amag
02-05-2002, 12:00 PM
Cuban refugee has made a name for himself as a Cardinal
By Patrick Mulrenin
Stlcardinals.com
On Sept. 7, 2001, William Ortega's dream came true.
In the eighth inning of a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Busch Stadium, Ortega made his Major League debut with a pinch-hit appearance for the St. Louis Cardinals. Even though he flied out, Ortega said it was a moment in his life he will never forget.
That particular night, the 26-year-old outfielder was far removed from the baseball fields of his native Cuba, where he reportedly used to earn $6 a game.
Ortega was 21 years old when he defected to Mexico with two of his club teammates, Jesus Ametller and Roberto Colinas. At an age when most Americans are trying to decide what bar to celebrate their legal drinking age at, Ortega made a decision that would change his life forever.
Leaving behind a sister and cousins, Ortega decided he wanted to start a new life for himself in the United States. Like Livan Hernandez and Rolando Arrojo before him, Ortega planned on making a name for himself as a Major League baseball player.
In January 1997, Ortega's agent, Joe Cubas, arranged for a workout to show off the talents of his newest client. Marty Maier, the Cardinals' director of scouting, got the first chance to see Ortega in person when he invited him to a private tryout in St. Petersburg, Fla.
"I had heard [of Ortega] before from different people," Maier said. "Obviously, we're not allowed to go to Cuba and go scout over there, but I had heard his name before. The first time I saw him play was when he came and worked out for us in St. Petersburg."
Cardinals management was so impressed with the potential they saw in the 6-foot-4, 205-pound right-handed batter that they signed him to a contract in March.
Ortega, who said he was very happy to sign with St. Louis, spent his first season as a professional at Class-A Prince William in 1997. He struggled in all aspects of his new life and it showed up in the box scores.
In his first season, Ortega batted .229 with no homers, 15 RBIs and 23 runs scored in 73 games.
"At that time, he was coming from Cuba," Maier said. "He wasn't in great shape. He had bad hamstrings. He had played amatuer baseball in Cuba. He came over and got off to a slow start the first couple of years, but he's really developed into a good-looking player. He's got himself in great shape right now.
"I think he's really adjusted well to the change here in America and the lifestyle, what we have compared to what he had in Cuba. That is a big culture adjustment for those guys that we don't always give consideration. It takes a while to get comfortable in the United States and playing baseball over here."
When asked about the most difficult part of the transition, Ortega, who is still learning English, said, "Everything. Language, food, baseball."
Back in Cuba, Ortega played a maximum of 62 games a season with his team. By his second professional season, Ortega played in 105 games. He said he was not accustomed to playing baseball every day.
As Ortega's comfort level began to rise in the United States, so did his statistics. He batted .276 with two homers, 60 RBIs and 57 runs scored in 1998 at Class-A Peoria.
The following season, Ortega lived up to expectations. He started the year with Class-A Potomac, batting .306 with 27 doubles, nine homers, 74 RBIs and 66 runs scored in 110 games. Ortega played the final 20 games of the year with Double-A Arkansas and continued his impressive offensive season by hitting .377 with nine doubles, two homers, 10 RBIs and 10 runs.
The 2000 season began much like the previous season ended. Ortega batted .325 with 18 doubles, 12 home runs, 62 RBIs and 51 runs scored with Arkansas. He earned national recognition by being chosen to participate in the Futures Game in Atlanta, which was played prior to the Major League All-Star Game. Ortega had a 22-game hitting streak and was named the Cardinals' Minor League Player of the Month for April.
However, an injury cut Ortega's season short in mid-July. He collided with an umpire while rounding first base and fractured his right wrist. Ortega had batted safely in 13 of 14 games prior to the accident.
Pleased with his progress despite the injury, the Cardinals decided to send Ortega to Triple-A Memphis last season. Although his average dipped below .300 (.287), Ortega continued to improve. He led the Redbirds with 36 multi-hit games and 16 multi-RBI games. In July, Ortega was selected to participate in the Futures Game for the second consecutive year.
"In the last two years, the guy is a different player," Maier said. "He is in terrific shape right now. He's really gotten himself on a great program working out and eating right. I think that had a lot to do with his development here in the last couple of years. He's in a place where he's comfortable. It's all the same game, but your lifestyle, what you do away from the game, has a lot to do with how you play. I think he's a lot more comfortable here now. He feels more confident.
"All you have to do is put yourself in their situation. Go to the streets of Santo Domingo [Dominican Republic] and try to go order lunch somewhere or say hello to somebody. The game of baseball is the same, but there is so much outside of the game that effects your lifestyle that it is an adjustment to these guys. I think he just needed some time to adjust, and now he is playing the game the way he knows he can play."
John Mozeliak, the Cardinals' director of baseball operations, and Maier describe Ortega as a hitter who has the power to drive the ball into the left- and right-field gaps, but will not mash 40 home runs in a season.
Ortega appears to hold the same opinion of his abilities. He said that Cincinnati's Ken Griffey Jr., the youngest player to hit 450 homers, has been his favorite player to watch since he defected, but it is Joe DiMaggio's legendary consecutive-games hit streak that Ortega would like to call his own someday.
"Clearly, the bat is his main tool," Mozeliak said. "He has the ability to play all three outfield positions. Probably the one thing that concerns everyone the most is his ability to play the outfield in the sense that sometimes he does not get the best jump. Other times, he makes plays that no one could make. We believe he has the talent to do it, but it is just a matter of getting out there and doing it every day. He's a good athlete."
As the Cardinals prepared to face the Arizona Diamondbacks in the playoffs, Ortega made his way out West to play in the Arizona Fall League. Ortega led the Phoenix Desert Dogs with a .387 average and 10 doubles. He batted higher than Los Angeles Dodgers heralded outfield prospect Chin-Feng Chen. Ortega hit two homers with 20 RBIs in 26 games played.
"I think I really saw a change this fall," Cardinals General Manager Walt Jocketty said. "In the fall league, he ended up first [on the team] in hitting. [The Desert Dog coaches and manager] had him playing in center field, and we thought of putting him in either left or right. He played great in center field. He is an average corner outfielder, but he really ran the balls down well in center field, and I think he looked comfortable out there. The thing that's great about it is that he can play all three outfield positions and that increases his value as a fourth or fifth outfielder.
"I think this guy's got a chance, either this year or next year, to really be effective [with the Cardinals]."
Patrick Mulrenin is the site manager for Stlcardinals.com.
By Patrick Mulrenin
Stlcardinals.com
On Sept. 7, 2001, William Ortega's dream came true.
In the eighth inning of a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Busch Stadium, Ortega made his Major League debut with a pinch-hit appearance for the St. Louis Cardinals. Even though he flied out, Ortega said it was a moment in his life he will never forget.
That particular night, the 26-year-old outfielder was far removed from the baseball fields of his native Cuba, where he reportedly used to earn $6 a game.
Ortega was 21 years old when he defected to Mexico with two of his club teammates, Jesus Ametller and Roberto Colinas. At an age when most Americans are trying to decide what bar to celebrate their legal drinking age at, Ortega made a decision that would change his life forever.
Leaving behind a sister and cousins, Ortega decided he wanted to start a new life for himself in the United States. Like Livan Hernandez and Rolando Arrojo before him, Ortega planned on making a name for himself as a Major League baseball player.
In January 1997, Ortega's agent, Joe Cubas, arranged for a workout to show off the talents of his newest client. Marty Maier, the Cardinals' director of scouting, got the first chance to see Ortega in person when he invited him to a private tryout in St. Petersburg, Fla.
"I had heard [of Ortega] before from different people," Maier said. "Obviously, we're not allowed to go to Cuba and go scout over there, but I had heard his name before. The first time I saw him play was when he came and worked out for us in St. Petersburg."
Cardinals management was so impressed with the potential they saw in the 6-foot-4, 205-pound right-handed batter that they signed him to a contract in March.
Ortega, who said he was very happy to sign with St. Louis, spent his first season as a professional at Class-A Prince William in 1997. He struggled in all aspects of his new life and it showed up in the box scores.
In his first season, Ortega batted .229 with no homers, 15 RBIs and 23 runs scored in 73 games.
"At that time, he was coming from Cuba," Maier said. "He wasn't in great shape. He had bad hamstrings. He had played amatuer baseball in Cuba. He came over and got off to a slow start the first couple of years, but he's really developed into a good-looking player. He's got himself in great shape right now.
"I think he's really adjusted well to the change here in America and the lifestyle, what we have compared to what he had in Cuba. That is a big culture adjustment for those guys that we don't always give consideration. It takes a while to get comfortable in the United States and playing baseball over here."
When asked about the most difficult part of the transition, Ortega, who is still learning English, said, "Everything. Language, food, baseball."
Back in Cuba, Ortega played a maximum of 62 games a season with his team. By his second professional season, Ortega played in 105 games. He said he was not accustomed to playing baseball every day.
As Ortega's comfort level began to rise in the United States, so did his statistics. He batted .276 with two homers, 60 RBIs and 57 runs scored in 1998 at Class-A Peoria.
The following season, Ortega lived up to expectations. He started the year with Class-A Potomac, batting .306 with 27 doubles, nine homers, 74 RBIs and 66 runs scored in 110 games. Ortega played the final 20 games of the year with Double-A Arkansas and continued his impressive offensive season by hitting .377 with nine doubles, two homers, 10 RBIs and 10 runs.
The 2000 season began much like the previous season ended. Ortega batted .325 with 18 doubles, 12 home runs, 62 RBIs and 51 runs scored with Arkansas. He earned national recognition by being chosen to participate in the Futures Game in Atlanta, which was played prior to the Major League All-Star Game. Ortega had a 22-game hitting streak and was named the Cardinals' Minor League Player of the Month for April.
However, an injury cut Ortega's season short in mid-July. He collided with an umpire while rounding first base and fractured his right wrist. Ortega had batted safely in 13 of 14 games prior to the accident.
Pleased with his progress despite the injury, the Cardinals decided to send Ortega to Triple-A Memphis last season. Although his average dipped below .300 (.287), Ortega continued to improve. He led the Redbirds with 36 multi-hit games and 16 multi-RBI games. In July, Ortega was selected to participate in the Futures Game for the second consecutive year.
"In the last two years, the guy is a different player," Maier said. "He is in terrific shape right now. He's really gotten himself on a great program working out and eating right. I think that had a lot to do with his development here in the last couple of years. He's in a place where he's comfortable. It's all the same game, but your lifestyle, what you do away from the game, has a lot to do with how you play. I think he's a lot more comfortable here now. He feels more confident.
"All you have to do is put yourself in their situation. Go to the streets of Santo Domingo [Dominican Republic] and try to go order lunch somewhere or say hello to somebody. The game of baseball is the same, but there is so much outside of the game that effects your lifestyle that it is an adjustment to these guys. I think he just needed some time to adjust, and now he is playing the game the way he knows he can play."
John Mozeliak, the Cardinals' director of baseball operations, and Maier describe Ortega as a hitter who has the power to drive the ball into the left- and right-field gaps, but will not mash 40 home runs in a season.
Ortega appears to hold the same opinion of his abilities. He said that Cincinnati's Ken Griffey Jr., the youngest player to hit 450 homers, has been his favorite player to watch since he defected, but it is Joe DiMaggio's legendary consecutive-games hit streak that Ortega would like to call his own someday.
"Clearly, the bat is his main tool," Mozeliak said. "He has the ability to play all three outfield positions. Probably the one thing that concerns everyone the most is his ability to play the outfield in the sense that sometimes he does not get the best jump. Other times, he makes plays that no one could make. We believe he has the talent to do it, but it is just a matter of getting out there and doing it every day. He's a good athlete."
As the Cardinals prepared to face the Arizona Diamondbacks in the playoffs, Ortega made his way out West to play in the Arizona Fall League. Ortega led the Phoenix Desert Dogs with a .387 average and 10 doubles. He batted higher than Los Angeles Dodgers heralded outfield prospect Chin-Feng Chen. Ortega hit two homers with 20 RBIs in 26 games played.
"I think I really saw a change this fall," Cardinals General Manager Walt Jocketty said. "In the fall league, he ended up first [on the team] in hitting. [The Desert Dog coaches and manager] had him playing in center field, and we thought of putting him in either left or right. He played great in center field. He is an average corner outfielder, but he really ran the balls down well in center field, and I think he looked comfortable out there. The thing that's great about it is that he can play all three outfield positions and that increases his value as a fourth or fifth outfielder.
"I think this guy's got a chance, either this year or next year, to really be effective [with the Cardinals]."
Patrick Mulrenin is the site manager for Stlcardinals.com.