BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER
PHARR — Valley View juniors Ricardo Sanchez and Fernando Rodriguez have been playing baseball together for the last seven years.
Their bond goes way deeper than varsity ball, and it showed Friday, as their play helped propel the Tigers to an 11-1 win over Laredo Cigarroa.
Sanchez is a slick-fielding shortstop. Rodriguez often plays second, but can also play the outfield. They love playing next to each other because their chemistry has developed over the years.
“I’m way confident when he is next to me,” Sanchez said. “(Rodriguez) is fast, and he knows how to work with his hands and his feet.” Playing next to Sanchez is a treat for Rodriguez, as well. Sanchez is a stellar defender. His range was tested on several plays against Cigarroa, and each time he fielded the ball cleanly and came up with a rifle right on target to the first baseman. His actions are fluid and his footwork is superb.
Combine that with his prowess at the plate, and Valley View coach Mario Gonzalez said Sanchez has the makings of a five-tool talent. The five tools for a prospect in baseball are speed, arm, glove, hitting and power.
“For the last three years, he has been one of the best players in our district,” Gonzalez said through a translator.
Even when they aren’t with the Tigers, Sanchez and Rodriguez have been together for years. They used to play for a travel team called the South Texas Knights. They routinely took trips to Houston, Dallas and other parts of the state for tournaments. The pair has shared a lot of good times on the road, both with the Knights and with the Tigers.
“We have a lot of fun,” Rodriguez said. “We just play around and we do our thing.”
For Sanchez and Rodriguez, the key is to have fun.
“It’s all about having fun,” Sanchez said. “It’s a game. We don’t ever take it personal. It’s high school ball. We just have fun and let it go.”
One of the fun things they do together on the field is a collection of complicated handshakes. On Friday, they met at second base and went into a series of fist bumps and hand grips.
“We’ve been doing a lot of handshakes, but that one is today’s,” Rodriguez said.
“That’s our routine,” Sanchez added. “It’s something we always do. We just have a little bit of fun on the diamond.”
Rodriguez was the mastermind behind Friday’s shake, but they have each come up with several.
Of course, it’s not all fun and games, and it’s also good to have each other during tough times. About two weeks ago, Rodriguez injured his non-throwing shoulder. He had to miss a few games, which pained him even more. Sanchez was there to cheer him up. Rodriguez says that is something they have come to expect from each other.
“If you are down, (Sanchez) picks you up, or if he’s down I pick him up,” Rodriguez said. “We just tell each other things and make each other laugh.”
With the win over Cigarroa on Friday, Valley View improves to 5-0 in District 31-5A. Sanchez is eager to get back on the field and keep the momentum.
“Right now, our goal is to stay undefeated,” he said.