Cubs Sign Ramon Ortiz (1997) to a minor league deal

MLBTradeRumors.com is reporting the Chicago Cubs have signed Ramon Ortiz (1997) to a minor league contract. He will report to the Iowa Cubs and make his first start on Monday. Ortiz threw 30 innings for the Dodgers last year before pitching in the minors for the Mets and the Rays. He owns a 85-82 record with a 4.93 ERA in his 10 big league seasons .

Ramon Ortiz was a member of the 1997 Cedar Rapids Kernels squad that finished 62-76 u8nder manager Mario Mendoza. Ortiz posted a 11-10 record and a ERA of 3.58. He led the Kernels with 225 strikeouts in 181 innings of work. Ortiz had recorded the only Kernels no-hitter prior to the 2010 season when he shutdown Quad City on August 7, 1997.

The 2010 Kernels squads posted two no-hitters. Fabio Martinez, Kyle Hurst and Mike Kenney combined to pitch a no-hitter for the Kernels on April 30 against Kane County. Stephen Locke then pitched a rain shorted five inning no hitter against Peoria on July 11.

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