Scout sows seeds of hope in Guatamala By Jerry Wizig Correspondent Published May 27, 2005 Aided by the Houston Astros and several Galveston area baseball coaches, a small Central American country may have planted more seeds for its blooming young baseball program last weekend. Guatemala, unlike Latin American countries like Puerto Rico, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and others, has never sent a player to the Major Leagues. Its most advanced prospect reached the Class AA level in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization a decade ago before a career-ending injury stalled his chances. Several Guatemalans have played at the Division I-A level in American collegiate baseball programs, including Joe Estrada, currently a senior outfielder at TCU. Galveston College started freshman Diego Castillo in its infield during the past season after he joined the Whitecaps. Castillo was accompanied from Guatemala by pitcher Rodrigo Ramazzini. Castillo received a scholarship to Houston Baptist for the 2006 season along with Whitecaps pitcher Taylor Powers. Pat Dwyer, an associate scout for the Astros and Jamaica Beach resident, visited Guatemala two years ago to distribute used baseball equipment to the country's youth baseball programs. Through the Houston chapter of the RBI Foundation and on Dwyer’s recommendation, Galveston College head coach Javier Solis took a look at Castillo and considered him a prospect. Noel Corrales and Fernando Marin, two officials with Guatemala’s amateur baseball organization, brought four players from Guatemala City to a baseball clinic last weekend. All 18 years old, outfielders Javier Castillo and Willie Campos, shortstop Pedro Dieguez and second baseman Alfredo Revoloryo participated in hitting, fielding and other drills with players from Alvin, Houston, New Caney and Clear Lake. Astros scout Ed Carreon and Bob Haberman, a former head coach at Blinn and Wharton College, helped Dwyer and Solis. “Baseball has been played in Guatemala from since around 1910,” Corrales said. “The American cultural and political influences were not as great as in some other Latin American countries, so baseball has not advanced as much. Soccer is still number one, but we are working hard to improve our baseball.” Another problem was Guatemala’s brutal civil war of almost four decades, which extended until a peace agreement in the late 1990s. Bill Amonette, a Clear Lake professional strength and conditioning trainer who works with NASA’s astronaut program, was impressed and encouraged by what he saw during his Guatemala visit with Dwyer. “They seemed to have a very good developmental program with a lot of energy ,” Amonette said. Dwyer felt one emphasis in the near future should be on starting youngsters in Guatemala on the diamond at an earlier age. “The younger the better to gain their interest and make a favorable impression,” Dwyer said. And, at some point in the future, perhaps make an impression in the Major Leagues. http://galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=83c5d9bb607d4150 --

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