LAREDO NATIVE AND LAREDO LATIN HALL OF FAMER SIGNS WITH BRONCOS
Written by Post Public Information Representative, May 27, 2009, 0 Comments
May 27, 2009-Laredo, TX- The Laredo Broncos of the United League announce that they have signed Laredo native Tano Tijerina to a contract for the 2009 season.
Tijerina was born and raised in Laredo. He graduated from J W Nixon High School in 1992. After high school, he went and played for Navarro Junior College during the 1993 season. It was at Navarro where Tijerina says he realized he could play baseball professionally. “When I was in high school, I was only throwing my fastball 88 or 89 mph. But, at Navarro during the season I started throwing 97 or 98 mph and realized I could do something with baseball.”
Tijerina pitched so well, that he was drafted in the 8th round of the 1993 MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers. Tijerina would not waste any time showing how good of a pitcher he was. After being drafted he jumped right into rookie ball for the Brewers and in 10 games started he went 6-1 with a 2.94 ERA. He would stay in the Brewers organization till 1996. In 96 he had an elbow injury that sidelined him till 2002. In 02 he pitched for the Edinburg Roadrunners who were in the central league and had a great comeback season. He made 18 relief appearances and went 2-1 with a 3.91 ERA.
After that season, Tijerina ended his baseball career for what he thought was for good. He came back to Laredo and has been very active in the city. He is a business man, rancher, and is even a deacon for at the Grace Bible Church. Tijerina is also very active in charitable work. He helps out many of the local organizations including Laredo Stepping Stone and the South Texas Food Bank.
Recently, Tijerina had started to throw the baseball around and got the itch to see if he could still play the game he has played for the majority of his life. Tijerina wanted to show he could still play and felt there was no better place than in his hometown with the Broncos. “I want to see if my 35 year old body can still play. I also wanted the community of Laredo to be able to see me pitch one more time, and playing for the Broncos became a no brainer.”
The Broncos are very glad to have Tijerina on board, and field Manager Ricardo Cuevas is excited to have him on his staff. “Tano Tijerina is one of the best baseball products to come through Laredo. He is a smart pitcher and can throw hard which is exactly what the pitching staff needs. He will also bring a lot of excitement to the games when he pitches.” Broncos General Manager Jose Melendez also can’t wait for Tijerina to pitch. “With the signing of Tano Tijerina along with the signings of Andres Santos and O J Garza, we now have 3 great local products on our ballclub. Tijerina is not only a great addition for the team, but for the City of Laredo. He is very active in the community and will be a great representative for the Broncos.”
Tijerina lives in Laredo, with his lovely wife Kimberly and they have 4 children. His children are another reason why he wants to pitch one more time. “I really want my kids to have the chance to see me pitch. They are very important in my life, and for them to have the opportunity to see their dad pitch for the Broncos, is going to be such a thrill for not just me and my wife, but for them as well.”
The Laredo Broncos begin their 4th season in 2009. The Broncos will play an 80 game season from June to September with 36 home games at Veterans Field. Season tickets and Sponsorship Packages are on sale in the Laredo Broncos office located at 2200 Santa Maria or can be contacted at 723-BASE (2273) or on the web at www.laredobroncos.com.
