12/2/2024-When he was managing the Santa Fe Fuego in 2022, Bill Rogan's squad pulled off the greatest trick play in Pecos League history.

It was the last game of the season at Fort Marcy Ballpark and Garden City Wind outfielder Koki Matsuda led off the game with a single to center.

"Koki always led off with a single to center against us, and then he would always steal second. Well, we were ready for him this time," Rogan recalled. "After Koki singled to center we put the play on."

Here's how it played out. Koki went to steal second and catcher Tyler Carpenter THREW THE BALL TO FIRST BASEMAN Jared Gay! Really! Then Carpenter threw off his mask and ran to the backstop frantically looking for the ball. The pitcher, Evan Nakagawa, ran off the mound pointing to Carpy's left. The second baseman, Declan Peterson, went to the bag and then moved a few feet in front of it, pointing toward home and yelling "to your left, to your left". The shortstop, Phil Buckingham, was pointing towards the backstop yelling "to your left, to your left." Third baseman, Manny Cachora, who is 6'4, was trying to get between the third base coach and the runner while pointing towards home.

Rogan was yelling too, as was the entire bench and bullpen. The Fuego were trying to make the scene frantic as Carpenter desperately kept looking for the ball with his hands outstretched as if to say "where's the ball, where's the ball???"

Koki took the bait. He stole second standing up since Peterson moved in front of the bag so Matsuda wouldn't slide. Koki rounded the bag, looked in towards home and took off for third. Then Gay threw a bullet to Cachora at third and Koki was out by a mile. So he got a stolen base and a caught stealing on the same play! Everybody was laughing and the team was pumped up the play actually worked. Cachora later said it was the most nervous he ever was catching a ball. Gay, who thought the play would never work, was laughing and yelled to Rogan, "I hate you Bill, I bleeping hate you!" Actually, everybody did what they were supposed to do except Jared. He caught the ball and turned his back on the play. He was supposed to walk towards the pitcher's mound with his hands outstretched as if to say, "what the hell are we doing out here." This would have shortened the throw to third, or second if Koki went too far, sniffed it out and tried to get back to second base. Gay is fortunate to have a strong arm and was able to complete the play.

When Rogan, now the manager of the Bakersfield Train Robbers, later asked the third base coach what he saw, he said, "I saw Koki take off, I saw the ball get to the catcher, then I looked to second for the play at the bag but there was no throw. Then I saw the catcher looking for the ball and the next thing I know, the third baseman had it."

With a playoff berth wrapped up, Garden City skipper Garret Totty let a player coach third and was watching the events from the bench. "I wish the audio would've picked up me saying 'NO, NO, STAY THERE! Will never forget that play and I'm glad I got to be there and witness it."

"We wanted to use it during the season when the game was on the line but the opportunity never presented itself," Rogan said. "I had to find out if it would work so we did it the last game of the season. We didn't make the playoffs but I'm glad we were able to do the trick play before the home fans who thoroughly enjoyed it. I've always maintained that the Santa Fe fans are the best in the Pecos League so I'm glad we left them with a good memory."

When Matsuda came up to bat for the second time, he said to Carpenter, "thank you for that play. That play make me a better baserunner."

The home plate umpire Butch Davis said, "I remember that. One of the strangest things I'd seen."

Play-by-play announcer Paco Martin was completely fooled by the play and said, "I'll never forget it."

You can see the video of the play here. If you look closely at the bench area following the play, Fuego pitcher and current Pecos Bills manager, Luke Poselovic, in his excitement took a tumble.