Fortunately, it is to a minor league contract.
No, I’m not kidding. Yes, I’m talking the Russ Ortiz who signed a 4 year deal with the Diamondbacks in 04 and was so incredibly terrible (and also obese, out of shape, unwilling to work on mechanics or anything else) that they released him after 6 gawd awful starts (22.2 IP, 7.54 ERA, 2.162 WHIP) into the second year of his 4 year contract and ate the remaining 22 million. He went to Baltimore, as usual, desperate for any person who could so much as throw a baseball even a lil faster than BP, and he crapped out there too, 5 starts, 15 relief appearances, 8.48 ERA over 40 IP.
My overwhelming Russ Ortiz memory is not one of the times the Astros faced him, but in Game 6 in the 02 WS. He was soundly beating the Angels 5-0, the Giants were leading in games 3-2, he’d given up only 2 hits when he came in to start the 7th. He gave up 2 singles, then with Scott Spiezio, slugger, striding to the plate, Dusty Baker trudged out to the mound, held out his hand for the ball, patted Ortiz, who looked a little unwilling to come out, he’d easily gotten Spiezio out twice, then Dusty gave Ortiz the ball – you know, a souveneir for the winning pitcher.
I remember looking at Husband and saying – oh, that was a BAD luck thing to do. And it was. Because Felix Rodriguez came in and promptly gave up a homer and then it was 5-3. And then Worrell let the other 3 runs score and yes I do remember that it was Barry Lamar’s error that allowed the winning (unearned) run.
Interesting - I can think of at least a few more times that a team’s unexpected victory in Game 6 led to the demoralizing of their opponent, who then laid down in Game 7 (remember the Denkinger? remember the Buckner?)
But I digressed there, didn’t I?
Back on Russ Ortiz -
he was picked in the 4th round of the 95 draft by the Giants and was called up in 98. He was a pretty good pitcher from 99-04, averaging 210 IP/yr over 33 games started, with ERA+ of 113, 85, 122, 107, 112, 104.) He always walked a lot of guys, around 4.6/9 IP, but kept the hits down, around 8.2/9 IP and kept the homers down to around .85/9 IP. Yes, I suppose it DID help pitching in the HR graveyard that is Pac Bell.
Anyway, after the 02 season, the Giants had to decide whether to keep Kirk Rueter or Russ Ortiz, and they decided to trade Russ to the Braves for Damian Moss and Merkin Valdez. Have you ever heard me say that only a dammfool will agree to take pitchers from Atlanta? In 03, Moss threw 89 innings of 89 ERA+ ball and then was released; Merkin Valdez threw 1.2 innings giving up 5 runs in 04 and 16 innings giving up 5 runs last year. Russ Ortiz gave the Braves 417 innings of 108 ERA+ ball.
Winner, Braves (as usual, when it comes to pitcher trades.)
And Rueter, who the Giants decided to keep instead of Ortiz? He threw 147 innings of 93 ERA+ ball in 2003, 190 innings of 92 ERA+ ball in 04 and gave up the ghose in 05, throwing 104 innings of 72 ERA+ ball before being released – as I remember it, 2 years into a 4 year contract. Or was it 3 years into a 5 year contract? Ah well.
Anyway, I have absolutely no idea why Ortiz decided to show up to Dbax camp grossly overweight and out of shape in the spring of 05, but he did. He threw 22 execrable games over 115 innings, then the Dbax “noticed” he seemed to be “injured” so they sent him down to try to work with him to get some weight off and fix his mechanics. They were, to put it mildly, unsuccessful. He was even worse the next year and apparently completely recalcitrant to all efforts to persuade him to lose weight or work on his mechanics and the Dbax decided they’d be better off without him than with him.
The next year, he went to work for the Giants again, threw 49 innings of 81 ERA+ ball before injuring his elbow. He then had TJ surgey and sat out all of 08.
Apparently, he can throw without pain, but I don’t know if he can pitch worth a darn or if he’ll resemble Dave Burba/Steve Sparks when we invited them to ST. Ortiz weighed 210 when he was first a major leaguer at age 25. When he was released from Arizona, he looked as if he weighed a GOOD 275 if he weighed an ounce and at 6’1″, he doesn’t need to weigh over 225 at the most.
Ah well. Maybe he can be a middle reliever. Cain’t never have too many of those, right Eddie?
Tags: Houston Astros
Yeah, I had no idea he was even still playing. It’s one thing to look at a player and think you might get some value (like Villone, for example, a few years ago). It’s quite another to continue going to the scrap heap and just throwing even small amounts of money at pitchers that don’t play for contending teams. I don’t know how long it’s been going on, but I remember it starting with the disastrous 2000 season and the Astros signing, among others, Charlie Hayes and Dwight Gooden. Ever since then, every off season has seen them invite some washed up old players to camp. I simply don’t get it. These guys aren’t even worth their time. We traded away Buchholz, Hirsh, Patton, Albers, Sarfate, Qualls, Talbot and Wheeler for THIS!?
My first post, btw – I’m not a baseball expert, just a seriously casual fan.
I agree with your assessment of Ortiz -
I really hope Ed Wade knows what the heck he’s doing – maybe, just maybe, Jack Lind saw something – either that or we just wasted what, $650K -
Now, about Andy Pettite again…
Since Ortiz is signed to minor league deal, it’s low-risk move. If things really are so bad that the Astros can’t afford to sign a pitcher or two to fill out the rotation, then I don’t have a problem with what they’re doing–signing a bunch of cheap reclaimation projects to see if any of them work out.
You never know what might happen in spring training. Someone might step up and surprise us all.
austin, you said
We traded away Buchholz, Hirsh, Patton, Albers, Sarfate, Qualls, Talbot and Wheeler for THIS!?
- well, buchholz tried to pitch thru a sore arm and so that made him a bad guy. hirsh, patton, albers and talbot were not liked because they had “attitude” which probably means they didn’t drop on knees with mouth open to Certain Veteran Players. sarfate wasn’t a Real Astro and besides the orioles wouldn’t take luke scott offn our hands without him, qualls is a choker who gets nervous and gives up home runs and wheeler, um, oh yeah – he was washed up and besides, he gives up homers too.
signing a whole lot of lousy guys for cheap is SOOOOOOO much better than signing one good player for the same total, dontchu think?
BKF,
welcome!!!
ed wade is infamous for his luuuuvvvv affair with middle relievers and crappy part timers (like jason michaels)
shrug
would have made more sense to get gabe kapler for another 200G and not pick up the pirates’ discards
I wouldn’t have a problem with them doing it from time to time, but Lisa’s right. Instead of spending a lot of money on a player or two they NEED, they spend a lot of money on A LOT of justmaybeyouneverknowmightcouldpossibly players who they hope can just string some good games together. Like Gooden. Like Burba. Like Chacon. Like Michaels. Like Ortiz. And I’m sure it won’t stop there. I don’t have a problem with an organization taking a gamble on some low risk-high reward players from time to time. Trying to build an entire team out of them is something else entirely.
And they STILL shouldn’t sign Andy Pettitte. Paying a little for a sucky pitcher is still smarter than paying a lot for one.
I wouldn’t have a problem with the Astros doing it from time to time. But Lisa’s right. Instead of spending a lot of money on a plyer or two that they really need, they spend a lot of money on a lot of justmaybeyouneverknowmightcouldpossibly players. Like Gooden. Like Burba. Like Chacon. Like Ortiz. And on down the line. I wouldn’t have a problem with them doing it from time to time. But building a whole team out of guys like that is just dumb.
However, in response to Bruce, I will say that spending a little bit on a bad pitcher is still better than spending millions for one.
Oh c’mon guys, it’s not that bad, we needed another proven veteran!
lol…I wouldn’t use the word “proven” in the same sentence as “Russ Ortiz” unless saying that it has been proven beyond dispute that he is grotesquely overweight.
cain’t never have too many Proven Veterans clogging up the minor leagues, can we?
“Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that Ryan Madson turned down a three-year, $12 million contract offer from the Phillies.”
Hmmm. Do these guys read the papers?
That’s about $50,000 an inning.
amusement
- contempt
- amazement
and they think barrry lamar bonds is arrogant?
i guess these guys really do – maybe HAVE to think of themselves as without peer, deserving of adoration, adulation and $$$
shrug
well, guess ol ryan will have to try his luck in arb every year
maybe he get luckier
youneverknow