2013 Santa Fe Fuego Season Recap - Record Crowds, a New Rivalry and a Playoff Race to the Final Day

The 2013 Santa Fe Fuego season represented an important step forward for professional baseball in Santa Fe. In only their second season in the Pecos League, the Fuego established themselves as one of the league's strongest markets while developing into a legitimate contender on the field. Santa Fe finished the season with a 37-30 record and remained in the playoff race until the final day of the regular season. Bill Moore continued to lead the club as manager, while Yvonne Encinias began her first season as general manager, giving the organization an important connection to the Santa Fe community. Her son, Jerome Romero, had been part of the Fuego since the franchise's beginning and was one of the team's best players. On the field and in the community, many of the pieces that would eventually define the Santa Fe Fuego were beginning to come together.

Perhaps the biggest story of the season was what was happening in the stands at Fort Marcy Park. The Fuego led the Pecos League in attendance in 2013, demonstrating that professional baseball was beginning to establish a strong following in Santa Fe. The atmosphere at Fort Marcy was unlike that of a traditional professional baseball stadium. Fans were close to the field, players were accessible and the intimate setting helped create a connection between the team and the community. Only two years into the existence of the Fuego, Santa Fe had already emerged as one of the Pecos League's most successful markets.

Bill Moore Returns for a Second Season

Bill Moore returned for his second season as manager and entered the summer with a much better understanding of what it took to build a competitive team in Santa Fe. The Fuego improved significantly from their inaugural season and developed an offensive identity that fit perfectly with Fort Marcy Park. Santa Fe had power throughout the batting order, speed on the bases and enough pitching to remain competitive throughout the demanding Pecos League schedule.

The continuity provided by Moore was important for a young franchise still trying to establish itself. Independent baseball rosters could change dramatically from one season to the next, but Santa Fe entered 2013 with a manager who already understood the city, the ballpark and the challenges of competing in the Pecos League. That experience helped the Fuego become a much more consistent team during their second year.

Yvonne Encinias Gives the Fuego a Major Boost

While Moore continued providing leadership on the baseball side, the Fuego received an equally important boost away from the field in 2013 when Yvonne Encinias became the team's general manager. It was Encinias' first season in the position and the beginning of what would become one of the longest and most important relationships in the history of the Santa Fe Fuego.

Encinias already had a strong connection to the organization. Her son, Jerome Romero, had played for the Fuego during the franchise's first two seasons, giving the Encinias family a connection to the team from its very beginning. Romero was one of Santa Fe's best players, and through his involvement with the club, Yvonne became increasingly connected to the operation surrounding Fuego baseball.

The decision to have Encinias serve as general manager proved particularly valuable because she was well connected throughout the Santa Fe community. Independent baseball depended heavily upon relationships with local businesses, sponsors, fans and community organizations, and Encinias understood Santa Fe. She could introduce the Fuego to people throughout the community while helping turn a relatively new professional baseball team into something local residents could identify as their own.

Her role extended far beyond what would normally be associated with the title of general manager. Over the years, Encinias became known for doing virtually whatever was necessary to operate a Fuego game at Fort Marcy Park, including selling tickets, finding local sponsorships, helping with concessions, operating the scoreboard, assisting with parking and handling many of the countless details necessary to keep an independent baseball team operating. Her family also became heavily involved in helping the organization. A later account of the franchise noted that Jerome Romero played for the first two Fuego teams and described Yvonne Encinias as someone who had handled nearly every part of the team's day-to-day operation. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

That community connection became particularly important during the 2013 season. The Fuego were still establishing themselves in Santa Fe and needed more than a competitive baseball team to succeed. They needed local people who could build relationships and convince fans and businesses to support professional baseball at Fort Marcy Park. Encinias helped provide exactly that connection.

The results could be seen in the stands. In the same season that Encinias took over as general manager, Santa Fe led the Pecos League in attendance. The success wasn't simply the result of one person, but the combination of a competitive team under Bill Moore, recognizable local connections and the work being done throughout the community helped turn Fort Marcy Park into one of the league's strongest markets.

There was also something unique about having Romero on the field while his mother helped operate the organization. Jerome had been part of the Fuego since the beginning, and Yvonne's increasing involvement meant the Encinias family was becoming connected to the franchise on both sides of the fence. What began with Romero playing for Santa Fe developed into a family relationship with the Fuego that would continue long after his playing days ended. The Santa Fe New Mexican would later describe the Fuego and the Encinias family as having essentially grown together throughout the history of the franchise. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

A Powerful Santa Fe Lineup

James Maxwell became one of the centerpieces of the Santa Fe offense. Maxwell played 67 games and collected 103 hits while hitting 24 home runs and driving in 89 runs. His ability to produce extra-base power gave Santa Fe a dangerous presence in the middle of the lineup throughout the summer.

Josh Barnett was another major part of the offense. Barnett also collected 103 hits and provided an outstanding combination of power and speed, scoring 87 runs, hitting 14 home runs and stealing 33 bases. Devonte Odums added another dangerous bat with 80 hits, 18 doubles and 13 home runs while also stealing 28 bases.

The depth of the lineup made Santa Fe difficult to pitch against. Kyle Zimmerman collected 82 hits, Charlie Calamia added 80 hits and 24 doubles, and Bryson Sims contributed power and speed while stealing 28 bases. Kellen Lee provided additional home-run power, while Larry Rodriguez contributed offensively despite also being used as a pitcher. The Fuego weren't dependent upon one hitter carrying the team. Opposing pitchers had to work through a lineup capable of creating scoring opportunities from beginning to end.

Santa Fe's offense also created pressure with its speed. Barnett stole 33 bases, Odums and Sims each stole 28, and Calamia added 21. That ability to run combined with the team's power to make Fort Marcy an especially difficult place for opposing pitchers. A walk or single could quickly turn into a runner in scoring position, and one mistake could lead to a big inning.

Jerome Romero was another important part of the club's identity. In addition to being one of the Fuego's best players, he represented a direct link between the team's inaugural season and the growing organization around it. His presence on the roster helped give Santa Fe continuity at a time when Pecos League clubs often experienced considerable turnover from year to year.

The Pitching Staff Keeps Santa Fe in Contention

The pitching staff also featured several important performances. Austin Carden finished 4-3 with a 3.78 ERA while working 66.2 innings and striking out 72 hitters. Jonathan Sintes carried one of the largest workloads on the staff, making 14 starts and throwing 89.2 innings while finishing 6-7 with a 3.71 ERA.

Charlie McCready went 3-1 with a 2.82 ERA, while Jared Bowser became an important bullpen option and recorded three saves. Kevin Camacho provided additional innings, and Matt Williams went 2-0 in four starts. The staff had to navigate the high-scoring environment that often came with Pecos League baseball, particularly at Fort Marcy Park, but Santa Fe received enough quality pitching to remain in the playoff race throughout the summer.

The Taos Blizzard Become Santa Fe's New Rival

One of the most significant developments surrounding the Fuego in 2013 was the arrival of the Taos Blizzard. The addition of another Pecos League team in Northern New Mexico immediately created a natural geographic rivalry. Santa Fe and Taos were close enough that the games felt different from ordinary league matchups, and it didn't take years for the rivalry to develop.

The Fuego and Blizzard played a series of wild, high-scoring games, with Santa Fe winning some and Taos winning others. The matchup quickly became another important part of the Fuego schedule and gave fans in Northern New Mexico a regional opponent they could immediately identify with. The rivalry brought another layer of energy to games at Fort Marcy Park and gave the Fuego a nearby opponent that carried additional meaning.

The early meetings between the teams reflected the unpredictable nature of Pecos League baseball. There were offensive explosions, lopsided victories and games in which momentum changed quickly. Those contests helped establish Taos as a true rival for Santa Fe and added another chapter to the growth of professional baseball in Northern New Mexico.

Santa Fe Appears in the Trinidad Triggers Reality Show

The 2013 season was also memorable because of what was happening with another one of Santa Fe's opponents. The Trinidad Triggers were being followed by cameras throughout the season as part of a reality television production about life in independent professional baseball. Because Trinidad and Santa Fe regularly played one another, the Fuego became part of the production as well.

Santa Fe players and games involving the Fuego appeared in several episodes, providing a unique record of what the early Pecos League looked like. Fort Marcy Park, Fuego players and the developing rivalry between Santa Fe and Trinidad became part of the television story surrounding the Triggers.

The reality show captured an era when the Pecos League was still establishing its identity. Players traveled throughout New Mexico and Colorado chasing opportunities to continue their professional baseball careers, often playing in small and unusual ballparks far removed from the polished environment of affiliated Minor League Baseball. Fort Marcy Park and the Santa Fe Fuego fit naturally into that story.

The games between Santa Fe and Trinidad also became increasingly competitive. The clubs played several close games during the season, creating natural drama for the television production while also strengthening a rivalry that would continue to develop over the years. Trinidad was becoming one of the league's most recognizable teams, while Santa Fe was establishing itself as one of its strongest markets.

Fort Marcy Park Leads the Pecos League in Attendance

Perhaps the most important development of the entire season happened away from the standings. Santa Fe led the Pecos League in attendance in 2013.

Only two years into the existence of the franchise, the Fuego had already demonstrated that independent professional baseball could establish a legitimate following in the state capital. Fans came to Fort Marcy Park throughout the summer and helped create one of the most recognizable home-field environments in the league.

Fort Marcy Park was never going to resemble a large affiliated minor league stadium, and that became part of its appeal. Fans were close to the field, the players were accessible and the entire experience had a community atmosphere that separated Fuego baseball from larger professional sports. The intimacy of the park helped create a connection between the team and its supporters that became an important part of the franchise's identity.

Yvonne Encinias' community connections gave the Fuego another advantage in building that audience. Her ability to work with local businesses, find sponsors and maintain relationships throughout Santa Fe helped strengthen the organization's ties to the city. Her involvement with the team was not limited to baseball operations. A later profile described Encinias as active in community organizations while also continuing to perform numerous duties for the Fuego, reinforcing how closely the franchise became connected to her broader role in Santa Fe. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

The attendance success was particularly important for the long-term future of the organization. Winning could change from one season to another, but establishing a loyal fan base gave the Fuego something on which the franchise could continue building. By the end of 2013, Santa Fe was no longer simply another new Pecos League market. It had become one of the league's most important cities.

The Playoff Race Goes to the Final Day

The improvement under Moore gave the Fuego something they had not experienced during their inaugural season: meaningful baseball all the way through the end of the schedule. Santa Fe remained in the playoff race until the final day of the regular season, turning the final weeks into some of the most important baseball Fort Marcy Park had hosted.

Every victory mattered. Every loss had consequences. Instead of simply finishing the schedule and looking toward the following season, the Fuego were playing games that could determine whether their season continued into the postseason.

Santa Fe played some of its best baseball during the stretch run. The Fuego continued winning enough games to keep their postseason hopes alive, and the race ultimately went all the way to the final day. The Fuego eventually came up short of earning the playoff berth they wanted, but finishing 37-30 represented an important accomplishment for a franchise playing only its second season.

Missing the postseason was disappointing, particularly after remaining in contention until the final day, but the final standings told only part of the story. Santa Fe had produced its first winning season. The Fuego had become a legitimate playoff contender. They had developed one of the league's most dangerous offensive lineups, established new rivalries and, most importantly for the long-term future of the franchise, led the Pecos League in attendance.

A Franchise Begins to Establish Itself

The 2013 season helped establish several characteristics that would become part of the Fuego's identity. There was the offense. There was Fort Marcy Park. There were large crowds. There were regional rivalries. There were memorable personalities and players trying to advance their professional careers. Most importantly, there was a community beginning to identify the Fuego as its summer baseball team.

Bill Moore had guided Santa Fe through its first two seasons and helped move the club from an expansion team into a legitimate contender. Yvonne Encinias had begun her first season as general manager and provided the organization with an important local presence away from the field. Her son Jerome Romero helped lead the club as one of its top players, giving the Encinias family a connection to the baseball side of the franchise as well as the business side.

The arrival of the Taos Blizzard gave the Fuego a natural Northern New Mexico rival. The Trinidad Triggers' reality television production gave Santa Fe and Fort Marcy exposure beyond the normal boundaries of an independent baseball season. The playoff race gave fans a reason to follow every game until the final day.

And the attendance showed that Santa Fe was paying attention.

A Foundation for What Was Coming

The Fuego did not win a championship in 2013 and did not reach the playoffs, but the season represented a major step forward for professional baseball in Santa Fe. A 37-30 record demonstrated that the Fuego could compete. Leading the Pecos League in attendance demonstrated that the franchise could build a following. Staying alive in the playoff race until the final day demonstrated that meaningful late-season baseball could become part of the Fort Marcy experience.

The season also became important for reasons that extended well beyond the standings. Bill Moore continued building the baseball operation, Yvonne Encinias began what would become a long tenure as the team's general manager, Jerome Romero helped lead the club on the field, Fort Marcy Park led the Pecos League in attendance, the Taos Blizzard emerged as a new Northern New Mexico rival and the Fuego became part of the Trinidad Triggers' reality television story.

After only two seasons, the Fuego were beginning to develop something that couldn't simply be measured in wins and losses. They had local people invested in the organization, a community supporting the team, a recognizable home at Fort Marcy Park and an identity that was becoming distinctly Santa Fe.

The 2013 season proved that the Santa Fe Fuego were no longer simply a new Pecos League experiment. Professional baseball had found an audience in Santa Fe, and with Bill Moore leading the team on the field and Yvonne Encinias helping build the organization off it, the foundation of the Fuego franchise was firmly taking shape.

The next challenge was clear: take the momentum created by a 37-30 season, the league's best attendance, a strong local operation and a growing baseball culture at Fort Marcy Park and turn it into a postseason run.