Ortiz goes through lots of changes since World Series

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Posted 4:46PM on Wednesday, February 26, 2003

KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA - Russ Ortiz has gone through a lot of changes since he walked off the mound in Game Six of the World Series, a souvenir ball in his glove and the taste of champagne on his lips. First, he watched San Francisco squander a big lead. Then, he stood by helplessly as the entire Series slipped away. Finally, he got a call telling him that he didn't pitch for the Giants anymore. Ortiz was traded to the Atlanta Braves in December, a cost-cutting move that came less than two months after the Giants' seven-game loss to Anaheim. If nothing else, the soft-spoken pitcher has learned to roll with the punches. He said, ``I guess I can fit in anywhere.'' Certainly, he tries not to dwell on the World Series, which ended for him with the Giants just eight outs away from a championship. He had no control, either, when the Giants decided that Ortiz's $4.6 million salary didn't fit their 2003 payroll. So they dealt him to the Braves for a cheaper pitcher, Damian Moss. The 28-year-old right-hander said, ``It was tough for about two weeks. The toughest part for me and my wife was leaving the friends we had grown close to over the years. We knew we wouldn't be able to hang with them every day like we used to.'' The Braves were thrilled to land Ortiz, needing another veteran to bolster their revamped rotation. He's won 63 games in the last four years, the sort of numbers that will come in handy for a team that must replace 18-game winners Tom Glavine and Kevin Millwood. Braves general manager John Schuerholz said, ``He was the Number one starter for the National League champions. That's all I have to say.'' Ortiz knows he'll be closely scrutinized this season, along with two other newcomers to the Braves rotation, Mike Hampton and Paul Byrd.