La Joya's Peña expected to play in East-West All-Star game
Peña was a fifth round draft pick of the Washington Nationals
MISSION - The stars will be out tonight at Sharyland High School --- the Valley's best and brightest baseball stars that is --- during the RGV East-West All-Star game.
First pitch for the annual battle is set for 7 p.m. at Sharyland baseball field with Rattlers head coach Bart Bickerton leading the West squad and Brownsville Hanna's Eddie Garcia acting as skipper for the East side.
More than 50 of the most talented local ballplayers are expected to participate in tonight's game, including recently drafted La Joya ace Miguel Pena, who will play for the East team.
Earlier this month, Pena was drafted in the fifth round of the Major League Baseball draft by the Washington Nationals.
The hard-throwing lefty has yet to sign an official contract with the team, choosing to take a little time off to play in various games and spend more time with his family.
"They (the Nationals) are just waiting on me to make my move, but I'm just sort of taking easy right now. I'll sign soon enough," Pena said.
In the meantime, Pena said he is really looking forward to playing in tonight's all-star showdown and plans to savor his final high school game.
"This game means everything to me," he said. "I live to play baseball and knowing that this game will be the last game I get to play in a Coyotes uniform means a lot to me.
"Also, this will be the last game I get to play with all my friends from the Valley. I try not to think about it, but I know that this is it. After this we will all go our separate ways."
The game also means a lot to former Sharyland star infielder Adam Pena, who will play for the East squad today and is set to play ball at San Jacinto Junior College in Houston this fall.
The 2009 All-Valley Most Valuable Player said that playing in the all-star game is a huge honor and it means even more since it's being played at his alma mater.
"I never really thought that I'd get to play one more game on my home field," he said. "I'm very glad to be playing with the group of guys that will be out there. Most of us grew up playing together since we were little kids so playing our last high school game together means a lot."
Adam Pena is coming off an appearance at the annual all-state all-star game in Round Rock this past Sunday.
In addition to Miguel and Adam Pena, the East team is loaded with talent including All-Valley Offensive Player of the Year Trey Ramirez of PSJA and first-team first baseman Albert Obregon of McAllen Rowe.
But the talent is not limited to the West team. The East squad has plenty of its own stars.
"We may not have as many big names on this team, but we have a lot of solid players and we're ready to get after it, and do our best to win this thing," Garcia said.
Some of the West all-stars include former Hanna standouts Gilbert Hinojosa and Ramesh Ramnarine, Harlingen South's J.J. Perez and Harlingen High's Keith Hernandez.
"This game is sort of bittersweet," said Hernandez, who is headed to UT-Brownsville in the fall. "I mean, I'm looking forward to playing in it, but I'm also sort of sad that this will be the last high school game I ever play for Harlingen High. It's signifies another part of my life that is passing by."
