April 21 — Nestor Perez

Columbus Clingstones broadcaster Jack Johnson visited with manager Nestor Perez at Regions Field in Birmingham, Alabama. 

Perez discussed the Clingstones’ historic power surge during April, his message to the club entering the series on a hot streak, Adam Zebrowski’s walk-off two-run home run in the finale against Biloxi, and his passion for Formula 1 racing.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Back on the Columbus Klingstones pregame show inside the manager's office at Regents Field. Klingstones on the road, a six-game series against Birmingham. We opened the six-game series in a conversation with the manager of the Klingstones, Nestor Perez. It was a very successful week last week for the Stones. Took the series against Biloxi. And you told me before that Sunday game this would be a nice one to get. To win the series, you're down early, 3-0, but the team showed a lot of battle coming back. It was the second straight week that the Klingstones were down early, battled back. It took extra innings, ultimately took 12 innings, and Adam Zabrowski won it on the first ever walk-off homer in Klingstones history. So what was that game like for you from the manager side of things?

SPEAKER_01 0:46

First, it's very important to win a series, especially when you are ahead. Like we were 3-1, and uh we just need to win one more between Saturday and Sunday. So that game on Sunday was very important because winning a series is very important, especially when you are ahead. And winning winning back-to-back series is even more important. Uh the the thing right now is in a good moment, and it's our time now. So we need to take advantage of this. Uh Sunday, great game. Went to Estras, and it was great to see how we battled, how we always wanted to win that game, even if we had chances and and we couldn't uh take our opportunity and to win the game before the 12. But we did our best. Um Cloisi hit the single to tie the game, and then see Sebrotsky's second home run, second second home, home run of the day to for the first walk-off of Klingto Hitoli.

SPEAKER_00 1:40

The first ever walk-off home run in Klingstone's history, he crushed it off the batter's eye in center field. Like you said, it was part of a two-homer day for him. This Klingstones lineup has hit 25 home runs through their first 15 games. And Nestra, I've got a stat for you. That is the second most home runs in the Southern League through 15 games since 2005. Only Birmingham in 2021 has more homers through their first 15 games. It's a lot of the same players that were here last year, but they've all seemed to make a jump forward with their power. What have you seen from your side in terms of the Klingstones making this much of a jump and swinging the bat and hitting balls out of the park?

SPEAKER_01 2:21

Um, even if it's a big part of the group, it's the same group that we had last year. It looks like the boys they did they did the homework at home in the in the offseason and they come in this year hitting for more power. Power is so important because those days when you don't have the hit in there, like you can hit 10, 12 hits to win a game, a home run can can help you to win a game. So that's why probably we we are uh uh winning so many games right now because the home run home run is gonna help. Uh you don't need to have too many hits that night, only with one or two homers, maybe you you can win a game.

SPEAKER_00 2:55

Talking about that Zabrowski walk-off home run, what was that like from your eyes watching that? What were those moments? What were your emotions like inside the dugout in that 12th inning?

SPEAKER_01 3:06

Uh I got good memories from Sebrowski. Sebroski played for for me in uh 2022 in Agosta. He was our clutch hitter, he was an RBI guy. So I don't want to say that I was expecting a homer at that moment, but if I want a guy to be at the play at the right moment, he's one of those guys. I want him.

SPEAKER_00 3:26

Now that you've come up from the complex, we went on the road to Montgomery. That was a homecoming for you to return to a place where you played in your playing career, adjusting to being on the road for six games and then home for six games. How do you like to approach road trips for yourself? How do you prepare for them?

SPEAKER_01 3:44

Uh I like road trips. I like road trips. Uh it's good uh it's good to play at home. It's good to play at home, especially with the that big crowd that we have every night. But uh getting out and and seeing something different and getting to play in another place, and I like that. It's a different routine, but I think uh we did well last uh last time we played in Montgomery. Hopefully we're gonna do well now here in Birmingham.

SPEAKER_00 4:08

David McCabe has five home runs, talking about home runs that guys have hit. He's got one-fifth of the Klingstones total this year. What have you seen from him that's allowed him to be as productive as he's been so far?

SPEAKER_01 4:20

He's been one of the one of the guys that started the season pretty well. He's leading the team in home in home runs and he's helping uh he's helping the team to win games. So uh McCabe's is one of the other players, one of the players that I also would like to see him every night in the lineup.

SPEAKER_00 4:38

You're a fan of Formula One. I want to know how you first found Formula One, what you enjoy about it, and if you'd ever want to drive an F1 car around a track.

SPEAKER_01 4:51

Uh I live in Europe. I live in Spain. Uh Formula One is a big sport in Europe. It's pretty big. Everybody likes Formula One, Formula One in Europe. Um I started watching Formula One, I would say like probably 10 years ago, when Fernando Alonso is one of the best racer ever in history of Formula One in Spain. He's still racing for Renault. He's uh he won the championship. So everybody in Spain started watching Formula One when Fernando Alonso came up. Since then, it's it's one of my favorite sports to watch. Right now, Kimi Antonelli is my guy. He's an Italian uh racer, he's a young young racer, and I hope uh he he wins this year. Um I recommend to watch Formula One. Not because I like it, it's because it's a very interesting and and uh it's a very big sport, and it's becoming a big sport in the world. So I recommend it.

SPEAKER_00 5:47

It's a big sport here in the United States. If you could drive any Formula One car around a track, what track would it be?

SPEAKER_01 5:56

Let me tell you, like you you need to know me. I'm not big I'm not I'm a big fan of Formula One, but I'm not a big fan of of racing or or or fast. I'm scared of uh driving fast. So I would you will never see me in uh in a Formula One car, either here or anywhere. You just like watching it. I love watching it, but not being in the car.

SPEAKER_00 6:20

I love it. Well, Nestra, I appreciate you taking the time. I wish you and the team all the best this week. Get some more wins. Thank you.