New baseball coach focuses on basics

The Tucumcari High School baseball program has a new coach, and with his arrival brings a new emphasis on the game's fundamentals.

George Montano is well-acquainted with teaching the basics. He coached Little League and youth all-star teams in Tucumcari for two years before he took the jump to high-school varsity baseball. He also was a catcher for a few of Rattler baseball's best teams during the late 2000s and early 2010s.

Montano said he's motivated to right the program after it recorded only one victory in its last three seasons.

"I played on this exact same field as these boys," he said before a practice session last week. "In the past few years, this program hasn't been the best. I felt like maybe if I got in here, I can try to turn it around and get it back to where it was whenever I played."

Tucumcari's first varsity games will be a doubleheader Friday at Raton. The Rattlers' home opener will be a doubleheader against Mora on March 17.

Montano admitted this season probably will be a rebuilding year for the Rattlers.

"I don't expect to come in here and expect to win every single game or even win district," he said. "But I feel we're able to compete now more than last year.

"Like I told the boys, 'It's all the little things; little things can make the difference in a game.' We're working on the little things again. They see what we're doing, and it's been a good start.

"I feel like they can compete a little bit better now than the years before. You'll see the difference. People who've come out here and watched us have seen the turnaround already."

Dennis Dysart, who led the Rattlers to a cumulative 0-17 record in two seasons adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, wished Montano well and said he held no hard feelings.

Dysart said the district initially gave preference to faculty members who expressed interest in coaching the team. When that didn't work out, it turned to Montano.

"It was good the way it worked out," Dysart said.

Asked to elaborate on the "little things," Montano said that included his players keeping the ball in front of them on defense, knowing where the ball should go, better field communication and "keeping each other up and not putting each other down."

"They're little things, but they make the biggest impact during a game," he added.

Montano said nearly 35 boys have gone out for baseball so far, though most are underclassmen. He anticipates using about 14 in the varsity schedule.

Asked about his team's biggest strength, Montano replied: "Work ethic."

"Since Feb. 1, we've been inside the weight room every morning at 5 o'clock until about 6:30, 6:45, then we work for about two hours in the afternoon," he said. "They've done a really good job."

He also praised his players' teamwork so far.

"They've come closer together," he said. "It gets a bond going to where when you get in that game situation, they trust one another already."

Montano said senior Johnathan Blea will be his top pitcher.

"He's worked on a few different pitches, including a slider he's trying to get down," he said. "We've been pleased with the way he's throwing his fastball. It's quite a bit faster than it was last year.

"To be honest, we probably got six or seven pitchers we can go with. And they're all exceptionally good pitchers. Our pitching rotation is going to be nice this year."

Montano said Blea, Juano Martinez, Luiso Molinas and Sammy Lopez have shown pop with their bats. He's also counting on Josh Griego and Luis Gutierrez to use their speed to get on base and wreak havoc.

"We have plenty of speed to steal bases," Montano said. "And we have depth in the roster to make moves with every other game.

"It's going to be fun. These boys are ready to rock and roll," he added.