Cliff Kirkpatrick

A story about the value of summer baseball for the Oregon State baseball team ran in Tuesday’s GT. You can read it here. It’s about what players get out of it, with the chart of where they are all going that has already been up on the blog.

The following is more specifically aimed at C Ryan Ortiz and RHP Kevin Rhoderick trying out for the national team. If they don’t make it, it’s on to the Cape Cod League for the summer.

Rhoderick is an old hand when it comes to this national team stuff. He played for the junior national team after his sophomore and junior seasons at Horizon High in Scottsdale, Ariz. He played tournaments in Mexico and Europe back then.

This year’s team play begins play June 25 in South Carolina against Chinese Taipei for six games and then play in Europe for several games in July.

“This is one of the bigger things that could happen to anyone,” Rhoderick said. “To get to play for your country is huge. It’s a big compliment to get invited to tryout after a great year.”

“I was excited when I found out,” Ortiz said. “I was amazed. I’m excited to be able to tryout for the team. It’s going to be fun to go with Kevin.”

Rhoderick figures he has a good chance to make the team because of his work with the junior national team in the past. He knows three closers are invited to try out, and two make the team.

“I want to make the team so bad, and represent Oregon State,” Rhoderick said. “When you are there, it’s a bunch of nerves. You don’t really want people do bad, but you are. Every time I’ve gone, I thought I was going to get cut, for sure. I’m a confident guy, but when you are there, you think that someone might be better than you.”

Ortiz is happy that Rhoderick will be there to help him through and prepare him for what to expect of what the competition is going to be like. “I don’t know what they want,” Ortiz said. “I’m gong to play and see what they want when I get there. If I don’t make it, I’ll head to the Cape Cod League. But it’s going to help we know each other.”

- Cliff

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