Here’s a “not so missing” 1974 card for nine-game Major League First Baseman Frank Ortenzio of the Kansas City Royals:
The power-hitting slugger put in five years in the Kansas City Minor
League system before finally getting the call-up in September of 1973.
I’m assuming the Royals organization had some high hopes for the
youngster who slammed 32, 26 and 19 homers over the past three seasons
respectively.
To be honest, the man did not disappoint, as he proceeded to hit .280
over his nine-games, hitting a homer and driving in six runs with seven
hits over 25 at-bats.
Yet oddly, and I don’t know why, he never got a shot at the big time
again, even though he went on to post some big years in the Minors
through the 1978 season, his last as a pro.
In 1977, still only 26 years old, he was playing for Denver of the
Montreal Expos organization, and had a huge year when he hit 40 homers
with 126 runs batted in, scoring 100 and hitting .311.
You’d think those numbers would get him another call-up?
Apparently the team was so loaded with young talent Ortenzio never made
it back to a Big League diamond, instead going on to play the 1978
season split between the Montreal and San Diego Padres Minor League
systems, retiring thereafter.
He finished his MLB career with those nine games in 1973, with that
respectable .280 average, and some big time Minor League seasons.