Home of Roswell Invaders Baseball Team! Roswell Invaders Professional Baseball Team
2019 Roswell Invaders Season Recap - Relly Mercurio's Final Season Ends Another Successful Era in Roswell
The 2019 Roswell Invaders season represented the end of an important chapter in franchise history. On the field, Roswell remained one of the strongest teams in the Pecos League, winning 37 games, returning to the playoffs, sweeping the Garden City Wind in the opening round and advancing to the Mountain Division Championship Series before finally being eliminated by the Alpine Cowboys.
The season would also become Relly Mercurio's final year with the Roswell Invaders. Mercurio had done an outstanding job during his years with the organization, serving as an assistant with the Invaders in 2016 and 2017 before taking over as manager in 2018. His teams won, made the playoffs and developed players, and in 2019 Mercurio once again put one of the better teams in the Mountain Division on the field.
But managing the Roswell Invaders required more than managing baseball games. The operation depended heavily on relationships throughout the community, including boosters and host families who played important roles in supporting the players throughout the summer. By the end of 2019, those relationships between Mercurio and some of the people surrounding the team had become difficult. The fit was no longer working off the field, and Mercurio would not return in 2020.
That ending should not overshadow what he accomplished. Relly Mercurio did an outstanding job for the Roswell Invaders, and his final team gave Roswell another winning season and another postseason run.
The Invaders entered 2019 with plenty of reason for optimism. Mercurio had taken over as manager in 2018 after serving as an assistant with the club during the previous two seasons, and his first season as manager had been successful.
Roswell finished only one-half game behind Tucson for first place in the Southern Division and qualified for the postseason. The playoff run ended quickly when Trinidad swept Roswell, but the overall season demonstrated that Mercurio could lead a winning Pecos League team.
The Invaders brought him back for 2019. When announcing his return, the organization specifically pointed to Roswell's playoff appearance and tie for the best record in the Southern Division in 2018.
The Pecos League returned to a two-division format in 2019. Roswell competed in the Mountain Division with the Alpine Cowboys, White Sands Pupfish, Santa Fe Fuego, Trinidad Triggers and Garden City Wind.
The schedule was ambitious. Roswell was scheduled to play 64 games, with 32 at home and 32 on the road. The Invaders would also make an unusual Pacific Division road trip that took the team through California and Arizona.
During that trip, Roswell played in Tucson, Adelanto, Wasco, California City, Bakersfield and Monterey. By the time the trip was complete, the Invaders had become the first team in Pecos League history to play in all 12 league cities during the same season.
The 2019 season also brought an important development away from the field. In March, the City of Roswell extended the Invaders' lease at Joe Bauman Stadium for four years, reinforcing the relationship between the Pecos League and the city that had served as one of the league's original markets.
The Invaders had played at Joe Bauman since the league's inaugural season in 2011. The 2019 campaign would mark the ninth season of Invaders baseball in Roswell and, at the time, there was every expectation that professional baseball would continue at Joe Bauman Stadium for years to come.
Mercurio's Invaders produced another strong regular season, finishing 37-21 for a .638 winning percentage. In many Pecos League seasons, 37 victories would have put Roswell near the very top of the division.
The problem was Alpine. The Cowboys developed into the dominant team in the Mountain Division and ultimately became the dominant team in the entire Pecos League. Roswell nevertheless remained firmly in the playoff picture and finished third in the Mountain Division, earning the Invaders another opportunity in the postseason.
Matt Paciello became the centerpiece of the Roswell offense. Paciello played 58 games and hit .379, collecting an extraordinary 94 hits in 248 at-bats. He scored 61 runs and produced 25 doubles, two triples and 13 home runs.
Most importantly, Paciello drove in 78 runs. His .653 slugging percentage and 1.090 OPS made him one of the most dangerous hitters on the Invaders roster. The 94 hits, 25 doubles and 78 RBIs illustrated just how consistently Paciello produced throughout the summer.
Jared Hagan gave Mercurio a completely different type of offensive weapon. Hagan played 53 games and hit .338, collecting 68 hits, scoring a team-high 65 runs and drawing 42 walks.
Once he reached base, Hagan became extremely dangerous. He stole 37 bases while being caught only twice. His .456 on-base percentage combined with his speed made him one of the primary table setters for the Roswell offense.
Austin Maltby produced one of the most impressive power performances on the roster considering the number of games he played. Maltby appeared in only 36 games but hit 10 home runs. He collected 37 hits, including 12 doubles and two triples, and drove in 30 runs.
His .716 slugging percentage led Roswell's regular hitters. Maltby also drew 27 walks and was hit by eight pitches, helping him post a .474 on-base percentage. His 1.190 OPS was the highest among the primary Roswell hitters.
Daryl Donerson Reaches Base More Than Half the Time
Daryl Donerson gave the Invaders another highly productive bat. Donerson hit .383 in 37 games, collecting 41 hits in 107 at-bats and scoring 36 runs. He drew 26 walks and was hit by five pitches, producing a .522 on-base percentage.
Donerson also stole 20 bases. He didn't need to hit for enormous power to affect games because he consistently reached base and gave Roswell another threat once he got there.
A Deep Roswell Lineup
Jalin Lawson provided another source of power from the infield. Lawson hit .308 in 39 games and produced 44 hits, seven doubles, three triples and eight home runs. He drove in 44 runs, scored 38 and drew 35 walks, giving him a .451 on-base percentage.
Aaron Stubblefield played 55 games and hit .332, collecting 68 hits, scoring 46 runs and driving in 34. He drew 38 walks and stole 19 bases. Nolan Hoff added another consistent bat, hitting .300 in 42 games with 54 hits, 41 runs and 38 RBIs. Pete Yorgen contributed a .311 average and .467 on-base percentage in 35 games.
The lineup had depth and several different ways to beat an opponent. Paciello could drive in runs. Hagan could run. Maltby could hit the ball out of the park. Donerson could get on base. Lawson could supply power, while Stubblefield and Hoff could keep innings moving. That offensive balance was a major reason Roswell won 37 games.
Carson Corff Represents Roswell in the All-Star Game
Carson Corff was selected to represent the Invaders in the 2019 Pecos League All-Star Game in Trinidad. The left-hander had previous experience with Roswell and became an important member of Mercurio's pitching staff.
But Roswell's biggest All-Star recognition belonged to its manager. Relly Mercurio was selected to manage the New Mexico team in the July 8 All-Star Game at Central Park in Trinidad. It was appropriate recognition for a manager whose club was again headed toward the postseason.
Whatever difficulties would eventually develop away from the field, the baseball results under Mercurio were difficult to argue with. His 2018 team had finished one-half game out of first place and made the playoffs. His 2019 team won 37 games and made the playoffs again.
The Pecos League's all-time managerial records would eventually credit Mercurio with 206 wins against 102 losses across his managerial career, a .668 winning percentage. That record places him among the more successful managers in league history by winning percentage among managers with substantial experience.
In Roswell, he had demonstrated that he could build competitive rosters and win games. The 2019 team was another example.
The 2019 Invaders also accomplished something no Pecos League team had done before. During July, Roswell completed a Pacific Division road trip that took the team across virtually the entire footprint of the league.
The Invaders played in Tucson, Adelanto, Wasco, California City, Bakersfield and Monterey. Combined with Roswell's Mountain Division schedule, the trip made the Invaders the first team in Pecos League history to play in all 12 league cities during the same season.
It was a grueling travel accomplishment that reflected the unusual nature of Pecos League baseball during that era. Few teams at any level of professional baseball would be asked to cover such a large geographic footprint during a single summer.
When the regular season ended, Roswell's 37-21 record placed the Invaders third in the Mountain Division. That sent Mercurio and the Invaders to Kansas for the opening round of the playoffs against the Garden City Wind.
It was not an easy assignment. Roswell would have to win away from Joe Bauman Stadium, but the Invaders responded with one of their best stretches of the season. They swept Garden City and won the series without allowing the Wind to force a deciding game.
Alpine Stands Between Roswell and the Championship Series
The next opponent was the Alpine Cowboys. Alpine had been the Mountain Division's strongest team and had given Roswell problems throughout the regular season. Now the Invaders had to go to Kokernot Field and defeat them in the postseason.
It proved to be too much. Alpine defeated Roswell 8-1 in the opening game, and the following game wasn't any better. The Cowboys beat the Invaders 13-4 to complete the sweep and end Roswell's season.
Alpine continued through the postseason and ultimately defeated the Bakersfield Train Robbers to win the 2019 Pecos League Championship. Roswell had been eliminated by the eventual champions.
Regular Season Record: 37-21 Winning Percentage: .638 Mountain Division Finish: Third Place First Playoff Round: Defeated Garden City Wind, sweep Mountain Division Series: Lost to Alpine Cowboys, sweep Final Result: Eliminated by eventual Pecos League Champion Alpine Cowboys
The playoff loss to Alpine became Relly Mercurio's final series as manager of the Roswell Invaders. His departure was not simply about wins and losses. On the field, Mercurio had done his job. The Invaders were winners, made the playoffs in both of his seasons as manager, won 37 games in 2019 and swept Garden City in the postseason. Mercurio had even been selected to manage the New Mexico team in the Pecos League All-Star Game.
But professional baseball in Roswell depended on more than what happened between the lines. The Invaders relied heavily on a network of people around the club. Host families opened their homes to players, boosters supported the team throughout the season and community relationships were an important part of keeping the operation functioning.
By the end of 2019, Mercurio's relationships with some of those groups had deteriorated. There were disagreements and personality conflicts, and ultimately it became clear that continuing the relationship into another season was not going to work. Mercurio would not return for 2020.
That should not diminish his baseball accomplishments in Roswell. Relly Mercurio had done an outstanding job with the Invaders. He helped the organization as an assistant in 2016 and 2017, took over as manager in 2018 and immediately led Roswell to another playoff appearance. He returned in 2019, won 37 games and then won a playoff series.
His teams competed, his players produced and Roswell remained one of the stronger franchises in the Pecos League during his tenure. Sometimes a successful baseball relationship still reaches its end. That is what happened after 2019.
Bryan Kloppe Selected to Return in 2020
On December 21, 2019, the Invaders announced that Bryan Kloppe would return to manage Roswell for the 2020 season. Kloppe was already extremely familiar with the organization. He had managed the Invaders in 2016 and 2017 and led Roswell to the Pecos League Championship Series in 2017.
Kloppe then moved to Bakersfield and managed the Train Robbers to the 2018 Pecos League Championship. After spending 2019 in the United Shore League in Michigan, Kloppe was scheduled to return to Roswell.
Nobody knew at the time that the 2020 season would be completely transformed by COVID-19. Instead of another normal summer at Joe Bauman Stadium, Roswell would eventually play the entire season in Houston, Texas in the Pecos League's one-location COVID pod.
That made 2019 the final normal Roswell Invaders season before the pandemic.
A Successful Era Ends
The easiest mistake when looking back at 2019 would be to judge Relly Mercurio solely by how his time in Roswell ended. That would ignore everything that came before it.
Mercurio had been part of the Invaders organization for four seasons. He spent two years assisting the club and then two years managing it. His 2018 team challenged for first place and reached the postseason. His 2019 team went 37-21, swept Garden City in the playoffs and advanced to face Alpine before being eliminated by the team that would win the Pecos League Championship.
It wasn't a championship season, but it was another successful Roswell baseball season.
The relationship between Mercurio and some of the boosters and host families ultimately reached a point where a change became necessary. That was unfortunate, but it doesn't erase the results.
Relly Mercurio did an outstanding job for the Roswell Invaders.
He helped keep the club competitive, won games, developed players and took the Invaders to the playoffs. In his final season, Roswell went 37-21 and won a postseason series before finally running into the eventual Pecos League champions in Alpine.
The 2019 season closed the Relly Mercurio chapter of Roswell Invaders history. It also closed another chapter nobody realized was ending at the time.
When the Invaders walked off the field after their playoff loss in Alpine, they expected to return to Joe Bauman Stadium the following summer.
They wouldn't.
COVID-19 would change everything. The next Roswell Invaders season would be played entirely in Houston, Texas.
That makes 2019 both the end of the Mercurio era and the final season of normal Pecos League baseball in Roswell before the pandemic.
