Texas Rangers pick up Jose Ruiz – MLB News
The Texas Rangers recently picked up Jose Ruiz from the Tampa Bay Rays after they declined his contract option for another year. The Rangers signed him to a one-year deal to evaluate his potential for the team.
Ruiz is a very talented baseball player that originally played in Cuba for their National Series. However, like many players in Cuba, they dream of coming to America and playing in Major League Baseball. In 2009 Ruiz went to the Dominican Republic and from
there came to America to pursue his dream of playing in MLB.
However, since Ruiz essentially defected from Cuba, he cannot return to his previous life there and meet any loved one’s that he left behind.
"It's pretty tough," said Ruiz. "The worst thing is you leave your family behind and your life behind, knowing that you cannot come back. That's a big decision. I sacrificed my life to come here. I put everything on the line to be here."
Ruiz is trying hard to get his family out of Cuba and is hoping that it will happen soon. However, now that he is a part of the Rangers, he is looking to put in a good performance as his contract is only for one year and he will have to prove his worth if
he wants to play at the Major League.
Jose has played in the Arizona Fall League, Puerto Rico Winter League and the Tampa Bay Rays’ Dominican Republic summer-league squad. He has also been a part of the Rays’ Double-A team in the Southern League.
The Rangers will be looking to try Ruiz out as either left-fielder or first baseman. However, if his performance needs some tweaking and refining, the Rangers may put in their Minor League squad so that he can work on improving his skills.
"I'm working hard to make the Major League team," Ruiz said. "I understand you have to start in the Minor Leagues. But whether I'm on the team or not, I'm going to try at one point to get to the big leagues."
If Ruiz wants to play in the Major League, he will have to prove himself during Spring Training with the Rangers. The team will be watching his performance carefully to decide if he has the potential to be a part of their final roster for the regular season.
The Rangers are one of the top teams in MLB and their pitching and hitting line-ups are phenomenal. However, most of their success is also based on the fact that they have been able to identify potential future players that can help them win during the regular
season. The team will be hoping that Ruiz is just the player that can help them go far this year.
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