Mariners Sign 2nd Most Overhyped Cuban of All-Time

Last night the Mariners announced they'd signed nine guys to minor league contracts, including Cuban defector and flashy shortstop Rey Ordonez.

Ordonez came up with the Mets in 1996, and we all thought he was the next great defensive shortstop. Managers got overexcited and said things like, "sure, he doesn't hit, but he saves a run a game with his glove," which is totally insane. No one saves a run a game with their glove. But Ordonez was indeed fantastic on defense--he was amazing with the backhand, and had a hell of an arm. He won three consecutive Gold Gloves from 97-99.

He was the Mets regular shortstop in 2000, then he went down with an injury, and the Mets' acquisition of another shortstop coincided with their run to the World Series, at which point everyone realized that maybe Rey Ordonez ain't all he's cracked up to be, what with hitting barely .250 with no power and no walks, and with even a superannuated Mike Bordick as Ordonez' replacement, the Mets were a better team.

Even Steve Phillips finally realized this, and jettisoned Ordonez, and every Mets fan was like, "crap, what if we'd had a half-decent hitting shortstop all those years we nearly made the World Series."

Ordonez became a journeyman, playing for the Devil Rays in 2003 and the Cubs in 2004, and, as far as we can tell, took 2005 and 2006 off. So did the Mariners, actually, so this is a good fit. We guess Ordonez will play in Tacoma, as insurance in case Yuniesky Betancourt (an underhyped Cuban) gets hurt.