To celebrate baseball’s All Star game, Russ Ortiz, a 21-game winner for the Atlanta Braves in 2003, will join Mick and Mook on the July 13th episode of A Mick A Mook and A Mic.
Ortiz’s 12-year career in Major League Baseball saw him garner 113 wins, with only 89 loses. In his 2003 season of 21-wins, he was fourth in the Cy Young Award voting. From 1999 through 2004, Russ won a minimum of 14-games per season for the San Francisco Giants and Atlanta Braves.
In addition to the Giants and Braves, Ortiz played for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers.
The right-hander was selected by the Giants in the 4th round of the 1995 Major League Baseball draft. He was drafted as a closer, but converted to the starting rotation while in the Giants’ farm system. In 1998, Russ made his major league debut.
In 1999, Ortiz came into his own and held on to his spot in the Giants’ rotation and became one of the National League’s premier starters. His 18-wins was good for a tie of fourth in the NL.
In the 2002 off-season, Ortiz was traded to the Atlanta Braves and went on to have his career year in 2003, including an appearance in the All-Star Game.
Post his MLB career, Ortiz was the creator/owner of 2nd Guy Golf, a clothing outfit in which 100% of proceeds from sales went to charity. He has also served as a volunteer worker in youth sports.
Russ resides with his wife, Stacy. He has two daughters, Grace Elaine and Lilian Reid, and a son, Hudson.
Be sure to join Frank, Billy and MLB star Russ Ortiz for the All Star podcast on July 13th.
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