When senior third baseman David Flores digs into the batter’s box at Hornet Field, one of two songs is played as his entrance music – either the Latin song “Corridos de los Perez” by Los Huracanes del Norte, or Tupac’s “Ambitionz as a Rider.” Flores gives the decision to his family of which song to play as he is introduced.

“I leave it up to (my family) every year on what song they want to hear when they come watch me play,” Flores said.

He enjoys both songs and is a fan of all types of music, saying, “I have CDs from Spanish music to hip-hop, to R&B, to everything.”

Flores’ ambitions after baseball are to become a high school teacher and baseball coach.

“Once this is done and whatever happens in baseball, I’m going to get my teaching credential and hopefully become a high school baseball coach,” he said.

When he is not wearing a baseball uniform, Flores said he his hanging out with his close-knit group of friends, including his girlfriend who also attends Sacramento State.

His favorite TV show, other than “SportsCenter,” is MTV’s “Rob and Big.”

“It’s hilarious. (My roommate) got me into it and now I watch it every Tuesday night,” he said.

Flores said he looks up to New York Yankees’ third baseman Alex Rodriguez as a role model.

“My favorite player is A-rod. I’ve liked him since he came out in ’95. Not too many people probably like him that much now, but I’ve always stuck with him. I even became a Yankee fan when he got traded over there, which is hard,” Flores said. “I’ve always liked the way he played and the way he is – he’s a smart guy.”

It is hard to be a Yankees fan because Flores grew up 10 minutes from the Oakland Coliseum in Union City rooting for the Oakland A’s. There he lived with his parents Ramon and Maria, and his two older brothers Danny and Jaime, who are 8 and 4 years older than him, respectively.

Flores’ parents moved to the United States from Mexico when they were 20 years old so their children could have a better life. He said his family has played a large role in helping him get to where he is now.

“I think they influenced me a lot. A couple years back I went to Mexico to see where my mom was born. She was born literally in a hut, no electricity, made out of bricks ? there were two small bedrooms and, like, 10 people living there. My dad grew up with the same (situation),” Flores said.

Danny Flores, David’s older brother, said David has always been an “above and beyond” kind of guy.

“He’s hard-working, dedicated and he is a family guy. Family always came first and he never forgets where he came from,” Danny said about his younger brother in a phone interview.

David said he learned the game of baseball from his father and two brothers. He said his dad used to play in Mexico and growing up he watched his brothers play in little league and high school.

Danny said their father preached good family values that spilled over into baseball. “He always taught us respect, to be a team player, to never be greedy and to do anything to help the team,” Danny said. “Whatever you can do to help the team you need to do and not be selfish.”

Sac State baseball coach John Smith said that Flores has taken on the role as a team leader over the past couple of years. He said that Flores leads by example and positively influences other players.

“He sets a good example for everybody around him. He’s a quiet individual and he doesn’t say a lot. He’s not a rah-rah kind of guy – he takes care of his own backyard. In this day and age, there’s a lot to be said about that,” Smith said.

Flores said he likes to have fun and play pranks on teammates every so often, but also made it clear that he has a serious demeanor when it matters most.

“When it comes to being on the field and being serious, I try to present myself as working hard. Even in the weight room at six (o’clock) in the morning, (my teammates) know I work hard,” Flores said. “I’m on time for everything ? it’s the small things that (my teammates) can pick up that will help them learn.”

“He does things the right way. He’s got good ethics, good work ethics, goals and he’s got a level head on his shoulders ? he’s a very mature individual,” Smith said. “He has kind of a calming effect on people.”

Smith said Flores’ leadership qualities started to shine in his second season at Sac State. “When he was a freshman, he was a freshman,” Smith said. “As a sophomore he rose as a player and I think the other stuff started to grow with him.”

“When I was a freshman I struggled with school and other things, but (coach Smith) helped show me the right way,” Flores said.

Flores was a first-team All-WAC selection in his sophomore season when he batted .331, with 3 home runs, 28 RBI and led the team with 16 doubles. He was named to the preseason All-WAC Team this season as a senior after he batted .311 with five home runs to go along with 23 RBI as a junior last season.

“Last year he got off to a slow start but got back on track by mid-year, and he’s the same David this year,” Smith said.

Through six games this season Flores has one home run, three RBIs, to go along with his team-high five doubles and .480 batting average.

Andrew Eggers can be reached at [email protected]