THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 7, 1995 TAG: 9509070576
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 51 lines
One of many decisions facing the Mets this winter is whether Tides shortstop Rey Ordonez will start next season in the big leagues. Defensively, there is no doubt he is ready, but Ordonez's .214 Triple-A average makes the Mets wonder if more time in Norfolk would be better for Ordonez and the team's future.
``You don't take too many .200 hitters to the major leagues,'' said Gerry Hunsicker, the Mets assistant vice president of baseball operations, in town for the International League playoffs. ``What's intriguing about him is he's got 50 RBIs. That tells you he has a knack for driving in big runs.''
Tides coach Ron Washington said Ordonez, a free-swinger, is especially aggressive with men on base.
``Since spring training we've been trying to get him to take more pitches,'' Washington said. ``But with runners on base, he goes to hackin' from the onset.''
One consideration, Hunsicker said, is how many rookies the Mets want to keep to start next season. Also, shortstop Jose Vizcaino is having a strong year and is tied to the team if it offers him a new contract. But Hunsicker said the decisions on Ordonez and Vizcaino will be made separately.
Vizcaino ``is a .280 major league hitter who's capable of playing solid defense for you. . . . We're still trying to put the best team on the field.''
Not that Hunsicker isn't in awe of Ordonez's defense like everybody else. The charging play that Ordonez made in the ninth Tuesday - finishing it by pushing the ball to first while horizontal to the ground - left Hunsicker ``in shock.''
``It makes me want to retract what I've been saying, that he's the next Ozzie Smith,'' Hunsicker said. ``Nobody in the game can play that position like that kid.''
ONLY A MEMORY: Five TV cameras were at Game 2, but none were rolling when Ordonez pulled off the first of two ninth-inning wonders.
It will stick with Richmond manager Grady Little, though. Before Game 3, Little went to Washington, who was hitting ground balls to Ordonez. Little took the bat and hit a ball down the third-base line, then motioned to Ordonez as if to say, ``What, you couldn't get that one?''
ON TAP: Tonight, the Tides will start Eric Ludwick (1-1, 5.85) against Tom Harrison (2-1, 3.21). If Game 5 is needed, Tides ace Paul Wilson will start on three days rest. Little said he would not come back with Game 1 winner Brad Woodall. He said he'd start either Tom Thobe or Mike Potts, both relievers. by CNB