Q&A with MLB draftee Ricky Oropesa
Summer Trojan: Congratulations on being drafted by the San Francisco Giants. What do you know about the organization?
Oropesa: I’ve been hearing really good stuff about them. Obviously they won the World Series, so they know what they’re doing. I’ve been looking at the system. It seems like they have one real standout first baseman, but, other than that, no one I’ll really have to compete with.
Slugger · USC first baseman Ricky Oropesa finished his USC career with 40 home runs and 159 RBI. Both marks place him fifth all-time in Trojan history. Oropesa was also a two-time All-Pac-10 selection. - Photo courtesy of Sports Information
ST: What was your initial reaction [to being drafted]?
Oropesa: Well, going in [to the draft], I thought I’d go in the first day [rounds one and two], so I was a little disappointed that I didn’t. But obviously I was happy. I was just happy to have it over.
ST: What are the Giants’ plans for your immediate future?
Oropesa: Mike Kendall is the L.A. area scout for the Giants. He’s the one who called me, actually, to tell me they had picked me. I’m going to meet with him the next few weeks to play it all out. But he said they were very excited to have me. He told me they were really surprised I was still there [at 116th overall], so everyone in the draft room was very happy that they could get me. And that’s really good to hear, that an organization really wants to have you.
ST: People say the biggest difference between the professional and college games is wooden vs. metal bats. How do you feel about transitioning to wooden bats?
Oropesa: I’m really excited to use wood. I actually like it better than metal. It’s just more natural. I learned how to hit with wood. I’ve hit with wood in a whole bunch of summer leagues. I’m just excited to go back and find my stroke with it.
ST: Apart from the bats, what do you expect to be the biggest challenge for you transitioning to the pros?
Oropesa: I think the competition. Everyone is fighting for a job. Everyone’s trying to beat not just the other team, but everyone else. But I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be fun, you know. I expect to face some adversity. And then there’s just the daily grind. It’s baseball, but it’s still a job. It’s going to be a tough challenge.
ST: Moving back to USC, what do you think of the direction the program is headed?
Oropesa: This year’s team was definitely a step in the right direction in terms of bringing back the tradition of excellence at USC. The coaching staff did a great job of motivating us, and we exceeded a lot of expectations this year. Not our own expectations, I think [the team] was always confident. But outside … I mean we were picked to finish ninth in the Pac-10, so we exceeded others’ expectations for sure.
ST: What has USC meant to you?
Oropesa: USC has been great to me. They have given me so many opportunities, opened so many doors for me. Even outside of baseball. They’ve gotten me really close to a degree. And I am going to go back and get it come fall. I promised my parents.
“I’ve been looking at the system. It seems like they have one real standout first baseman, but, other than that, no one I’ll really have to compete with.”
Love his confidence and his acknowledgment that he will face good competition, but perhaps he can be a little more modest on the outside in order to avoid friction with his new teammates.
Hey Steve B., bitter much? So you’re seriously suggesting that Oropesa should give up all his bargaining leverage and a guaranteed pro contract sure to be above $300K to return for his senior year? Not only do college seniors rarely get drafted in the first round (please name me one college senior that has been drafted in the first 2 rounds in the past 10 years), but they end up putting themselves behind nearly everybody in their draft class by delaying the start of their pro career by 1 year. And what happens if he gets injured in the next 11 months? The risk/reward just doesn’t add up for Ricky. I could possibly see the temptation for Ricky if he had been drafted in the 10th round (or later), or if the Trojans were going to have a realistic shot at making the College World Series next year, but we both know that’s not happening.
It looks like he is determined to turn pro which doesn’t help the team for next year. He could improve his defense and regain his power stroke and move up to the 1st round in the draft by returning to school for his senior year. Hope he remembers the last two games of the season at home getting squashed by a mediocre Washington St. team being out scored 23 to 3 costing the Trojans fourth place in the conference.