Finally. Russ Ortiz is GONE.

[JS22]

According to Gambo and Ash the Dbacks are eating the rest of his contract. (Ouch, $22,000,000!)

Randy Choate has been called back up.

 

[green machine]

Oh be still my beating heart!

 

[green machine]

Then again, if this move brings Choate back up, I guess it's not all positive...

 

[JS22]

Then again, if this move brings Choate back up, I guess it's not all positive...

True!

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Russ Ortiz has been designated for assignment.

http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com...ent_id=1502965&vkey=pr_ari&fext=.jsp&c_id=ari

 

[FinleyLover]

Choate is a temporary thing I'm sure. The FO wouldn't finally decide to burn $22 million if they didn't have someone else (who is an improvement which Choate isn't) in mind.

 

[Lefty]

Yesssssssssssssssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[IndyDevil]

All together now:

REJOICE!!! Ortiz is GONE!!

Josh Byrnes, thank you!!

 

[Dback Jon]

Woo hooo



Slowly exorcizing the demons that Joe wrought

 

[devilalum]

 

[devilfan02]

Ortiz gone = new winning streak. What a load of trash he is

 

[NEZCardsfan]

Woo hooo



Slowly exorcizing the demons that Joe wrought

Joe didn't do that. Moorad did.

I made a stupid comment at the ballpark last Tuesday. I said the team wouldn't win another game until Ortiz was off the roster. LOL, who's laughing now??

 

[FinleyLover]

Joe didn't do that. Moorad did.

Was he a former client of Moorads? I didn't realize that he could make such boneheaded decisions. That's kinda scary...

 

[Stallion]

Holy crap. That took some cajones grandes.

If that doesn't show the new regime is 100% committed to building a winning team, I don't know what does.

I am a huge Josh Byrnes fan now.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Was he a former client of Moorads? I didn't realize that he could make such boneheaded decisions. That's kinda scary...

I do not believe that Ortiz was a former Moorad client.

 

[devilfan02]

Was he a former client of Moorads? I didn't realize that he could make such boneheaded decisions. That's kinda scary...

At the time, I didn't mind that we signed Ortiz. It was the enormous contract/length that we signed him to that bugged me. No other team even sniffed giving him the years or money we gave him. Also, the fact that Atlanta didn't even offer him a single contract bothered me at the time as well.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

Then again, if this move brings Choate back up, I guess it's not all positive...

Sure it is.. Choate may not be worth the blink of an eye, but he gets paid $20.7 million less to suck.

 

[FinleyLover]

Absolutely, but will he be able to help us get first place back and KEEP it? I seriously doubt it. I still think he's a stop-gap.

 

[boondockdrunk]

From AZ Central

06/17/2006 05:44:50

Technically, Russ Ortiz is still a D-Back.

Arizona has until the end of this road trip to trade, waive or release the pitcher, who was designated for assignment last Tuesday. So far, they haven't made a move.

One reason he hasn’t been let go yet is because the club has actually been receiving calls from teams, talking about potential swaps. But wait, don’t get too carried away.

The Diamondbacks will still probably have to absorb the remaining $21.5 million on Ortiz’ contract, as most of the trade talk has involved the Diamondbacks being asked to take on a struggling player with a similar contract in return.

I don't know if the front office would want to get a struggling player with a large salary in return for Ortiz. The whole reason they dumped Russ was to create a roster space for players who would actually help the team.

 

[Ryanwb]

From AZ Central



I don't know if the front office would want to get a struggling player with a large salary in return for Ortiz. The whole reason they dumped Russ was to create a roster space for players who would actually help the team.

I heard speculation about the Braves bringing him back..... Are they that hard up for pitching? Don't tell me that means Mike "I had one good season" Hampton will be coming here (I think he's out for the season with an elbow injury though)

 

[boondockdrunk]

I heard speculation about the Braves bringing him back..... Are they that hard up for pitching? Don't tell me that means Mike "I had one good season" Hampton will be coming here (I think he's out for the season with an elbow injury though)

I cannot see us taking on his contract unless it is over after this year (which would save us a little bit over $7 million). However, I am pretty sure that his contract has 2-3 years left.

Edit: Okay I am pretty sure that he is under contract until the '07 season, and he is expected to miss the entire season as he is recovering from TJ surgery.