At the moment, the United Shore Skilled Baseball League introduced the hiring of Ray Ortega to guide their new initiative described as “Actual Baseball, Actual Enjoyable.”
Ortega is a product of indy ball himself as each a participant and coach and had coached within the minor leagues earlier than changing into an assistant coach for the Savannah Bananas final yr.
I’ve identified Ortega for over a decade starting together with his rookie yr within the Frontier League as a part of the highway warrior Frontier League Greys. His infectious perspective and love for the sport drew me in immediately.
When he lately contacted me about his concepts for “Actual Baseball, Actual Enjoyable,” I used to be instantly offered.
I’ve at all times beloved unbiased baseball due to the gamers and folks concerned. It’s why I began this weblog within the first place; to attach gamers and followers and inform tales that convey out the human facet of the game. I really like when gamers can simply be themselves and present that facet to the followers.
For my part, the core of the sport of baseball doesn’t want to alter, however the interactions and fan assist wants an improve with a purpose to keep related.
The Savannah Bananas promote out ballpark after ballpark due to the enjoyable interactions and the bigger than life characters that they gamers have become. However far too many baseball purists assume that their makes an attempt to “enliven” the sport itself have ruined the sport.
The United Shore Professional Baseball League lead by Ray Ortega is aiming to bridge that hole.
Indy Ball Island is wanting ahead to working with Ray and the USPBL to showcase how this initiative performs out all through the season and the years to come back.
You possibly can learn the official press launch from the USPBL Beneath:
March twelfth, 2025
ROCHESTER, Mich. – March 12, 2025 – The United Shore Skilled Baseball League (USPBL powered by UWM) is thrilled to announce the addition of Ray Ortega as USPBL Assistant Director of Baseball Operations & Hitting Coach. With the brand new motto of “Actual Baseball, Actual Enjoyable.”, Ortega is about to convey contemporary vitality and experience to the league.
Ortega, 35, from Miami, FL, has an in depth background in baseball, each as a participant and a coach. Ortega beforehand spent three years with the USPBL, as a catcher for the Birmingham Bloomfield Beavers in 2016 and 2017, and because the Beavers’ Assistant Supervisor and league Catching Coordinator in 2018. In 2019, Ortega left the USPBL to develop into the Participant Improvement Coach for the San Francisco Giants’ Triple-A affiliate, the Sacramento River Cats, and that group received the 2019 AAA Nationwide Championship. After leaving the River Cats, Ortega joined the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the Atlantic League, the place he served because the Hitting Coach and Bench Coach for 2 summers. Over time, Ortega has coached greater than 200 gamers who’ve performed Main League Baseball.
In 2024, Ortega immersed himself into the baseball leisure expertise of the Savannah Bananas, serving as an Assistant Supervisor of the Savannah Bananas throughout their tour throughout the nation. As Ortega returns to the USPBL this season, he will probably be serving to the league to extend participant engagement with the followers, ramping up the enjoyable and leisure on the sector whereas nonetheless staying true to the normal guidelines of baseball. “My objective is to reimagine the tradition surrounding the sport. I need to change the fan expertise and total presentation of the sport, however not the sport of baseball,” mentioned Ortega. “Baseball is enjoyable. I need to remind folks of that. The USPBL is – Actual Baseball, Actual Enjoyable.”
Ortega can have a key position in participant improvement and group outreach, whereas additionally serving to to implement the elevated engagement of our gamers with the followers, and the extra leisure on the sector throughout USPBL video games in a approach that won’t affect the end result of the video games or the chance for USPBL gamers to be signed to contracts by Main League organizations. His appointment marks an essential step in USPBL’s continued dedication to excellence each on and off the sector.
The evolution of the USPBL, now coming into its tenth season of baseball, will convey a model of baseball with unmatched vitality, persona, and creativity. Extra on-field interactions, extra player-led promotions, and deeper fan connections – from the dugout to the stands, the gamers would be the heartbeat of the expertise at Jimmy John’s Discipline. This isn’t simply baseball. That is Actual Baseball. Actual Enjoyable.
Along with bringing Ray Ortega again to the USPBL in 2025, the USPBL will probably be welcoming again all of its senior Baseball Operations and training workers from the 2024 season. Main the USPBL Baseball Operations workers as soon as once more is Shane McCatty, Director of Baseball Operations, whose operational excellence is invaluable as we try for continued success. Moreover, we’re thrilled to have Paul Noce, Discipline Coordinator, returning to supervise on-field instruction and preparation. Justin Karn is returning this season as USPBL Pitching Coordinator, the place his experience in pitching improvement has been a significant asset in making ready our gamers for achievement on the mound. His concentrate on mechanics, technique, and participant development will proceed to play a vital position in strengthening our pitching workers.
The USPBL is also lucky to have an excellent group of returning group managers who convey a wealth of expertise and management to their respective groups. Jim Essian will probably be managing the Utica Unicorns for the ninth straight season. John Dombrowski will as soon as once more handle the 2024 USPBL Champion Birmingham Bloomfield Beavers. Taylor Grzelakowski continues on the helm for the Westside Woolly Mammoths, and Ryan Kottke will handle the Eastside Diamond Hoppers. Their capability to develop gamers and foster a aggressive, fan-first tradition is a key part to our league’s success.
The whole USPBL Baseball Operations Division is totally engaged in and embracing the “Actual Baseball, Actual Enjoyable” initiative. This initiative is reimagining the tradition across the recreation whereas preserving its essence and the principles of the particular recreation of baseball. The USPBL is creating an electrifying fan expertise that makes baseball enjoyable once more.
We consider the “Actual Baseball, Actual Enjoyable” initiative will entice each passionate followers and top-tier baseball expertise, as a result of this isn’t nearly making the video games extra enjoyable for the followers—it’s in regards to the gamers, too. We’re empowering our athletes to embrace their personalities, construct their manufacturers, and interact with followers like by no means earlier than. From on-field celebrations and group dances to signature handshakes and social media storytelling, we’re giving gamers the instruments to show their careers into platforms that reach past the sport.
“Baseball ought to be enjoyable—for the gamers and the followers. We’re bringing the eagerness, the vitality, and the showmanship that makes this recreation nice,” mentioned USPBL Proprietor, Commissioner and CEO, Andy Appleby. “We’re excited to welcome Ray Ortega to our group. His experience, management, and fervour for the sport will probably be invaluable as we proceed to develop and improve the expertise for our gamers, followers, and group.”
