He could be bought out by the Diamondbacks by weeks end -- could he be worth taking a gamble on?

Russ Ortiz in is one of the worst pitchers I have ever seen. The guy is absolutely horrid, think of it this way, the Diamondbacks will be paying him $22M to go away. Also, he gives up a ricockulous amount of HRs, he'd be giving them up left and right at the Cell while walking everyone else he faces.

:puke

 

 

Uh f*** no.

Wow..

Up until this last year wasn't there alot of talk around here about Ortiz? Hasn't he aslo been on KW's radar for quite some time?

Up until this last year wasn't there alot of talk around here about Ortiz? Hasn't he aslo been on KW's radar for quite some time?

 

 

Yes.

 

Cooper will fix him.

Up until this last year wasn't there alot of talk around here about Ortiz? Hasn't he aslo been on KW's radar for quite some time?

He was rumored to be moved along with Andruw Jones for Maggs a few years back but nothing ever came of it. Russ Ortiz has completely fallen off since leaving San Francisco, he couldn't throw a strike to save his life. Just think of the game he pitched against the Sox at the Cell last year, they ran roughshot over him, Thomas and Uribe were launching the ball out of the park sending Ortiz' ERA up over 16 and forcing him onto the DL.

Didn't think I was going to get flamed for this one -- the guy has a career ERA of 4.20 -- just figured someone with those career numbers might be worth a minor league contract

Well, look at it this way, the guy only has one negative, he can't get a hitter out to save his life. The guy is toast.

Looking at the game log it doesn't look like he has trouble getting guys out -- WHEN he gets the ball over the plate. The following stat line is pretty telling:

 

IP 5.0; H 4; R 3; ER 3; HR 1; BB 5; K 7 106-56 (June 6th start)

 

Interesting to note that the 2 of the 5 walks were responsible for the 3ER (2 walks then a HR).

 

We do have (arguably) the best pitching coach in the majors -- I dont see why taking a chance on this guy would hurt. When we got Contreras most people didn't think that he would ever pan out (mostly noting his inability to get the ball over the plate).

Edited June 14, 200619 yr by BDavisFutureHOF

Ortiz is one of the weirdest pitchers I have ever seen....from 01-04 he put up productive years,

 

2001 17-9 3.29

2002 14-10 3.61

2003 21-7 3.82

2004 15-9 4.13

 

i thought people were nuts when they blasted the dbacks for signing ortiz at 7-8 mil per year, since starting pitching, and bad starting pitching, was going for 7 mil. but the experts were right this time, and ortiz was toast, his high walk totals in all of those years were alarming....that said, those are solid years, and its weird to me to see a guy decline like he has at the age of 30

Looking at the game log it doesn't look like he has trouble getting guys out -- WHEN he gets the ball over the plate. The following stat line is pretty telling:

 

IP 5.0; H 4; R 3; ER 3; HR 1; BB 5; K 7 106-56 (June 6th start)

 

Interesting to note that the 2 of the 5 walks were responsible for the 3ER (2 walks then a HR).

 

We do have (arguably) the best pitching coach in the majors -- I dont see why taking a chance on this guy would hurt. When we got Contreras most people didn't think that he would ever pan out (mostly noting his inability to get the ball over the plate).

 

The big difference was that everyone in baseball agreed that Contreras had top of the rotation stuff, just not the head to go with it. Russ has medicore stuff at best. Even in his good year with Atlanta his ERA was high and he was winning games by people outslugging the opposition.

I would only sign him to a MLC.

The big difference was that everyone in baseball agreed that Contreras had top of the rotation stuff, just not the head to go with it. Russ has medicore stuff at best. Even in his good year with Atlanta his ERA was high and he was winning games by people outslugging the opposition.

So true, it's incredibly scary to think of what he would do in the AL. Not having that automatic out every 9 batters would inflate his already horrendous 7+ ERA.

His ERA was 4.13 and he struck out 150 batters. If this is "mediocre" then I do not know why we signed Judy to the contract that we just signed him to.

 

Regardless, I don't particularly like the guy -- I just figured that some time with Coop might help and he could, possibly, be a better option than Tracy or Montero.

 

I would only sign him to a MLC.

 

This is all I was thinking of.

If this is "mediocre" then I do not know why we signed Judy to the contract that we just signed him to.

Does anyone know why? It was a horrible deal to give Garland..

If Russ Ortiz has any brains at all, he signs with Baltimore as soon as he's released.

I'd rather not have him in Charlotte, if he pitches well down there he might get a chance in the pen and I'd rather not lose any more games do to the pen imploding.

 

The reason Ortiz was such a huge risk for Arizona and most everyone knew he would suck is because of his unbelievably lacking stuff and s*** control the guy put up a 1.51 WHIP his final season with Atlanta, that is horrid. After leaving Mazzone you just knew he'd implode and what do you know.

 

National League + Great pitching coach + pretty good pitchers park in Atlanta + lots of run support + blind luck = One lucky ass pitcher, it was a recipe for disaster the second he left the Braves.

Edited June 14, 200619 yr by Kalapse

Anyone think Coop could make him halfway decent? I don't really believe this would be a good course of action, I'm just playing devil's advocate.

KW almost traded for him before he went to Atlanta. I haven't seen him pitch at all this year, but last year he was awful. He must be just horrid if the DBacks can't get anyone to trade for him while eating most of his contract. Guys that have that much much just eaten, unless their name is Tim Thomas, are usually done, or at least not much of a player anymore.

The reason Ortiz was such a huge risk for Arizona and most everyone knew he would suck is because of his unbelievably lacking stuff and s*** control the guy put up a 1.51 WHIP his final season with Atlanta, that is horrid. After leaving Mazzone you just knew he'd implode and what do you know.

Fixed.

 

Yup, iirc most of the Ortiz talk here was just a big sigh of relief.

 

Mazzone obviously hasn't done much for the O's, btw.

Fixed.

 

Yup, iirc most of the Ortiz talk here was just a big sigh of relief.

 

Mazzone obviously hasn't done much for the O's, btw.

Brain cramp.

Quick question -- what kind of pitches does Ortiz feature. I know he had a pretty lively fastball a few years back but did he rely on breaking stuff at all?

Quick question -- what kind of pitches does Ortiz feature. I know he had a pretty lively fastball a few years back but did he rely on breaking stuff at all?

 

 

He threw a 4 seam fastball 91-94 up in the zone. He was an extreme flyball pitcher. How would that work here you ask, badly I would say.

 

He had a slider/hard curve I believe and maybe a change.

Only reason I ask is because I am not too familiar with his stuff and have heard that the Arizona air is supposed to hamper the use of all your breaking stuff.