The previous camps scheduled for Saturday 28th and Monday the 30th are being combined into the Sunday’s camp.

This will be the final camp of the 2010 Broncos season.

Camp is $25 per kid or adult. Camp members must bring a glove.

All camp members get a ticket to that night’s game at 7:35 p.m. vs. Coastal Bend Thunder.

For more information, contact the Laredo Broncos at (956) 723-BASE.

Registration forms are available at the Broncos office OR at Saturday’s home game OR online at LaredoBroncos.com.

The WhiteWings (38-42) remain tied for fourth and final playoff spot with the San Angelo Colts. They’re now three games back of the Broncos (41-39) for third place.

The WhiteWings return home for a four-game series against the Coastal Bend Thunder on Thirsty Thursday presented by Local’s Lounge at 7:05 p.m. when fans can get $1 draft beers and cans of sodas as well as $2 bottles of both beer and soda. It’s also Harlingen community night. All Harlingen residents will be able to buy one ticket and get one free with a valid ID. Gates open at 6:05.

David Cross pitched the first eight innings for the WhiteWings, departing after 116 pitches (77 strikes) with a 5-2 lead. Miguel Matos started the top of the ninth by issuing a nine-pitch walk to Jonathan Cisneros. One out later, Carlos Arroyo drew a seven-pitch walk. Mickey Cassidy (1-1) came in to strikeout Nick Mahin, but Jason Diaz hit a two-run double. Starting second baseman Roberto Rodriguez took over on the mound and gave up a walk-off home run to Maiko Loyola on the first pitch he threw.

That made a winner of Alex Morales (1-1), who pitched a scoreless inning and a third, stranding the bases loaded twice. The WhiteWings stranded the bases loaded in each of the last three innings, leaving 13 men on base overall.

The WhiteWings got on the board against Santo Hernandez in the top of the second when Welinson Baez recorded the team’s first hit, a two-run home run, his 11th of the season, to make it 2-0.

Arlon Quiroz led off the top of the fifth with his 13th home run of the season. One out later, Javis Diaz was hit by a pitch, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored when Yeurys Tejeda grounded into a fielder’s choice to make it 4-0.

The Broncos responded against Cross with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. Ryan Flynn, Diaz, Loyola and DJ Dixon hit consecutive singles to make it 4-2. Canseco hit a broken bat pop-up to first base as the go-ahead run at the plate to end the threat.

Luany Sanchez hit his fourth home run of the season, and second against his former team, with two outs in the top of the seventh, to knock our Hernandez and give the WhiteWings a 5-2 lead.

Canseco finished 1-for-4 with a walk.

The WhiteWings (38-41) remain tied for fourth place with the San Angelo Colts, now two games back of the Broncos (40-39).

With one out in the first, Luany Sanchez walked against Juan Peralta. Yeurys Tejeda hit an RBI-triple and Leivi Ventura hit an infield RBI-single to make it 2-0.

The Broncos responded against Johnny Montoya by putting two on with one out in the bottom of the first to set-up Canseco’s second home run in as many games to make it 3-2.

Arlon Quiroz led off the top of the second with his 12th home run. Roberto Rodriguez followed with a single and Javis Diaz doubled. One out later, Tejeda hit his 12th home run to knock out Peralta. Eric Eden came in and allowed a single to Ventura. One out later, Welinson Baez hit his 10th home run to make it 8-3.

Tejeda hit an RBI-single with two outs in the top of the third to make it 9-3.

The Broncos got one back in the bottom of the fourth. Pacheco drew a one-out walk and Canseco grounded out to move Pacheco to second. Jonathan Cisneros hit an RBI-single to make it 9-4.

Carlos Arroyo hit a one-out home run in the bottom of the fourth, his fifth of the season and third against the WhiteWings, to make it 9-5.

Diaz hit his sixth home run of the season with two outs in the top of the fifth to make it 10-5. Canseco walked in the bottom of the inning as the Broncos put two on with two out, but Steve Raburn struck out Cisneros to end the threat.

The Broncos scored a run and loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the sixth to set-up Canseco as the tying run at the plate, but he bounced out third base to end the threat.

The WhiteWings added a run in the top of the seventh to take an 11-6 lead, but the Broncos batted around and scored five runs to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh. The Broncos had only one hit in the inning, but the WhiteWings issued three walks and committed three errors. After Pacheco reached on a two-base error to tie the game, Canseco came up with a chance to give the Broncos the lead, but lined out to deep left field to end the threat.

The Broncos took the lead back on a two-run home run by Arroyo against Ruben De La Rosa (1-1) in the bottom of the eighth.

That made a winner of James Maxwell (1-0), who pitched a scoreless eighth.

Reyes Dorado pitched a scoreless ninth for his fifth save.

The Broncos are one of six teams in independent baseball’s United League. Canseco will play for the player’s minimum and was in the lineup Monday against Rio Grande Valley, going 1-for-2 with two RBIs on a pinch-hit two-run, two-out bomb in the sixth inning.

“It’s one of the highlights of our league,” ULB President Byron Pierce said. “This isn’t something that happens every day. It’s a long way from Major League Baseball to the United League, but we’re happier than heck to have him here.

“The response has been crazy country-wide.”

Canseco’s contract was signed late Friday night. He flew to Laredo early Monday morning.

“My first step was getting back into the game, in whatever way, shape and form,” Canseco said. “I don’t know how I’ll perform physically, since I’m 46 and haven’t played at this level in a long time.

“We’ll see what happens.”

Canseco, who played 17 years in MLB, will play designated hitter and fill in as bench coach and spot pitcher for the Broncos, who are currently tied for the fourth and final playoff spot in ULB.

Canseco will play in the team’s remaining six home games. When the club embarks on an eight-game road trip to South Texas starting Thursday, he will stay in town to host youth baseball camps and do some work on a reality show that is still in its first stages.

“We gave him this option,” Broncos President/General Manager Jose Melendez said. “He felt baseball was over with. We’re the ones who encouraged him to come back. He’s been doing MMA (mixed martial arts) and boxing and stuff, but he’s not happy with that. This is perfect for him, because he wants to get back in baseball and he wants to do a reality show on how he’s more of a mentor now.

“He’s going to do a lot of work with kids, doing a lot of camps. Doing all this for an independent (baseball) team is a lot of sacrifice on his part.”

Canseco is well known for admitting to using anabolic steroids in his 2005 tell-all book “Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant ’Roids, Smash Hits & How Baseball Got Big”.

In the book, he claimed that up to 85 percent of MLB players took steroids.

That claim was challenged by many in the game; since then, however, it has been proven that steroids have played a pivotal role in baseball over the past decades.

While his claims had substance, Canseco regrets writing the book.

“It’s almost like I needed to have the fans and the public know why at 35 (years old) I couldn’t have a job in Major League Baseball,” he said about why he wrote the book. “When I wanted to play for free, teams wouldn’t touch me. People don’t know this, but when I first went to (publisher) HarperCollins, the original transcripts for the book didn’t have players’ names in it. But they said they would not publish it unless I had players’ names or else nobody would believe me, because nobody would validate it. So I was caught in a Catch-22. And I regret it to this day, because I hurt a lot of my friends.

“I’ve definitely suffered the most, though, of everybody. It’s completely severed me from the game of baseball.”

After all his claims came to light, Canseco wrote “Vindicated: Big Names, Big Liars, and the Battle to Save Baseball.”

Canseco, a six-time all-star, slugged 462 home runs in 17 major league seasons and was the American League’s Rookie of the Year in 1986 and its Most Valuable Player in 1988, when he led the Oakland A’s to the World Series, where they fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He played more than half of his career with the A’s and also spent time with Texas, Boston, Toronto, the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox.

“I think age, time, environment, situations … things that happen in your life, they constantly change you,” Canseco said. “I’m constantly growing, changing, adapting and hopefully it’s for the better.”

The Broncos and White Wings began play today tied for third place in the United League standings after the Broncos victory in last nights ball game. RHP Jeff Jamnik () was given the responsibility to continue the Broncos winning streak and he did not disappoint. Jamnik faced off against RHP Luis Montano () for the White Wings.

The Broncos plated three runs in the bottom of the first with two outs. Dixon singled, Pacheco singled, Cisneros walked and Paniagua brought two home with a two run single to give the Broncos the early 2-0 lead. Cisneros came home on a wild pitch charged to the Wings starter Montano and the Broncos had a 3-0 lead.

The Broncos added a run in the bottom of the second when Murphy reached on an error by Yeurys Tejeda and then came home to score on an error by Luis Montano, and the Broncos lead was 4-0.

Jamnik made the Broncos 4-0 lead stand up through the first four frames allowing only three hits and two walks. In the top of the fifth after a walk to Dom Di Ricco, and a single by Roberto Rodrguez put two on and one out. Luany Sanchez, the former Bronco hit a three run homer to make the score 4-3 Broncos. After a line out by Yeurys Tejeda, Leivi Ventura singled and moved to second on a throwing error by third baseman Jonathan Cisneros. Welington Dotel then reached on a fielder’s choice and a throwing error by Jason Diaz allowed Ventura to score the tying run. 4-4 was the score heading to bottom of the fifth.

The Broncos broke the tie in the bottom of the fifth, scoring five runs in the inning on five hits and two walks. Arroyo picked up an RBI fielder’s choice, Mike Murphy brought home two with a single and Loyola and Dixon back to back RBI singles pushed the Bronco lead to 9-4.

Jamnik allowed a single to Welinson Baez to lead off the top of the sixth and that spelled the end of his night. In all Jamnik pitched 5.0 innings, allowing seven hits, four runs (three earned), he walked two and struck out seven.

Javis Diaz hit a two run homer in the top of the sixth, his fifth of the year, to make the score 9-6 Broncos.

In the bottom of the sixth the Broncos brought home six runs. Murphy picked up an RBI walk to start the scoring for the Broncos and make the score 10-6. Jason Diaz then hit a two run double to push the lead to 12-6. Loyola hit a sacrifice fly to make the score 13-5.

The next batter was why the 4,358 people came early to Veterans Field. The newest member of the Broncos Jose Canseco slowly began putting on batting gloves and an elbow guard. Not until he emerged from the dugout with bat in hand did the crowd rise to it’s feet and reach a volume level not heard in 2010 yet. Canseco approached the plate like Casey at the bat and after taking ball one took a mighty cut that evened the count at 1-1. LHP Tate Kelly was on the mound facing the 17 year major league baseball vet and on Kelly’s third pitch to Canseco, he got all of it, sending the ball over the left-center field wall, the deepest part of Veterans Field. The crowd already standing erupted in cheers and the two run home run gave the Broncos the 15-6 lead. Welcome to Laredo Jose Canseco.

The Broncos added a run in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI ground out by Mike Murphy, who picked up his fourth RBI of the game to give the Broncos the 16-6 lead.

Rio Grande Valley plated a run in the top of the eighth on an RBI single by Javis Diaz and brought another run home in the top of the ninth on an RBI single by

The Broncos were looking for the sweep of the series against the Coastal Bend Thunder in the series finale at Veterans Field on Saturday night. The Broncos sent RHP Robert Roth (1-4)) to the mound to take on the Thunder’s RHP Toro Trevino (3-8).

Coastal Bend took a 1-0 lead on the fourth pitch of the game when Mike Lewis hit a solo home run off of Roth over the left field wall, his third of the year.

In the top of the second Lamar Guy walked, stole second and moved to third on a throwing error charged to catcher Salvador Paniagua. Two batters later Dustin Smith knocked in Guy with an RBI single and the score was 2-0 Thunder.

Roth retired the Thunder 1-2-3 in the top of the third and his offense rewarded him with a run in the bottom of the third. Carlos Arroyo led off with a double, after a pitch hit Jonathan Dziomba, Jason Diaz laid down a sacrifice bunt that moved both runners over. Maiko Loyola then ground into an RBI fielder’s choice and the score was 2-1 Thunder.

Coastal Bend answered in the top of the fifth. After a walk to Mike Lewis and a Fenwick infield single, Kevin Griffin brought home Lewis with an RBI single and the score was 3-1 Thunder.

The Broncos plated four runs in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs Diaz walked, followed by three straight singles, including two RBI singles, one by D.J Dixon and one by Jonel Pacheco to tie the game at 3-3. A passed ball allowed Dixon to score, followed by a wild pitch that brought Pacheco home to score and the Broncos took a 5-3 lead.

Roth allowed a solo home run in the top of the sixth to Lamar Guy that made it a 5-4 game and spelled the end of his night.

Roth pitched 5.1 innings, allowing seven hits, four runs (two earned), he walked one and struck out six. The one walk was a season low and the six strikeouts stand as a season high for Roth.

A hit batsman in the top of the seventh started a rally for the Thunder. Griffen reached on an infield hit and Mike Goss brought home Fenwick to tie the game at 5-5.

Doug Thennis came up as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the eighth with two out and a runner at first and hit a huge two run homer over the left field wall to give the Broncos the 7-5 lead.

Reyes Dorado came on in the ninth and hit Mike Lewis, the first batter he faced. Dorado then walked Fenwick, who was pinch ran for by Carl Johnson. Kevin Griffin laid down a sacrifice bunt and Mike Goss tied the game with a two run single.

Loyola led off the bottom of the ninth with a double that trickled through the right side. A ground out by Dixon moved Loyola to third base with one out. Pacheco was then intentionally walked and Cisneros reached on an infield hit to load the bases. Salvador Paniagua played the hero, chopping the first pitch he saw through the right side for an RBI, game winning single.

The Broncos have won four in a row and eight in a row at home. Laredo welcomes in the Rio Grand Valley White Wings for a four game set tomorrow night at Veterans Field. The Broncos are just a game behind Rio Grand Valley for third place in the United League standings

Jose Canseco

Jose Canseco, the former Oakland A’s slugger who was the leader in bringing Major League Baseball’s steroid problem into the limelight, signed a contract to play with the Laredo Broncos on Friday night.
Canseco will be introduced to the public on Monday and will be in the lineup that night. He will play in three Broncos home games, and when the team embarks on an eight-game road trip starting Thursday, he will stay in town to host camps and do appearances around the city.
Canseco is looking to get back to MLB as a coach or manager and was looking for a way back into the game. He will play in Laredo free of charge, but will also spend time here filming his reality show that will focus on him and baseball.
“We gave him this option,” Broncos General Manager Jose Melendez said. “He felt baseball was over with. We’re the ones who encouraged him to come back. He’s been doing MMA (mixed martial arts) and boxing and stuff, but he’s not happy with that. This is perfect for him because he wants to get back in baseball and he wants to do a reality show on how he’s more of a mentor now.
“He’s going to do a lot of work with kids, doing a lot of camps. Doing all this for an independent (baseball) team is a lot of sacrifice on his part.”
The deal with Canseco has been in the works for two months, Melendez said.
“He’ll play, he’ll hit, he’ll pitch, he may coach some,” said Melendez, an avid A’s fan who names Canseco as his favorite player of all time. “We’re bringing a big star to come and play for the Broncos.”
Entering Saturday’s game against Coastal Bend, the Broncos were one game out of a playoff spot in United League Baseball, thanks to a 36-39 overall record.
When asked if he was concerned of Canseco being a significant distraction for a franchise in desperate search of its second playoff berth in five years, Melendez said no.
“This team plays very well in front of big crowds, and he (Canseco) will bring a boost in attendance,” Melendez said. “Big crowds push our guys to another level. These guys are focused and he will help.”
Canseco is well known for admitting to using anabolic steroids in his 2005 tell-all book “Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant ‘Roids, Smash Hits & How Baseball Got Big”.
In that book, he claimed that up to 85 percent of major league players took steroids, a figure disputed by many in the game though, since then, it has been proven that steroids have played a pivotal role in baseball over the past decades.
Canseco slugged 462 home runs in 17 major league seasons and was the American League’s Rookie of the Year in 1985.
He played nine seasons for Oakland and also spent time with Texas, Boston, Toronto, the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox.
Canseco also spent time in independent ball in 2006, when he played with the San Diego Surf Dawgs and Long Beach Armada, winning the Golden Baseball League’s Home Run Derby in the process.
Other teams that Canseco played for in the minor leagues include the HuntsvilleStars, Medford A’s, Pawtucket Red Sox, Newark Bears and Charlotte Knights.