Jorge Orta---1976
He was an All-Star?
Here in his 1976 card, Jorge Orta is
giving a "what'chu talkin' 'bout,
Willis?" Gary Coleman-look. As in, "I
made the All-Star Team, but I don't
get to play!."
Such is the story with Orta though, as
the left-handed swinger was twice
selected to play in All-Star games,
but never saw action on the field.
Following a 1974 campaign in which
Orta burst onto the scene with a .316
average to finish in second to Rod
Carew in the batting race, Orta was
having a solid '75 season. He went
10-for-20 to claim AL Player of the
Week honors for June 23-29. With an
average hovering around .290, the
second baseman injured his
hamstring on July 3 vs. Oakland.
While Orta claimed that he could
have played in the '75 Mid-Summer
Classic held in Milwaukee, he
watched as Rod Carew played all
nine innings.
Fast forward to 1980 and Orta, who
signed with the Cleveland Indians as
a free agent in the off-season, was
having another solid season as the
Tribe moved the
defensively-challenged infielder into
the tall grass.
Peter Gammons wrote in June in The
Sporting News as part of an All-Star
ballot preview that, "Cleveland's
Jorge Orta who in privacy has made
the transition from infield to have his
best season."
Unfortunately, Orta rode the pine for
a second All-Star game, as he and
Jim Rice were the two outfielders who
did not see action for the American
League squad.
In the August 2, 1980 issue of The
Sporting News, Orta was quoted, "I
was just happy to be selected. It was
an honor, I would have like(d) to
play." Unfazed and not very upset,
Orta would play in the bigs until 1987.
He did however get to play in a World
Series, as he handled Designated
Hitter duties for the Royals at the
close of his career. We remember
this though, as it was Orta who was
the Kansas City batter that was
involved in the controversial call by
umpire Don Denkinger in the 1985
World Series. Ruled safe on his slow
roller to Jack Clark, the infield single
(his lone hit of the Series), Orta
would help rally the Royals to their
first World Championship.
And yes, Jorge Orta was an
All-Star--- he just didn't get to play.
(7/15/08)
Here in his 1976 card, Jorge Orta is
giving a "what'chu talkin' 'bout,
Willis?" Gary Coleman-look. As in, "I
made the All-Star Team, but I don't
get to play!."
Such is the story with Orta though, as
the left-handed swinger was twice
selected to play in All-Star games,
but never saw action on the field.
Following a 1974 campaign in which
Orta burst onto the scene with a .316
average to finish in second to Rod
Carew in the batting race, Orta was
having a solid '75 season. He went
10-for-20 to claim AL Player of the
Week honors for June 23-29. With an
average hovering around .290, the
second baseman injured his
hamstring on July 3 vs. Oakland.
While Orta claimed that he could
have played in the '75 Mid-Summer
Classic held in Milwaukee, he
watched as Rod Carew played all
nine innings.
Fast forward to 1980 and Orta, who
signed with the Cleveland Indians as
a free agent in the off-season, was
having another solid season as the
Tribe moved the
defensively-challenged infielder into
the tall grass.
Peter Gammons wrote in June in The
Sporting News as part of an All-Star
ballot preview that, "Cleveland's
Jorge Orta who in privacy has made
the transition from infield to have his
best season."
Unfortunately, Orta rode the pine for
a second All-Star game, as he and
Jim Rice were the two outfielders who
did not see action for the American
League squad.
In the August 2, 1980 issue of The
Sporting News, Orta was quoted, "I
was just happy to be selected. It was
an honor, I would have like(d) to
play." Unfazed and not very upset,
Orta would play in the bigs until 1987.
He did however get to play in a World
Series, as he handled Designated
Hitter duties for the Royals at the
close of his career. We remember
this though, as it was Orta who was
the Kansas City batter that was
involved in the controversial call by
umpire Don Denkinger in the 1985
World Series. Ruled safe on his slow
roller to Jack Clark, the infield single
(his lone hit of the Series), Orta
would help rally the Royals to their
first World Championship.
And yes, Jorge Orta was an
All-Star--- he just didn't get to play.
(7/15/08)
