerged as all-stars for the first time this season, outfielders Mike Rose and Roberto Martínez. Rose hit homers in both Games 6 and 7.
There are potential rising stars to be sure:
*Glasser was one of the IL’s top rookies, hitting .354 From August on, including the postseason.
*Another rookie, first baseman Brendon Robertson, stole 31 bases and drove in 79 runs.
*Rookie reliever Ray Medrano posted a 1.44 e.r.a. and the team felt comfortable enough with him to use him as the closer in the IL and PEBA Championship Series.
*Jorge Pagán, essentially a 24-year old rookie as a hitter but in his second season as a pitcher, posted a 2.83 e.r.a. in relief while slugging .423 as the left-handed DH.
*Two other rookies showed promise: 25-year old Robby Parker went 5-2 as a starter while 23-year old Tetsuma Shimada had 12 quality starts out of 22. Both had e.r.a.s well under 2.00 when used out of the bullpen.
*Keith Dupree, who turned 26 in September, has also proven himself to be a potential ace if he ever stays healthy. He is 20-12, 3.30 in two seasons as a a starter.
“We gave our fans the maximum number of home games possible this year so we felt successful either way heading off to the Far East,” said Coqui General Manager Mike Best. “But coming home a winner is another feeling altogether.”
Meanwhile San Juan Manager Sergio Manetti declared in typical skipper fashion, “When you wear Coqui on your shirt, you’re good at something.”
To take the title, the team had to win Game 6 first and both men met to make a key decision: Who was going to be the starting pitcher? They debated four guys but settled on Masaru Kouki, who had tailed off late in the year but had thrown four hitless innings of relief in Game 2. Kouki made good with seven shutout innings as San Juan held on, 5-2.
“It was a no-brainer,” said Best of substituting Kouki in. “And we were comfortable living with the decision either way.”
Reliever Gary Walker, who retired all six batters he faced, got the win in Game 7.
Best can finally exhale this offseason. At season’s end the team was showing a $3 million loss but that turned into a $31 million profit after playoff money rolled in. In addition to a long middling performance on the field the team had lost a whopping $21 million last year. Expectations, the owner among them, was to play .500 ball in 2031 and only five GMs (not aligned with the squad) predicted the Coqui would make the playoffs.
“I know there may be some resentment across the league from other long struggling teams,” said Best. “But they should take heart that we showed it can be done and the elite can be toppled.”