USA Baseball Blog - Ryan Ortiz, June 18
Oregon State baseball players Ryan Ortiz and Kevin Rhoderick are participating in tryouts for the USA Baseball National Team Trials. Both Ortiz and Rhoderick are in New Hampshire for the tryouts, which are scheduled from June 11 through June 23. On June 24, a team of 22 players will be selected to the club. Ortiz and Rhoderick will file blogs from New Hampshire at various points through the tryouts.
Ryan Ortiz
Wednesday, June 18
Ryan Ortiz and Kevin Rhoderick continued their tryouts for USA Baseball on Tuesday, with both playing in the club’s 15-0 win over Torrington. Ortiz went 1-for-4 and drove in a run while scoring a run. Rhoderick, meanwhile, worked a perfect ninth inning, getting all three outs on just 12 pitches. Thus far, Ortiz has played in four games for Team USA and is batting .364 (4-for-11) with two runs, two RBI, a home run and two walks. Rhoderick, meanwhile, has appeared three times, all in relief, working a total of three innings. He has five strikeouts with two hits allowed and two walks. In those three games, Rhoderick has thrown 57 pitches, getting 34 over for strikes (60 percent). Team USA continues its tryouts Wednesday night against the Chinese National Team at Torrington’s Fuessenich Park.
It was good to get back on the field Tuesday night as it had been a few games since I was able to play. I had a pretty good night and got a hit and drove in a run. I’m feeling pretty good in the batter’s box, and it is harder than during the regular season because none of us are playing every day. It’s a tryout and everyone needs to get their chances to prove what they can do. You just have to make the most of the opportunities you are given.
We had to play two on Tuesday because of the rainout Monday night, so a lot of guys got an opportunity to play at some point. We did get to stay in Torrington for longer than usual because we are playing the Chinese Team tonight. It’s nice to be able to stay in one spot longer.
We are staying in an older hotel here in Torrington, and it’s a smaller room, so that takes some getting used to. It’s also different because the Chinese Team is here as well, and they of course, bring a different culture to the United States. Of course, it’s also unique because we didn’t stay at the same hotel as our opponent this season at Oregon State. You have a lot of baseball players walking around.
That’s going to be something else unique tonight when we play them because I’m not sure what style of play they’ll bring to the field. We’re going to focus on them as usual, but I’m sure how they play will differ from what we’re used to in the United States. But it will be fun.
It’s about time for me to get ready to get to the stadium so Go Beavs!
Friday, June 13
Ryan Ortiz and Kevin Rhoderick played their first games for USA Baseball against the Keene Swamp Bats at Alumni Field in Keene, N.H. Ortiz started at first and batted in the seventh spot in the order, while Rhoderick came on in relief in the ninth. Ortiz finished the game 2-for-4 with a home run and a single while Rhoderick threw a scoreless ninth inning, limiting Keene to a hit while striking out two.
We played our first game Thursday, and spent our last day in New Hampshire, when we visited Keene to play the Swamp Bats. We all had a pretty good game and we beat Keene, 11-0. Mike Minor started for us and threw pretty well. He was the Vanderbilt pitcher who we faced in the opening game of the season back in Tempe.
I started at first and hit seventh in the lineup. In my first at bat, I singled in the second inning. I got a 3-1 count and then took a strike but stroked a single through by the shortstop. I didn’t stay on base long, though. I got forced out at second when the next batter came up. But we scored two runs that inning, so it was good.
The single really relaxed me, got me feeling comfortable at the plate. That was really big because in the third, the next inning, we got five more runs and went up 9-0. Aaron Senne from Missouri hit a home run with an out, then I came up and did the same. The first pitch I saw was as a fastball and I got ahold of it. It ended up over the right-center field fence. Then Kentrail Davis from Tennessee hit another home run later in the inning. We had a pretty good offensive day.
I got the start at first base. I expect to see time at both first and catcher, which works for me. I’m really just having fun being out there.
On Friday, we’re going to play the Holyoke Sox in Massachusetts. I’m actually on the bus now and need to get going. Go Beavs!
Thursday, June 12
Wednesday was our first full day with the team. On Tuesday, we all arrived, and I happened to be on the same flight with Kevin and Stephen Strasburg from San Diego State. It was a good flight, but it was long, and everyone is happy to be in New Hampshire.
On Wednesday, we met as a team and really got moving fast because we play our first game on Thursday. On Wednesday, we got issued our equipment. It was really a good feeling to get the jersey, and warm ups and everything else that comes because it says Team USA on it. The logo makes you really start to feel that we get to play for USA Baseball, at least for these next few weeks, and then after that. All the guys are really excited to get going, and it’s real special to be able to put on that USA equipment.
A big part of Wednesday was just meeting with everyone; getting to know your teammates better and meeting the coaches. Our head coach is Rob Walton from Oral Roberts, and our pitching coach is Jerry Myers from Old Dominion. We have two assistant coaches, too. They are Nino Giarratano from San Francisco and Ritch Price from Kansas. I know Coach Price is from Sweet Home, so he grew up near Corvallis.
After we got done meeting everybody and going over signs and all the team stuff, we went to the field and just took batting practice. Then we got to go over defensive drills, like bunt defense, and other plays like that.
We’re going to take batting practice again Thursday at 4:15 for about an hour. That’s 1:15 for everyone in Oregon. Then we’re going to play the Keene Swamp Bats for our first game at 7 – or 4 p.m. in Oregon. We’re going to play a game every day until the end of the tryout, so we’re getting started pretty quick. Everyone is a little nervous and we’re just ready to get out and play again.
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