Sunday Morning Chat: Sagemont Manager Wesley Morejon

HSBN sits down this week with Sagemont Manager Wesley Morejon, who shares his thoughts on baseball in Broward County, succeeding Manager Tommy Martinez and some of his other passions in life.

Rick: Alright coach, first question. You took over at Sagemont last year; give our readers a little background into your baseball career that led you to Sagemont.

Coach Morejon: My background, aside from playing in high school baseball, was playing one year at Northern Iowa University and then transferring to St. Thomas University, there in Miami Gardens. Playing my final two years there and then coaching three and a half years at the University as well. My first year was as jv head coach and then the last couple years was as assistant pitching coach.

Rick: How did you end up taking over at Sagemont?

Coach Morejon: It was actually the former coach over at Barbara Goleman, who is now retired, Manny Yanez. He ended up taking over the jv position; he had the time on his hands to be able to do it. And through a mutual relationship I was able to get an interview at Sagemont and the stars aligned and I got the position, as a teacher and as a coach.

Rick: What do you teach?

Coach Morejon: World Geography this year, for seventh graders, and last year in my first year it was ninth grade World History and eighth grade US History.

Rick: Right up my ally man, history, geography, it’s all the things I love.

Coach Morejon: Along with weight training too. A couple of periods, in a couple of the block periods, I teach weight training too.

Rick: Got any baseball players in there?

Coach Morejon: I do. I actually do. So sometimes, they’ll use it to hit. And other times it’s just to get bigger, faster, stronger.

Rick: There’s an interesting side-note to you taking over at Sagemont, in that the former coach Tommy Martinez still has a son that plays on your team. Tell me about that dynamic.

Coach Morejon: I mean, I would say, the first time walking in you would probably feel like there was going to be eggshells or something. But I gotta tip my cap off, not only to Brynn, but Ashton last year, because they were both on the team. This year Brynn as well, but also Tommy himself. He really put his parent hat on and he kept his coaching out of it. You would expect for him, for him being in the game so long, to still want to coach his sons on the side and I would feel that that’s only natural. But he did a tremendous job of just handing his players over to me. He stepped back, not only during the game, but off the field as well. As far as people go, I can’t ask for anything better. Talent speaks for itself on the field.

Rick: When you look at trying to build a state contender at Sagemont, what do you see as the biggest hurdles that need to be overcome for you to be able to get to that level.

Coach Morejon: The biggest hurdles are maybe the area itself. There’s a lot of, I would say, very good high school players in this area. Usually, talent-wise, if they could hack it they will find a way to a Heritage, to a McCarthy. Some of those bigger name schools that have the pedigree, you know.

Rick: I notice that, I look right over here at Tequesta Trace Park; they’ve got the 2007 World Series banner for the Weston Rattlers little leaguers. I’m seeing all these familiar names. There’s Flanagan guys, Cypress Bay guys, University players. A lot of people we know and cover now.

Coach Morejon: Yes, yes. As far as the public schools with Flanagan and Cypress Bay, those teams depth-wise are loaded, they’re pretty stacked. I think that’s the biggest hurdle at first. Being a smaller school, depth at times is an issue. You’ve got to have two-way guys on the mound and potentially hitting too. But at the high school level, that’s a great thing to ask for because you don’t want to pigeon-hole any one player. You want to be able to have them play multiple positions anyway. That would be the biggest hurdle, but at the same time it’s a blessing in disguise.

Rick: I would say, with you guys it is a blessing because I’ve noticed that you’ve got a lot of guys on your team that excel at more than one position. So they are able to help in so many different ways with the team.

Coach Morejon: Yeah, it helps with the in-game maneuvering. You’re making an adjustment here or there. Pinch-hitter for whatever reason, you have a guy who threw his reps in practice, based on need depth-wise, you’re comfortable with him at the position to be able to handle it for a couple of innings or two.

Rick: And from the player point of view, they seem more confident, more comfortable playing multiple spots.

Coach Morejon: This group of guys, I mean I’ve got to give my hats off to them. They’re competitive. They’ll do whatever they can to get on the field. Whether it’s pitch, and they’ve never pitched before, or play second base and they’ve never stepped on the infield in their life. They’ll do whatever it takes to get on the infield, or get on the playing field for that matter. And they’re ready for it. They’re ready for the challenge and they’re ready for the playing time.

Rick: Sometimes they surprise themselves in those positions.

Coach Morejon: Yeah, yeah. I mean, they surprise themselves and myself as well.

Rick: Most coaches when they come to a new program they like to establish strict discipline right from the start to gain the respect of the players. To let them know that there’s a new sheriff in town. Did you do that with this squad last year?

Coach Morejon: I’ll be honest, that’s not my forte. I understand that it’s my way or the highway and with young guys you want discipline. Don’t get me wrong, that is part of my approach, but it wasn’t say all, be all. I figure at this age they’re still experimenting with themselves. So I don’t want to cut them down at any moment. I want them to be able to express themselves in a respectful way obviously, in a positive way. So my biggest thing was just letting them know that the door was open. That I was going to let them be individuals, but at the same time there was going to be structure that was going to have to be adhered to at all times. And as long as they did their part, I was going to let them enjoy the game. That was the main thing I want to give to my players and make sure that I’m always on top of it because I like to see themselves, from my point of view. What would I want my coach to do in this situation? So I sit back, I reflect and then I give my opinion. That is usually what I do.

Rick: That dynamic seems to work. I’ve sat in your dugout during a game during the fall and I notice that relationship that you have like that. It seems like that’s one of the key elements that makes it work so well.

Coach Morejon: Yeah, I gotta tip the cap to the parents. They brought them up well on the field, off the field. It’s a great dynamic of players; they get along great. They’re very respectful just like any fifteen, sixteen, seventeen year-old; they’re going to have their moments where they slip up a bit. But they understand what they do and they correct it and they make their adjustments. As long as they do that, I give them everything.

Rick: How much has your coaching style changed already, or has it in the short time here with the Lions?

Coach Morejon: It definitely has, coming from the college ranks. The all-around talent that you see. At first it kind of shocks you, and you’ve got to readjust your mind frame and know what you’re dealing with. I would say that’s the biggest thing that’s changed. Aside from that, to be cliché, it’s 90 feet to the bases, 60 feet to the plate. You’ve just got to be… you’ve got to accept the fact that certain mistakes are going to happen more often at this level than they would at the previous level I came from.

Rick: Tell me something that you see other coaches do on the field that just drives you crazy.

Coach Morejon: Them showing up their players. Them being vocal at the wrong instances, I would say. Certain intricacies of, if we’re the home team, they’re coming with their home gear. Some of those things, those little things like that, drive me nuts. If we’re wearing the home whites and you’re on the road and you’re wearing your home whites on the road, it’s a little frustrating. It gets to me. But I figure, budget reasons in different high schools, I’ve got to be more open to that fact. But I would say mainly their…the putting down of players, that I could see it verbally and also sometimes in their mannerisms. I don’t think that’s the time or place for it. That’s not my style.

Rick: Other coaches in Broward may not know you that well. Tell us something specific that you’ve done to earn the respect of the other coaches.

Coach Morejon: I’m not sure if I’ve earned it just yet! But I would say… that’s a tough question.

Rick: It’s almost more of a challenge this year for you too because they’ve put you in a district with all of the Miami teams. You don’t see a lot of Broward teams out here.

Coach Morejon: Right, right, right. I would say last year we were, again, depth, we’re a little young. My biggest goal was just be competitive in all the games. So as far as earning respect, I would say, my team having an idea of what they’re doing out there. Giving the other team a little scare here or there, although maybe they knew the game was in the balance. You know, they had it the whole time. At certain times they have to make sure they did what they were supposed to do, because we were coming for it. So just making sure my players were prepared at all times and thinking ‘W’ at all times. That’s the only thing I can do. Pitch by pitch and bat by bat; if you really focus on it, you’ll have a chance to beat anyone. I would say, that would gain the respect of my peers. But again that’s probably more of a question for them then for myself.

Rick: [laughing] Now give me something about you that maybe only your players or only fans of the program know.

Coach Morejon: I’m very quiet, easygoing and serious, but if you really get to know me I’m very laid back and fun. When you first meet me I might come off a little stoic and maybe a little too serious, but once you get to know me you see the true side. I guess both play a role in my coaching and in the way I interact with my parents and opponents.

Rick: A lot of these people, myself included, we only see you on the baseball field. It’s game time; it’s time to put it in that serious mode.

Coach Morejon: I think humor plays a big part in a lot of the things that I do to keep the mood light. And as long as we’re all doing what we are supposed to be doing you’ll see more of that. But if we’re taking advantage of that fact then the whip has to get cracked, for a lack of a better way of saying it.

Rick: What other passions do you have in your life other than baseball?

Coach Morejon: Other than baseball what it would have to be, number one, is my family. Especially my wife and my son, who is now nineteen months, so that’s like a year and a half just about. He’s definitely changed my view on a lot of things. Not that I think my view was skewed that much, but he’s definitely opened it. And I look forward to waking up and seeing him and then getting back from practice. There’s no tough days after I play with him, I look at him and I interact with my wife. There’s no tough days after that. I try and tell to my players: Once you’re on the field, once the real world is behind you on the field, field time is life or death. Before that, family takes first. And we’re all understanding there’s emergency situations and stuff like that. But that’s the biggest thing I probably preach to my guys.

Rick: Give me the coolest experience you’ve ever been associated with on a baseball field.

Coach Morejon: On a baseball field, well, positive, probably when I was… it was my last year playing under Manny Mantrana, and one of our pitchers had an no-hitter going and that season was kinda at a loss. Yet the no-hitter…

Rick: It’s a lot of excitement when there’s a no-hitter, it doesn’t matter what your record is.

Coach Morejon: It was a no-hitter, I guess, what do you call it? The intricacies of a no-hitter. The, be quiet, don’t talk to the starting pitcher, things like that were still taking place. Even though that season was pretty much lost. And on the negative side, just one of the craziest triple plays I’ve ever seen. We were getting, this was also that same year, my last year for St. Thomas as a player, we were getting shellacked by Lynn. Then goes a first and second situation. Pick-off play went awry to first, the right fielder did his part in knowing that the pickoff play was on. He was kinda in position to go back up. Threw the guy out at home. Actually it wasn’t a pickoff play, it was one of those strike-outs, throw-him-out type of deals. Let’s just say the ball went everywhere, crazy. One out on the strikeout, then another out at the play at the plate and another out on the rundown of the triple play. It was one of the craziest things I had ever seen. So it wasn’t at the pickoff; it was on one of those, strike them out, bases occupied, batters out, but the guys don’t know that and they still run around and go crazy.

Rick: That’s one you don’t forget, especially when you’ve got two guys on and no outs.

Coach Morejon: The negative thing is was we threw the ball away there, but the positive is that craziness ended up in a triple play and no runs being scored.

Rick: Alright, last one. What level of success would Sagemont have to achieve for you to consider your time here a success?

Coach Morejon: Level of success that we would have to achieve… From a materialistic standpoint, obviously you’ve got to start first with a district championship and then go on from there, regional, states. That’s the ultimate goal if you come down to the wins and losses aspect of it. But main thing is just, if I see that these guys are improving not only in their games but their personal lives and the way they conduct themselves, then for me, that’s the championship, all the way. The numbers show that out of all these guys maybe a few of them move on to the next level, college and then, from that level, even the professional level. The numbers back it for many years. They’ve got to keep things in a realistic perspective. It’s about themselves and the way they interact with their teammates, their families and the public in general. So as long as they do what they’re supposed to do from that aspect, it’s a win/win for me.

Rick: In regards to that. You guys basically could be considered a success now at this point.

Coach Morejon: Yeah.

Rick: Again having seen the way that the guys conduct themselves on and off the field and the way they carry each other and themselves, tt seems like you’ve accomplished that success already.

Coach Morejon: I was actually reading a quote today, it was, I’m going to say that it was Lombardi, but I could be wrong because I was reading a few quotes. It said something to the effect of, if you learn something out of your loss then you didn’t lose. Even in defeat, if you learned, than you won. And if you conduct yourself the way you’re supposed to conduct yourself, win or lose, then you’re going to win something. You’re going to gain something. To me, that’s the championship right there, materialistic goals aside.

Rick: Well Coach, that’s everything we’ve got. I appreciate your time and here’s to a lot more wins on the field.

Coach Morejon: Thank you, thank you.

Leave a comment using your facebook account!