Meneses gives pep talk to Team Mexico at LLWS

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. -- Joey Meneses stood in the on-deck circle at Bowman Field. Just feet away, the team from Municipal de Tijuana representing the Mexico Region in the Little League World Series looked on from the first three rows behind the Nationals’ dugout.

Many of the players and coaches, donning green team T-shirts, held up their phones as Meneses walked to the plate for his first at-bat of the Little League Classic.

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Meneses greeted his fans by belting a line-drive single into center field to load the bases for the Nationals. He scored two batters later.

Hours earlier, Meneses had met with the team in its dugout before its 10-1 win over Canada. He felt an immense sense of pride while meeting aspiring baseball players from Mexico. Meneses grew up in Culiacán and represented Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic.

“I love my country,” Meneses said. “... It’s something really cool when you see a Mexico team in this tournament. You always want to play for your country. That made me proud a lot.”

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The players from Team Mexico gave Meneses pins from the LLWS. He reciprocated by giving them Nationals hats. In the year-plus he has played on the Nats since debuting last August at age 30, he has established himself as a key member of their offense.

“It’s something really cool, because I never expected it,” Meneses said of the fan reception. “Then they know you and they want to be a big leaguer. It’s something very special. It makes me feel so good.”

Meneses also gave the players advice to carry through the global competition.

“I was trying to tell them, don’t be scared because the tournament, I know you guys are going to be nervous because they’ve never been in anything with so many cameras,” he said. “... I was just trying to tell them to calm down, it’s the same baseball, there’s just more things around but don’t try to think about that and try to do your job like normal.”

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When manager Dave Martinez recounted the day’s events leading up to the Little League Classic, he noted Meneses’ dugout visit.

“He understands, one, where he came from, two, how long it took to get here. And he shared his passion for the game with those kids, and it was an unbelievable moment,” said Martinez. “He would say, ‘One of these kids could be me one day and get a chance to play in the Major Leagues.’ I’d say, ‘Yeah, maybe more than one. You never know.’ He was very graceful, and they appreciated him very much.”