ÃÛÌÒÓ°ÏñAV

Tucson’s team (5-1) in the Pecos League, a 16-team independent professional league that started in 2011 and spans eight states, has its first home series of the season against the Pecos Bills (3-3), a team from West Texas, beginning Thursday night at Kino Veteran’s Memorial Stadium at 7 p.m.

Tucson will have a home game every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night this month.

Throughout its 10-year history, the Saguaros have been one of the winningest teams in the Pecos League. Their leader, manager Sean McNeill, was the 2021 Pecos League Manager of the Year after leading Tucson to its last 2021 Pecos League championship, which was played at Amphitheater High School.

The Saguaros won the Pecos League championship in their first season in 2016, then won back-to-back titles in 2020 and ’21. The Saguaros were runner-ups the following two seasons in 2022 and ’23, falling to the Roswell Invaders and the San Rafael Pacifics (California).

“We’ve had a great product all 10 years,� said Saguaros owner and Pecos League commissioner Andrew Dunn. “We have great players and people love coming to the games. I know that Tucson is constantly trying to bring more baseball. ... When teams go (to Tucson), they really enjoy being there. ... Right now, we’re your team and we’re glad to be here and we’re going to be here as long as we’re welcomed.�

The Saguaros have played games at Kino Veteran’s Memorial Stadium, Amphi, Cherry Field, Warren Ballpark in Bisbee and Reid Park. Tucson has played its home games at Kino Veteran’s Memorial Stadium since 2022. Recently, Pima County funded a $1.12 million renovation project to replace the video board and add new grass — which hadn’t been done since 1998 — for the World Baseball Classic qualifiers.

“You have Kino, which is a world-class stadium, in our opinion,� Dunn said. “They just did the World Baseball Classic (qualifiers) and it couldn’t be better. People love the facility.�

Dunn recently joined “Spears and Ali� on ESPN Tucson to discuss the Saguaros playing 10 seasons in Tucson, the talent level in the Pecos League and how a Mexican professional team in the winter will affect Tucson baseball.

How would you summarize the last 10 years of the Saguaros playing in Tucson?

A: “It’s been great because Arizona is such a baseball place. Being in Tucson and that stadium is incredible. Players want to play there. We’re the best of what independent baseball is. ... The baseball is good. It’s not Minor or Major League Baseball.�

How is the dichotomy between commissioning the Pecos League and owning the Tucson Saguaros?

A: “At this level, as you guys have seen with the old Toros, if you don’t have a league to play in, then you don’t have a team. You have to have stability in your league before you worry about other things. I think having a consistent schedule, Thursday through Saturday, is huge. Without being the commissioner of the league, I could assure that wouldn’t happen. You’re not going to bring teams over to Tucson to play Monday, Tuesday night and have low attendance.

“You want to have the best attendance. ... I think we’ve been consistent over the last 10 years with scheduling and everything. You don’t control who wins or loses. Other than that, we’re getting more people to Saguaros games. It’s a beautiful place and it’s what’s happening in Tucson right now.�

What is the makeup of the Saguaros roster and other teams in the Pecos League? Are they players trying to live out their professional dream or is it older guys that know their dreams are done and they just love the game? A combination of both?

A: “Our rosters consist of nine veterans, which is a player over the age of 25 or has over 165 at-bats and 50 innings. Those are the guys that have played and want to play. We also have 16 rookies, which are typically guys right out of American colleges. The one thing we need help with this year and in past years, is we need host families. These guys that come from all over, once they get to Tucson, they move in with host families. That family houses them for the summer. ... We don’t just have the same guys. We gotta move on, ya know?�

Are the same host families stepping up year after year? Any new ones?

A: “We see the same ones every year. This year, our host family coordinator moved to Indiana, so we’re three host families short. We’re really close, but we’re short.�

What are prerequisites to be a host family for a Saguaro player?

A: “You just need to get that player their own room. It’s almost like junior hockey when they stay with billet families, but they’re only there for two months — and they’re on the road half the time. ... They love it. We’ve had a lot of good relationships and I think it’s been great.�

Tucson will be adding a team from the Mexican Pacific Winter League this year. How does that impact the Saguaros, if at all?

A: “We’re partners with four Mexican teams. In the summer, we hosted (Mexican Baseball League’s) (Charros de Jalisco) and (Bravos de Leon). ... They’re going to put a team in our league in the summer, then a full team the following year under our jurisdiction, and it’s not going to be in Tucson. I think bringing Mexican baseball to American soil is something we did very successfully in the Charros-Bravos game in Bakersfield in April. ... Kino getting a winter team will be great.�