BY ANY NAME – AMERICANS STILL A CONTENDER

The Texas Americans are now under the direction of former MLB player Charlie Hayes who owns the Big League Baseball Academy located in Tomball, Texas.  Mr. Hayes has joined forces with Ray Deleon, founder of the Houston Banditos Baseball Club, to create the Texas Prospects Americans.  Five of the original Americans from the team founded by Don Schuetz during 2002-03 still play on the Americans and remain a solid core on which to be built around.  These include former USSSA World Series MVP Ke’Bryan Hayes, former World Series Offensive MVP Troy Alexander, Jr., two time World Series Defensive MVP Tanner Schuetz, World Series Defensive MVP Jake Almendarez and two-time World Series All Tournament selection Ruben Hancock. With the addition of three stellar players from the 2007 Banditos Black, including three time World Series All tournament selection Kendal Jefferies; former World Series All Tournament selections Adrian Munoz and Zachary Shirey, consistent hitting Marco Becerril, as well as strong pitching and hitting speedster John Rizer,  the Americans have assembled a squad to once again contend for the national championship, an achievement twice obtained by the squad in addition to its two runner-up finishes in five years of competition.  Last season, the Americans failed to reach the finals in a World Series event for the first time in its history.  With the current talent assembled, it will begin that quest in late February to get back to the top. Prior to the final roster being assembled in February 2008, the squad had posted wins in Fall competition against the Team Rattlers, TBS’s number 1 rated team, and the Houston Lightning, TBS’ number 8 team while winning the Fall Texas State title.

At the Elite 24 in Orlando last summer, the Americans lost only to the eventual champion Rattlers 9-7, a game in which the Americans lead 3-2 before a driving rainstorm hit, and TABU, TBS’ number 4 ranked team for 2008.  “We expected to go further last season,” stated Don Schuetz, former Head-Coach who is still affilitated with the team. “We felt that we had the talent to win it all last season but the boys just were not ready to play for the duration.  We didn’t do a good job at peaking them for the tournament like we did for the East Cobb Tourney.” Earlier last season, the Americans had traveled to Marietta, Georgia going undefeated in the prestigious East Cobb Tournament of Champions.  The field of teams contained a field of four national champions from 2006, numerous runner-ups for national titles, and many state champions from 2006.  These included TBS’ number 2 ranked team for 2008, Chiefs Baseball who was the 10U Cooperstown Champion, TBS’ 2008 number 5 East Cobb Astros and number 10 Florida Fire as well as Elite 24 participants Greensboro Tarheels and DeKalb Barons.

The Americans, since team inception, have stressed defense as a key to winning. However, the team is not without offensive capabilities. With a strong blend of speed and power, the squad should put on some offensive shows during the coming season.  With the level of competition in Houston, an area which last season sent six 10U teams to the Elite 24, the Americans will need to fire on all cylinders with pitching, defense and hitting to emerge as one of the Houston’s best for 2008, as well as compete on a national scale.

The Texas Prospects Americans plan to play a schedule of both 11U and 12U tournaments which include tentative plans to travel to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma,  Sulphur, Louisiana and Dallas, Texas for USSSA Super NIT events.  Another major tournament could be substituted should the team qualify for the USSSA Elite 24 at the Oklahoma event.

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