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2013 Roswell Invaders Season Recap - Chris Ebright Builds What May Be the Greatest Team in Pecos League History
There have been great teams in the history of the Pecos League. There have been championship teams. There have been dominant offensive teams. There have been teams with great pitching staffs.
There have been teams that dominated the regular season and others that became unstoppable once the playoffs began. But no team put all of those things together quite like the 2013 Roswell Invaders. The Invaders went 50-17 during the regular season and won the Pecos League Southern Division by seven games over the Alpine Cowboys.
They swept Alpine in the playoffs and then swept the Las Vegas Train Robbers in the Pecos League Championship Series. Roswell did not lose a postseason game. The Invaders finished the year as Pecos League Champions for the second time in three seasons.
Years later, when the Pecos League ranked the greatest teams in league history, the 2013 Roswell Invaders were ranked number one.
At the center of all of it was manager Chris Ebright. Ebright inherited a franchise coming off one of the most difficult seasons in its early history. He didn't try to make a few adjustments. He tore the roster down completely.
He released the entire team and started over with a group of rookies he believed could play the game the way he wanted it played. The result was immediate. From the first days of Spring Training, it was obvious that something very different had been assembled in Roswell.
By the end of July, there was no longer any debate. The 2013 Roswell Invaders weren't simply the best team in the Pecos League that season. They had made a legitimate claim to being the best team the league had ever seen, and Chris Ebright had established a legitimate claim of his own as one of the greatest managers in Pecos League history.
To understand what Ebright accomplished in 2013, it is necessary to understand where the Invaders were when he arrived. Roswell had won the inaugural Pecos League Championship in 2011 and immediately established itself as one of the league's model organizations.
Then came 2012. The season was filled with problems on and off the field. The community connection that had made the 2011 championship season successful had deteriorated. The Invaders still qualified for the playoffs, but the year did not feel anything like 2011.
Roswell needed more than another manager. It needed to rediscover its identity. The Pecos League hired Chris Ebright from Michigan to do exactly that.
Ebright came to Roswell with experience coaching in collegiate summer baseball, including Canada's Western Major Baseball League. His assignment was clear: get the Invaders back to the level they had reached in 2011.
Instead of trying to repair the 2012 roster, Ebright decided to completely rebuild it. The official Roswell franchise history says he released every player and started over from scratch with an entire team of rookies.
That is an enormous gamble in independent baseball. Returning players provide familiarity. They know the stadium, the league and the travel. They understand what summer baseball in New Mexico and West Texas requires.
Ebright decided talent, discipline and chemistry were more important than continuity. He built his own team. From Day 1 of Spring Training, the organization believed Ebright had assembled something special.
The Pecos League had projected him as one of its best new managers before the season. It didn't take long for him to exceed those expectations.
Opening Night Sets the Tone
Roswell opened the season May 14 against the Las Vegas Train Robbers at Joe Bauman Park. Las Vegas entered with Edison Alvarez, who was regarded as one of the better pitchers in the league. Roswell countered with Ed Kohout.
Kohout allowed only two runs - one earned - over six innings. Then Vincent Mejia broke the game open with a grand slam. Roswell won 8-2.
It was the first victory of the Chris Ebright era. It also previewed exactly what would define the Invaders all season: quality pitching, timely hitting, defense and the ability to suddenly turn a close game into a comfortable victory.
Roswell didn't spend weeks trying to figure out whether the rebuilt roster would work. It worked immediately. By May 24, the Invaders were already 10-1.
They were beating good teams and doing it in different ways. Sometimes the offense overwhelmed opponents. Sometimes the pitching controlled games. Sometimes Roswell simply executed better than the other team.
Against Alpine on May 23, the Invaders won 13-4 despite a lengthy rain delay. Jonathan Sa delivered a strong start, and Roswell capitalized on Alpine mistakes and produced runs when opportunities appeared.
The following night, Roswell defeated Alpine 10-5 and improved to 10-1. Even Alpine manager Ryan Stevens acknowledged the quality of the Invaders. The rivalry between the league's two strongest early franchises was developing another chapter.
That became the most important characteristic of the 2013 Invaders. They were not dependent on one style of baseball. The offense could score in bunches. The pitching could win low-scoring games. The bullpen could protect leads. The defense could keep innings from unraveling.
And Ebright's club rarely beat itself. The Pecos League would later write that Roswell led the league in pitching and defensive categories. It also praised the depth of the pitching staff, describing the Invaders as having eight solid arms.
That balance separated Roswell from many other successful Pecos League teams. Independent baseball often produces teams that can hit but cannot pitch. Sometimes there are clubs with one or two great starters but not enough offense.
The 2013 Invaders had both.
Ryan Normoyle Becomes a Complete Offensive Player
Ryan Normoyle was one of the anchors of the lineup. Normoyle played 64 games and collected 103 hits in 277 at-bats. He scored 73 runs and hit 17 doubles, three triples and 13 home runs.
Normoyle drove in 77 runs, drew 33 walks and stole seven bases. The 103 hits made him one of the most productive hitters on the roster and gave Ebright a reliable bat virtually every night.
His ability to hit for average, extra-base power and run production made him an essential part of Roswell's championship offense.
Roger Bernal played 66 games and produced 92 hits in 297 at-bats. He scored 64 runs and drove in 49.
Bernal was not a huge home-run hitter. He didn't need to be. He consistently put the ball in play and gave the lineup another dependable offensive player. He also stole 14 bases.
Ebright's roster was filled with players exactly like that - hitters who could contribute without needing the entire offense built around them.
Chad Kruse Sets the Table
Chad Kruse collected 86 hits in 59 games and scored 72 runs. He hit 20 doubles, two triples and drove in 38.
Kruse also drew 24 walks and was hit by 15 pitches. His ability to reach base and create scoring opportunities made him another major piece of the Roswell lineup.
Mike McCarthy Controls the Game Behind the Plate
Mike McCarthy gave Roswell an experienced presence at catcher and became one of the most important players on the roster.
McCarthy played 52 games and collected 62 hits. He hit 13 doubles, one triple and five home runs while driving in 34. He also drew 33 walks.
But his value extended far beyond his offensive statistics. McCarthy handled one of the deepest pitching staffs in the Pecos League. When the postseason arrived, his value became even clearer.
McCarthy would ultimately be named the Pecos League Playoff MVP.
Erick Gaylord played 49 games and collected 55 hits. He hit eight home runs and drove in 46.
Gaylord also stole 22 bases while being caught only twice. His combination of speed and power gave Roswell another way to attack opponents.
Charles Dubanoski Adds More Depth
Charles Dubanoski collected 40 hits in 41 games. He hit 10 doubles and drove in 30 runs while also drawing 23 walks.
Again, the strength of the Invaders was not one superstar surrounded by role players. The lineup was deep, and different players could beat opponents on different nights.
Vincent Mejia Becomes League MVP
Vincent "Vinny" Mejia became the signature player of the 2013 championship season. The Pecos League later identified Mejia as the league's Most Valuable Player.
He supplied clutch offense throughout the season and became even more important in the playoffs. His Opening Night grand slam immediately announced his presence, and in the Southern Division playoff series against Alpine, Mejia hit two home runs in Game 2.
The league's retrospective on the greatest teams in Pecos League history specifically identified Mejia as one of the central reasons Roswell's offense worked so well. He became the league MVP on the league's best team.
The Pitching Staff May Have Been Even Better Than the Offense
As productive as Roswell's hitters were, the pitching staff may have been the biggest reason this team separated itself from the rest of the league.
Ebright had quality starters, middle relief, late-inning pitching and depth. He had the ability to use different pitchers depending on matchups without feeling as though he was sacrificing quality.
The Pecos League later described the staff as eight deep in solid arms. That is rare at any level of independent baseball. In the Pecos League, it was extraordinary.
Erik Lambe Goes 10-0
Erik Lambe was the ace. Lambe went a perfect 10-0 and posted a 2.32 ERA.
He appeared in 16 games, including eight starts, and threw 69.2 innings. Lambe completed two games, allowed only 18 earned runs all season and struck out 66 hitters while walking only 17.
A 10-0 record alone would make him one of the most important pitchers in franchise history. The 2.32 ERA made the season even more impressive.
Roswell could hand Lambe the baseball with confidence that the game would remain under control.
Jonathan Sa gave Roswell another dependable starter. Sa went 8-1 with a 4.29 ERA.
He started 12 games and threw a team-high 73.1 innings while striking out 54 hitters. Between Lambe and Sa alone, Roswell received 18 victories against only one loss.
Ed Kohout Becomes One of the Most Valuable Players on the Roster
Ed Kohout was one of the most interesting players on the championship team. On the mound, Kohout went 6-2 with a 4.43 ERA. He made 11 starts and threw 69 innings while striking out 52 hitters and walking only 18.
But Kohout could also hit. In 36 at-bats, he collected 14 hits and drew 12 walks. The Pecos League later described Kohout as the team's best pinch hitter in addition to being one of its leading pitchers.
That gave Ebright an unusual weapon. He could use one of his starting pitchers in an offensive situation without treating the at-bat like a sacrifice.
Roswell eventually reached a number no Pecos League team had ever reached before: 50 regular-season victories.
The Invaders finished 50-17. Their winning percentage was .746. Alpine finished second in the Southern Division at 43-25, leaving Roswell seven games ahead.
Las Vegas won the Northern Division at 41-27. Roswell finished nine victories ahead of the best team in the other division.
The Invaders weren't simply first. They were clearly first.
The Pecos League later called it the best regular season in league history.
Another reason the 50-17 record was so impressive was who Roswell beat. This wasn't a team that built its record only against the bottom of the standings.
The Pecos League's historical ranking notes that Roswell went 13-5 against Alpine. The Cowboys were the second-best team in the Southern Division at 43-25.
Roswell went 8-1 against Las Vegas. The Train Robbers were the Northern Division champions at 41-27. The Invaders also went 14-2 against White Sands.
In other words, Roswell didn't simply beat weak teams. It dominated the very teams most likely to challenge it for the championship.
The first postseason opponent was exactly who everyone expected: Alpine.
Roswell and the Cowboys had become the defining rivalry of the early Pecos League. Alpine had won 43 games and was talented enough to win the championship. The Cowboys simply had the misfortune of sharing a division with Roswell.
Game 1 was close. Roswell won 7-5. Dallas Burke delivered several clutch hits, including a bases-clearing double. The Invaders were one victory away from the championship series.
Game 2 provided even less doubt. Roswell won 7-3. Vinny Mejia hit two home runs.
The series was over. Roswell had swept a 43-win Alpine team.
The Southern Division series demonstrated exactly why Roswell's roster was so difficult to beat. The starting pitching kept games under control, then Ebright could turn to Ryan Rogers, Eric Berkowitz, Jacob Cook and Davis Henderson.
The league championship preview specifically credited that bullpen combination with holding down Alpine's offense.
Roswell didn't have to ask one pitcher to carry the entire postseason. It had options, and that depth became even more important in the championship series.
The Northern Division champion Las Vegas Train Robbers advanced to face Roswell. Las Vegas had gone 41-27 and swept Trinidad in the Northern Division playoffs.
They had quality pitching, a productive offense and knew Roswell extremely well. The problem for Las Vegas was that the regular-season matchup had been overwhelmingly one-sided.
Roswell had gone 8-1 against the Train Robbers. Now Las Vegas needed to beat Roswell twice in a best-of-three championship series.
No one had managed to beat the Invaders even once in the postseason.
Game 1 - Roswell Wins 7-6
The championship opener was competitive. Las Vegas gave Roswell exactly the type of challenge expected from a division champion.
But once again, the Invaders found a way to win. Roswell defeated Las Vegas 7-6.
One run separated the two teams. Roswell was now one victory away from the championship.
The Invaders had played three postseason games. They had won all three.
Game 2 - Roswell Finishes It
The final game wasn't as close. Roswell defeated Las Vegas 12-6.
The Invaders had swept the championship series. The postseason was complete.
Four games. Four victories.
Roswell had defeated Alpine twice and then defeated Las Vegas twice. The team that had dominated the regular season became even more dominant when the championship was on the line.
2011 Pecos League Champions 2013 Pecos League Champions
Two championships in the first three years of the league.
But the 2013 title felt different. The 2011 championship had established the franchise. The 2013 championship established dominance.
Roswell had won 50 regular-season games and then went 4-0 in the postseason. The Invaders finished their championship year without losing a single playoff game.
The Pecos League's official historical summary still describes the 2013 Roswell Invaders as having the best season in league history.
Mike McCarthy's value became even greater during the postseason. The catcher helped control Roswell's pitching staff throughout the championship run and delivered when the team needed him offensively.
When the postseason ended, McCarthy was named Pecos League Playoff MVP.
That recognition was especially fitting for a team built on more than raw offense. McCarthy helped Ebright manage the deepest pitching staff in the league from behind the plate.
Mejia received the other major honor. He was named the league's Most Valuable Player.
His combination of offense, clutch hitting and postseason production made him one of the faces of the championship team. The league later specifically highlighted Mejia as MVP when ranking the 2013 Invaders as the greatest team in league history.
League MVP. Playoff MVP. Manager of the Year. Fifty wins. A perfect postseason.
Virtually every major honor reflected back on Roswell.
Chris Ebright - 2013 Pecos League Manager of the Year
No person deserves more credit for what happened in 2013 than Chris Ebright. He inherited a franchise that needed a complete reset and had the confidence to release the existing roster and build his own team.
He brought an entire group of rookies into one of the Pecos League's most demanding markets and then taught them how to win immediately.
The Invaders didn't need a rebuilding year. They didn't need half a season to develop chemistry. They started winning from the beginning, continued winning all summer and then won every playoff game they played.
Ebright was named the 2013 Pecos League Manager of the Year. He set the all-time Pecos League record with 50 regular-season victories and also had more players promoted than any other manager in the league that year.
Those accomplishments demonstrate why his 2013 season remains such an important managerial benchmark. Winning is one part of managing independent baseball. Developing players and helping them advance is another.
There have been managers with longer Pecos League careers. There are managers with more total victories. There are managers who won championships with multiple clubs.
But if the question is who produced the greatest single managerial season the league has ever seen, Chris Ebright's 2013 season has an almost unbeatable argument.
He arrived in Roswell after a difficult year. He completely rebuilt the roster. He went 50-17. His team led the league in pitching and defense.
His roster included the league MVP. His catcher became playoff MVP. His team did not lose a playoff game. His players received more promotions than any other team. Ebright himself was named Manager of the Year.
There is very little more a manager could have accomplished in one summer.
The Best Team in Pecos League History?
This question is even easier to answer because the Pecos League itself answered it. When the league published its ranking of the five greatest teams in Pecos League history, the 2013 Roswell Invaders were ranked number one.
The reasons were obvious.
50 regular-season victories. A .746 winning percentage. 13-5 against Alpine. 8-1 against Las Vegas. 14-2 against White Sands. Best pitching and defensive performance in the league. Four playoff games. Four playoff victories. Pecos League Champions.
Many championship teams can point to one dominant area. The 2013 Invaders could point to everything.
Regular Season Record: 50-17 Winning Percentage: .746 Southern Division Finish: First Place Southern Division Margin: 7 games over Alpine Southern Division Playoffs: Swept Alpine Cowboys 2-0 Pecos League Championship Series: Swept Las Vegas Train Robbers 2-0 Postseason Record: 4-0 Overall Record Including Playoffs: 54-17 Final Result: 2013 Pecos League Champions
Erik Lambe: 10-0, 2.32 ERA, 69.2 IP, 66 SO Jonathan Sa: 8-1, 4.29 ERA, 73.1 IP, 54 SO Ed Kohout: 6-2, 4.43 ERA, 69 IP, 52 SO Ryan Rogers: 1.06 ERA, 7 saves, 44 SO in 25.1 IP Davis Henderson: 1.55 ERA, 3 saves, 0.76 WHIP Jacob Cook: 3-1, 56 IP Andrew Shoemaker: 4-1 Scott Elitzky: 3-0
Manager: Chris Ebright - 2013 Pecos League Manager of the Year
Roswell Becomes the Model Pecos League Franchise Again
The championship was only part of what changed in Roswell during 2013. The organization itself had recovered.
Community support returned. The City of Roswell worked closely with the Invaders. The team again led the Pecos League in merchandise sales. The Invaders developed stronger local media coverage, and the UFO Museum continued its connection with the franchise.
The relationship between the team and the community looked much more like 2011 again. The Pecos League's postseason business review ranked Roswell first among its organizations and credited the new coaching staff with turning the operation around virtually overnight.
That makes Ebright's impact even more significant. He didn't simply fix the baseball team. The success of the baseball team helped restore the entire franchise.
There would be no second season under Chris Ebright. Not because Roswell wanted a change and not because he struggled.
Quite the opposite. Ebright's success created opportunities beyond the Pecos League. He accepted a full-time coaching job in Michigan and was also named manager of the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters of the Northwoods League for the 2014 season.
Roswell knew getting him back would be extremely difficult. When his departure was announced, the organization described Ebright as a complete success from Day 1.
He left Roswell having accomplished virtually everything possible in one season: Manager of the Year, 50 wins, most player promotions in the league, Southern Division Championship, Pecos League Championship and a perfect postseason.
Most managers build their reputations over years. Chris Ebright needed one summer in Roswell.
He inherited a team that needed to be rebuilt. He released everyone. He brought in his own players, and those players immediately became the best team in the league.
Roswell opened the year winning and continued winning through May, June and July. The Invaders reached 50 victories and then went to the playoffs and refused to lose at all.
Alpine couldn't beat them. Las Vegas couldn't beat them. No postseason opponent could.
50-17. 4-0 in the playoffs. 54-17 overall. Pecos League Champions.
That is the résumé.
The Standard Everyone Else Has Chased
Every great Pecos League team that followed could be compared with the 2013 Roswell Invaders. Did they win 50 games? Did they dominate the other contenders? Did they lead the league in pitching? Did they lead the league defensively?
Did they have the league MVP? Did they have the playoff MVP? Did they have the Manager of the Year? Did they go undefeated in the playoffs?
The 2013 Invaders could answer yes to all of it.
That is why calling them one of the best teams in Pecos League history almost understates the case.
They were the standard.
And Chris Ebright was the architect. He built the team, managed the personalities, handled the deepest pitching staff in the league, got timely production from the lineup, restored the connection between the club and the community and helped players advance.
Most importantly, he won the championship without losing a playoff game.
There may never be another single-season managerial performance quite like it in the Pecos League. There may never be another roster quite like it either.
The 2013 Roswell Invaders weren't simply champions.
They may have been the greatest team ever assembled in the Pecos League, led by the greatest single-season managerial performance the league has ever seen.
