Check out the updated feature on Ray Ortiz from July 2011: Ray Ortiz, Winning Teams
Ray Ortiz would make his bid for two titles in 1990, the Orlando Sentinel wrote that summer, helping the Visalia Oaks on their way to first half championship, then the AA Orlando SunRays win the their first half. As for his ultimate goal, winning a spot on a major league roster, that goal would not be realized.
Ortiz was drafted by the Twins in 1989. He started in single-A Kenosha, advancing to advanced-A Visalia and Orlando in 1990. In all, Ortiz would spend five seasons in the Twins' system, making AAA Portland, but never breaking through to Minnesota.
By 1994, he'd been traded to the Giants, his hometown team. Sent the other way was Adell Davenport, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Davenport is another member of the 1990 CMC set.
The move gave him new hope, but the results were the same. By spring 1995, Ortiz had spent six seasons in the minors. That's when he returned to the Giants as a replacement player, hoping to make the replacement club in his home city.
"I don't think this is going to last much longer," Ortiz told the Chronicle in a March 23, 1995 article, two weeks before the strike would end, "but till it's over, I'll take advantage of every opportunity I can."
The strike over, Ortiz was returned to AAA Phoenix. He batted .242 in 66 games for the Firebirds, then made his way to the Lubbock Crickets of the independent Texas Louisiana League, played 34 more games then no more.
Read the entire March 1995 Chronicle article here: http://www2.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/e/a/1995/03/23/SPORTS15131.dtl
1990 CMC Tally
Cards Reviewed: 23/880 - 2.6%
Major Leaguers: 11 - 48%
Never Made the Majors: 12 - 52%
5+ Seasons in the Majors: 5
10+ Seasons in the Minors: 8
No comments:
Post a Comment