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It wasn鈥檛 the request that initially surprised Daniel Bruce. It was the distance. 

Sixty feet, six inches. The span from the rubber on the pitcher's mound to home plate. 

鈥淚 walked that distance and I was like, 鈥榃ell, this is actually longer than I thought it was just watching on TV,鈥欌�� said Bruce, a New Mexico United assistant coach and former player who retired at the end of last season as the club鈥檚 all-time caps leader.

He鈥檒l soon get a bit more practical experience when it comes to America鈥檚 pastime.

The 30-year-old Englishman will throw out the first pitch at Saturday鈥檚 Isotopes game against the Sugar Land Space Cowboys. It will be his baseball debut 鈥� at any level, in any capacity 鈥� after learning to properly throw a baseball for the first time this week.

鈥淵eah, they may regret that choice,鈥� Bruce said with a laugh Thursday.

That might be a bit strong. For the record, Bruce, who has lived in the United States since 2014, is eager and excited about the opportunity.

But the Isotopes asked specifically for Bruce; a perfect fit for the minor league team鈥檚 World Soccer Night with fans receiving a mariachi soccer jersey. A little soccer meets baseball. After all, baseball already met soccer. 

Isotopes catcher Jose Cordova and infielder Vimael Mach铆n made an appearance at United training Wednesday. The pair talked some tactics with manager Dennis Sanchez and did some drills with keepers Kris Shakes and Raiko Arozarena, whose younger brother is Seattle Mariners All-Star outfielder Randy Arozarena.

鈥淚 think we鈥檙e always respectful of other professional athletes,鈥� Sanchez said. 鈥淥bviously, (there鈥檚) differences in the games. There鈥檚 things that they鈥檙e quite better at than us and vice versa. But I think, especially in our community, the more connections, relationships we can have, the better.鈥�

But it wouldn鈥檛 hurt to show out, and Bruce now has a chance to deliver for the United camp. No pressure.

The only problem? Bruce鈥檚 history with baseball has been limited to attending some Isotopes games with his American wife Joy, as well as some other minor league outings during his college days at Charlotte.

Baseball wasn鈥檛 particularly big in Warrington, England. Cricket was the closest, although Bruce didn鈥檛 take part. He doesn鈥檛 consider himself to be a multi-sport athlete. (His second-favorite sport, for those curious, after soccer is darts. He watches matches online.)

So, Bruce started with some tutorials, courtesy of Carlos Tenorio. United鈥檚 communications manager sent the assistant coach some YouTube videos of Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan to study his mechanics.

鈥淪o class,鈥� Bruce said.

An apt description for Ryan. The flame-throwing pitcher won 324 games, logged 5,714 strikeouts and tossed seven no-hitters in his 27-year career.

Translating that from video onto the field has been 鈥� interesting.

Learning to step and throw in sync proved challenging. If Bruce鈥檚 throwing motion looked 鈥� and felt a bit 鈥� unnatural, that鈥檚 because it is. 鈥淎 lot of American kids grow up throwing and catching, whereas we just grew up passing a ball (with our feet),鈥� Bruce said.

Bruce and Tenorio worked on refining those mechanics after Thursday鈥檚 training session. Tenorio said it went well. Bruce took a different approach and opted for some self-deprecation.

鈥淚 would say it was the first time I properly wore a glove, gone out there with somebody else who鈥檚 wearing a glove and actually throwing a baseball at good distances,鈥� Bruce said. 鈥淚t was so bad, I can鈥檛 even be nervous (about playing catch). I feel like you get nervous when you鈥檝e been practicing a bit or like you're half decent, but I couldn鈥檛 catch a cold, honestly.鈥�

But Bruce doesn鈥檛 need to be great at catching. Throwing 鈥� successfully 鈥� is the goal for Saturday.

And no matter how it looks, as he stares down that 60-feet-6-inches to home plate, there is one rule Bruce is making sure he follows: 鈥淒on鈥檛 let it bounce. You don鈥檛 want that. That鈥檚 what I鈥檝e been told.鈥�

David Glovach covers New Mexico United and other sports for the Journal. Reach him at dglovach@abqjournal.com or via X .