New Mexico Junior College baseball coach Ray Birmingham starts each season the same way since winning the national title two years ago.

“We show them the highlights from the (Alpine Bank Junior College) World Series in 2005,” he said. “We make a dream and start the season with a dream. We remind them throughout the year (about winning the national title in 2005).

“The biggest thing in any person’s life is dreams, but you can’t build dreams without a plan. We dream, make a plan and go get ’em.”

The top-ranked Thunderbirds (51-6-1) are back in the JUCO World Series again this year after winning the Southwestern District title over North Central Texas College.

“There really isn’t any one superstar, but a lot of good athletes,” Birmingham said. “Guys emerged that have a chance to be really special. Our pitching staff is primarily freshmen and our position players are primarily sophomores. The team has come together and stayed together. We hit our way through a lot of victories early. We did a great job in regionals.”

His players weren’t all heavily recruited, but Birmingham isn’t afraid to build his teams with players no one else wants. In fact, he believes there are gems in the group.

He took some position players and made them pitchers.

“I believe kids grab a position when they are 10 years old, develop and stay there,” he said. “Sometimes it doesn’t match up. It’s like trying to doctor yourself. You’re not a doctor. I saw David Carpenter’s arm strength. He’s not a great shortstop or catcher, but his arm is special.

“I want that guy (who can throw). A lot of kids don’t develop arm strength properly. Sometimes you see arm strength and mechanical flaws. I think (those players are) everywhere.”

Carpenter, who caught and played shortstop in high school, is the Thunderbirds’ closer and can throw 90 to 94 mph. He is 6-1 with a 1.16 ERA and has six saves.

Trevor Harden, who is from the Dallas area, mostly played first base in high school, but did some pitching.

He throws 86 to 92 mph and has hit 95. The right-handed starter is 10-1 with six saves and a 3.55 ERA.

New Mexico’s staff includes Matt Speake (10-2, 3.36), who was drafted last summer, and J.R. Robinson (11-1, 3.80). Adam Kramer (6-0, 2.02) has thrown a lot of innings too.

The pitching staff doesn’t have to dominate with the perennially top hitting team in the country on its side.

“Our 2001 club hit .438 as a team,” Birmingham said. “That’s the national JUCO record by a long shot. This team hit .429 (second best).”

They are hitting .429 despite a slow start this season because of weather.

“January this part of the U.S. was brutal,” Birmingham said. “We didn’t get outside. We had two outdoor practices in January.

“It put us behind offensively and defensively. For this team to do what they’ve done and get to .429 is spectacular.”

Adalberto Santos, a transfer from Louisburg (N.C.) College, led the nation in hitting during the regular season with a .520 average. He has 26 doubles, eight triples and nine home runs and 58 RBI.

“He came here a good-looking athlete with a bad approach to hitting,” Birmingham said. “He worked diligently at what we asked him to do. He bats leadoff. He would be most team’s three or four hitter. He’s been a spark.”

The sophomore from The Bronx, N.Y., originally came to Hobbs, N.M., to join childhood friend Danny Almonte. Almonte, the above-age Little League pitcher, decided to pursue a pro career instead of playing for the Thunderbirds.

Kevin Atkinson is hitting .493 with 27 doubles, seven home runs and 69 RBI.

New Mexico is also getting a lift from former Mesa State College pitcher James Lilley.

“He’s a good athlete,” Birmingham said. “We were planning on him playing third and being a closer. As spring came around, he lost his velocity a little bit. We put him at third.”

Lilley struggled with hitting at first, but was willing to work at it. He’s hitting .484 with 14 doubles and 25 RBI.

All-American Brian Cavazos-Galvaz, who hit .517 last season, is hitting .477 with 17 doubles and 79 RBI.

The Thunderbirds took off on an 8-0-1 start, with the tie coming against Western District finalist Western Nevada Community College. They were 22-1-1 going into the Pima Wooden Bat Tournament in Arizona, where they won four of six games entering their regional games.

“We play good teams all year long,” Birmingham said. “Western Nevada and some Arizona schools in the Arizona tournament. We play in the West Texas League and the Region 5 tournament is outstanding. We’re very fortunate to beat those teams.”

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Allen Gemaehlich can be reached via e-mail at agemaehlich@gjds.com.