Reply to "Milb Spring Training begins"

quote:

By ROGER MOONEY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 26, 2011

Updated: 03/26/2011 06:44 pm

PORT CHARLOTTE ....

Honored guest

Minor-league INF Tyler Bortnick was the center of attention during the morning stretch. Bortnick sat in a chair in the middle of the group as coach Tom Foley read Bortnick's recent posting on his Facebook page where he bragged about getting a hit off Boston RHP Jonathon Papelbon last week during a minor-league game.

DH Manny Ramirez asked him to autograph a baseball on the sweet spot and Olmedo brought him a bottle of water and shined his spikes.

"It demonstrates the power of the social media," Maddon said. "He utilizes his notoriety on Facebook to get invited to big-league camp. I actually admire his tenacity."

Bortnick impressed the Rays by taking it with good humor. As a result, he remained with the team for the rest of the day, wearing a jersey with the name "Whamyyy" on the back.

"He did handle it well, that's why he's still here," Maddon said before the game. "Had he not handled that moment so well, we would have just sent him back to the other side."

Maddon is curious to see Bortnick's next Facebook page post.

"The ball's back in his court," Maddon said. "We'll see how he works the social component afterward."

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By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Sunday, March 27, 2011

Prank of the day

After minor-league INF Tyler Bortnick got a little too cocky in his Facebook comments about getting a hit off Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon in a minor-league game, he got hazed by the big-leaguers. The Rays summoned him to the outfield for the morning stretch, put him in a jersey with his screen nickname WHAMMYYY on the back and had Manny Ramirez ask him to sign a ball and Ray Olmedo shine his shoes and bring him water. "It was all in good fun," manager Joe Maddon said. "And he did a great job with how he reacted to the whole thing." Bortnick handled it so well, Maddon invited him to stay with the Rays for the game.