Wilberto Ortiz: Brooklyn boy looks to be Giantsπ ≥Superman≤

By Chris Miracle

Staff Writer

HOLYOKE ≠ This week, the Holyoke Sun profiles Holyoke Giantsπ starting shortstop Wilberto Ortiz. In his second season with the Giants, Ortiz is batting .313 with 25 hits in 80 at-bats as of July 11. He has recorded 35 put outs in 70 attempts with a solid fielding percentage of .921. Ortiz sits third on the squad in RBI with 10 to this point in the season.

Coming off his sophomore year at Dowling College, Ortiz was a First-Team All-Conference player and team MVP in 2005. He posted a .404 batting average with 57 hits and 41 RBI in 141 plate appearances. Ortiz bats and throws right-handed.

How is your second season with the Giants going for you so far?

≥It is going very well right now. I am hitting the ball pretty good.≤

What were your goals this season from what you learned in your rookie season with the Giants?

≥Just to have a better year than last year. I was a little disappointed with how I hit last year. I learned two things from last year. I have worked with my hands a lot this year and my stance is a little lower to generate more power, and I am hitting the ball the other way, trying to stay inside.≤

When did you move from Puerto Rico to the United States?

≥I moved when I was 11 or 12 years old. First I moved to the Bronx, and then I moved into Brooklyn.≤

Who introduced you to baseball growing up?

≥Basically family. I have a lot of cousins and friends who play baseball. They taught me along the way. I have been playing this game since I was three years old. My parents used to take me to every game around there. It is the favorite sport, with basketball second. My father and brother played basketball. My height was too small for that, so I stuck with baseball.≤

Any one family member you really looked up to or tried to emulate?

≥My uncle. He (Rafael Lopez) was going to be drafted by the Phillies, but then blew out his knee. He was the one who really taught me how to play shortstop. He was in a double A league like independent ball, 18 or 19, when he hurt his knee.≤

Is getting drafted one of your goals?

≥I think that is almost everybodyπs goal, whoever plays baseball. It is one of my goals to make it. But right now one of my downfalls is my speed. I try to compete with my arm and with my bat.≤

Analyze your game offensively and defensively.

≥Hitting, I definitely need more power. I hit the ball a good distance but I still need to generate more power. My only downfall on defense is usually my backhand. I just started to work on that during the summer.≤

What is the hardest part of playing shortstop?

≥Having range, the arm, and quickness. Hands are the most important thing. You have to get rid of the ball quickly. Guys get down the line in 3.9 or 3.8 (seconds). You have to get the ball out quick. I have more range playing to my left. I am a little slow to my right, which I am trying to work at now.≤

What do you love most about baseball?

≥To me, it is fun. It gets hard sometimes and people get frustrated. I just love the game. It is fun to me.≤

What does Willie Ortiz do for fun off the field?

≥Just hang around with the players. You only see these guys one time around. We just hang out at different houses and watch games on TV, talk about playerπs different schools, and get acquainted with each other. Thatπs what we do almost every night.≤

Where is Dowling College and how did you choose going there?

≥It is on Long Island. It is a Division II school, only about 5,000 students. I was actually going to go to Stony Brook or Coastal Carolina, but I decided to stay close to home and tried to find a school where I could start as a freshman. It is a small school, but I like the competition.≤

How is the talent level going from the college season to this league?

≥This is definitely more competitive than my college season. Last year, it was very hard as a first-year starter. I only hit .220 and at school I hit .330. This is better pitching all-around, plus the wooden bats make it harder. I have upped my game a lot playing in the summer here.≤

What has been key to the Giantsπ season so far?

≥We are putting everything together right now. We had a downfall with our defense, but our hitting has been clutch all year and our pitching has kept teams down. We are getting the bunts down. We are doing all the parts to win the games.≤

What will it take to overtake Keene in the Northern Division?

≥They are probably one of the best hitting teams in the league. You have to keep the score low with them because once you get into a hitting game with them, they will probably come out on top. Their pitching is pretty tough too.≤

Being a seasoned veteran in your second season, any pranksters on the team?

≥I am definitely one of them. We donπt pull too many. When the music comes on at games, we try to imitate some dances and dance around the dugout. Sometimes you canπt take this sport too seriously.≤

Funniest thing seen on a road trip?

≥It hasnπt been real crazy. Sometimes when guys fall asleep on the bus, we put shaving cream or something on their face. Nothing too crazy.≤

Professional athlete you most look up to?

≥Alex Rodriguez. He is a 5π2" player out of high school. That is one guy I would like to be someday. He is a strong guy who hits the ball to all sides of the field. And making the transition form short to third -- that makes a great player even better; that you can play any position. Michael Jordan is also a role model as an athlete and what he has done business wise.≤

Career plans after college and baseball?

≥I was actually talking about this earlier today. I am taking sports management and hoping to get into law school. I would like to be a sports agent if nothing happens with baseball. I like the whole environment of sports, the behind the scenes as well.≤

Hobbies?

≥Ping pong with the guys back home. I donπt have many. That is what actually made my hands quicker.≤

Favorite movie?

≥"Old School". That is a very funny movie.≤

Favorite Major League team?

≥Cleveland Indians. They had Omar Vazquel and Roberto Alomar up the middle.≤

If you could be a comic book super hero, who would it be?

≥I would be Superman. There is actually a joke behind that. When I was in fifth grade, all of my friends would call me Superman because I used to dive playing on concrete and didnπt care about getting hurt.≤