Estelì and The Cuban Cowboy

We came home from Gran Pacifica last night unsure of what we were doing today and unsure if we would see our friend Gerard again. Both questions would be answered in the span of 12 hours. 

Phil and Bob put together a connection with Gilberto and the Roberto Clemente Academy in Estelì late last night and we had an event! We were hopeful to have another means of transportation and another driver. Everything came together, (Thank you Lord!) and the legend of the Cuban Cowboy awaited us. 

Today started out with cautious optimism based on the reports of our new driver, Juan Martinez. Juan is well esteemed by IBA and Phil, so JD and I were looking forward to the trek to Estelì with him. Our only issue in the morning was the string of emails between all our parties left unanswered by Gerard. I won't spend much time here, but that alone should have told us what we needed to know. 

Juan picked us up around 11am Nica time and we headed for the Best Western to see if our new friend was still with us. We pulled up, looked around the parking lot and saw no Corrolla. JD went to the lobby, looked around...there was no Gerard. Our new friend, fresh with a full tank of gas and cash in hand from us, was long gone to Madagalpa or some other destination where the gringos were more appreciative. 

With that chapter closed, JD and I were looking forward to 20 kids (that number is similar to how Nica's clocks work-thereabouts) at Estelì and some time on the road with Juan. Juan is a measured, yet well spoken young man. He is often the babysitter for his new daughter, Andrea, while his wife, Valerie, tends to the business side of Gran Pacifica Resort. He himself has a business driving clients wherever they need to go and is on call 24/7. He was in IT, but left that industry due to the stress and time it took. He was determined to work for himself and went into business with a friend. He was perfect for the drive and stayed with us for the day. 

Juan, Our driver and JD's  translator

The countryside along the way to Estelì was pastoral and scenic, similar to country drives one would take in the states. Ranges of mountains were littered throughout the drive with abundant farmland ripe with tobacco and sugar cane. 

Juan asked many good questions about our purpose with the baseball clinics, including a thought provoking, "What makes a player good?" He also asked if we would rather have a good player with bad character or a average player with good character. That sort of question crystallizes the philosophy of coaches, to a degree. At most levels, we cannot choose our players; they choose us. So, it is our job to work to shape and mold each player. At the end of the day, most coaches would prefer character over talent. But some coaches always feel as though they could work with the malcontent to effect change. That should be our approach but bad attitudes will torpedoe the mission more times than not. 

Gilberto warmly greeted us and the liaison established last March with IBA seems fruitful and hopefully this relationship between the two will continue to grow. There were several coaches in uniform and nineteen more players than what was communicated by our friends in Estelì. Most of the players were in their uniforms, with about half of the kids involved in the Roberto Clemente Baseball Academy. Curious onlookers populated the grandstands and dugout areas, while the presence of Pedro Ramos seemed to both haunt the adults and delight the players. 

Ramos was an intriguing figure. He was dressed like a retiree in Miami or, according to JD's astute observation, a drug lord. (His history is peppered with encounters with the law due to his drug dealing). 

He was wearing clean, white pants with a white belt, black shirt with a large Star of David necklace and an Atlanta Braves hat. He played for many organizations including the Yankees and is best known (in baseball circles) for serving up home runs at a record pace- one every seven innings pitched in his career. 

He handed me his "business card" with a picture of him from his MLB days in his Yankee uniform. The Yankees are the symbol of success to the Nica's and there's little doubt why Ramos wears his Yankee hat- for status and gravitas with the kids and adults. It probably also helped that his best years in the MLB were with the Yanks, assuaging Ramos' angst over a rather mediocre pitching career, albeit 15 years long in MLB. 

He made sure to remind JD and I he was still doing great feats at 80 years old (he looked quite fit) and that he hit a fungo 461' on a $1,000 bet with Mickey Mantle that Mantle never paid, according to Ramos. His presence in Estelì seems to be a bit of problem for the coaches at the academy because he comes and goes while having the affection of the kids, as they clamor for him when he's around. 

The coaches at the academy, as well as Gilberto, are not comfortable with Ramos' intermittent presence and equipment is an issue because both Gilberto and Ramos said conflicting things about what happens to the equipment when allocated. It's a tough situation and it's clearly an uncomfortable topic for Gilberto, who is a genuinely pleasant and passionate man. 

Gilberto and Esteli's main coach 

The Cuban Cowboy, Pedro Ramos and I

The Baseball Players and Coaches at Esteli Clinic

Younger Campers with their new IBA shirts. 

Coaches and older Players after evaluations at Esteli

We spent some time working with the players, JD taking the outfielders and I with the infielders. The players have been given decent instruction and they didn't lack for baseball IQ, basic fundamentals or awareness. They had adequate foot and glove work but could use more quality reps. Gilberto's son, who is 14, is already a polished catcher and consistently hit 2.0-2.1 on his throws to 2B. Another promising prospect, a 14 year old LHP with a big frame, hit 75-76 in tennis shoes while showing relatively good command of his off speed stuff. 

We took some infield and Pedro said I was an "OK fungo hitter" but that he would show me how it was done better. So, while JD timed 60's, I was fielding ground balls from the Cuban Cowboy fungo machine. He and I connected through something as simple as that and it was a momentary suspension of time and a blast. Of course, he wanted to work me to the backhand and glove side, but my six stitches, now comfortably lodged 3 days in my leg, wisely said, "no Bueno". 

Our day finished with getting the group together and sharing why we were here at Estelì. Gilberto translated for me as we emphasized God's purpose for each of us. Jesus wants us to use our talents for his purposes and not for our own pleasure. God takes great pleasure when we find pleasure in Him through the gifts he's given. Small victories of daily diligence will lead to bigger victories. It all starts with doing small things well for His honor. 

After pictures and handing out of shirts to the players, I had an interview with a representative of some organization covering the day with Pedro acting as my translator. After answering a few questions, the reporter and Pedro went into their own conversation which, Pedro later told me, was about the noble intentions of IBA and our visit. Well, knowing what we now know, it's difficult to say if that's accurate. ;)

JD handing out IBA shirts to the younger players

A great day concluded at Estelì with three young boys asking Juan how they could ask the Americans for a baseball, which is a highly valuable commodity in this area. They asked with confidence and JD and I gave them each a ball as their eyes lit up like Ralphie getting his Red Rider BB gun on Christmas morning. 

We had a good trip back with Juan while JD's prescient comment about Pedro would be confirmed with an email from Phil detailing Pedro's tumultuous past. When we got back to the hotel, we were informed by Juan that just across the street was a mall with a food court. So, we neglected Phil's advice on good lakeside restaurants and went to...

Dinner Time!

McDonalds!

...where we found comfort in a double cheeseburger and, believe it or not, a delicious 3 piece chicken combo that would rival any legitimate chicken place in Texas. And, all things being what they are in Managua, one must try their Toña, which we did. 

We thank God for another day and the opportunity to love and serve his people while trusting hour by hour his provision and purpose. 

Until tomorrow, Buenos Dias! 

Esteli Campers & Coaches