COMEBACK ROAD FORMER MONTCLAIR PREP STAR ORTIZ GOES TO PUERTO RICO TO REVIVE MLB CAREER.

Byline: HEATHER GRIPP Staff Writer

Russ Ortiz would rather be back home in Arizona with his wife and the twoyoung daughters he hasn't seen nearly enough this year. Instead, he is spending the winter in Puerto Rico searching for something that wasn't supposed to be this hard to find, at least not for someone who within the past fiveyears has pitched in the World Series, been an All-Star, and led the National League in victories.

Unlike most 32-year-old major-league veterans, the former Montclair Prep of VanNuys star is spending the offseason playing winter ball, surrounded by minor leaguers. He is doing so in hopes of finding a job in the big leagues, finding a way to get major league teams to think of him as the Russ Ortiz who won 21 games in 2003, rather than the version that struggled so badly that the Arizona Diamondbacks decided last season that they'd rather pay him $22 million not to play for them.

The confidence and renewed sense of fun that he's rediscovered in Puerto Rico are a good indication he's on the right path.

``Right now I am confident that I can help a big league team in their rotation,'' said Ortiz, who is a month into his season with Manati. ``That is my main focus, to be in a big league rotation again next year and years to come. So far, the season here is going real well.''

The optimism itself is a significant development.

Back in early September, when his season reached rock bottom, the usually upbeat Ortiz said, ``It's amazing how quickly I've become a worthless commodity.''

The right-hander, who led the NL with 21 wins in 2003 as a member of the Atlanta Braves, did not earn a single victory last season, finishing with an 0-8 record and 8.14 ERA. He is 1-17 in his past 23 starts dating to May 2005.

The Diamondbacks, who had signed him to a four-year, $33 million contract before the 2005 season, decided by June of this year to cut Ortiz loose and eat the contract. He was 0-5 with a 7.54 ERA through his first six starts.

The Baltimore Orioles signed Ortiz in late June, reuniting him with pitching coach Leo Mazzone, who had worked with him in Atlanta. But Ortiz was dropped from the Orioles' starting rotation within a month.

His ERA peaked at 13.50 when he allowed five hits and six earned runs without recording an out in a start against Tampa Bay.

``I was upset with myself because I couldn't fix my mechanics,'' Ortiz said. ``I knew something was off, but I couldn't figure it out. I knew I had the same stuff, but I couldn't show it.''

Ortiz reviewed hours of video without noticing anything different from the days when he won at least 14 games in each of his first six full seasons in the majors. Mazzone instituted a few mechanical changes they both describe as ``very minor.'' Just as importantly, Mazzone made it clear he believed in Ortiz and tried to restore the pitcher's self-confidence.

``Confidence plays a big part in it, like it does in anything,'' Mazzone said. ``You start to question your ability, and before you know it, you're out of whack.

``I know how good he can be, we used to face him all the time when he was in SanFrancisco, where he was very successful. Russ always was a fierce competitor. ... He was still a competitor last year -- he didn't give up -- but when you struggle, it can be harder to trust your stuff.''

The trying times brought Ortiz closer to his family and God. He said he quickly learned who his true friends were, and the experience helped him believe that everything happens for a reason.

After going almost all of September without seeing his family -- the longest they'd been ever apart -- the last thing Ortiz wanted was to leave them again during the offseason. But through prayer and lengthy discussions with his wife, Stacy, he eventually decided it was the best option if he wanted to keep playing.

Ortiz is eagerly awaiting his family's arrival in Puerto Rico this week for a holiday visit.

He is 1-1 with a 2.40 ERA in his four appearances. He has returned to starting pitching and is working his way back to being able to throw 100 pitches, having thrown more than 80 in his past two starts.

Teams aren't expressing interest yet, but Mazzone says Ortiz will be back in the majors in 2007.

``I don't see why not,'' Mazzone said. ``We've been there, done that. He's been in the pressure situation of the playoffs. ... Russ is a workhorse, he is a bulldog. He is going to fight and work his way back.''

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CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Russ Ortiz, who went 0-8 last season with the Arizona and Baltimore, is playing winter ball with mostly minor leaguers to try and land a job in 2007 with a major league club.

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

(2) Russ Ortiz, then with the Atlanta Braves, points to a pop up during Game 1 of the NLDS in 2003 against the Chicago Cubs.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Box:

RUSS ORTIZ: THROUGH THE YEARS