A Blast from the Past: Alex Ochoa

As the Baysox celebrate their 20th season, they are taking a look back at the history of the organization. Outfielder Alex Ochoa was with the Baysox at the very beginning. He played with the squad in 1994, when Prince George's Stadium was just being built, before going on to an eight year Major League career with six different teams. Ochoa recently sat down to talk with BayWatch about his memories playing in Bowie almost 20 years ago.

Do you have any memories of playing in Bowie back in the 90s?

That's funny because that was the first year of the stadium there and we had the first year where they played at Memorial Stadium before that. We played a couple weeks in Frederick and then a series at a naval base and then I can't remember exactly how long we were at [Prince George's Stadium]. It was a dirt road to get in and we didn't have concession stands or anything. We had a pretty good team that year too. Pete Mackanin was our manager. It was fun. It was a little different because we were playing here and there, but it was fun.

What, if anything, helped you become the player you were in your playing career that you got from your playing time with Bowie and throughout the Orioles system before you made it up to the big leagues?

Just the way to play the game. We learned how to play the game the right way. We learned how to do the small things like running the bases well and the small defensive stuff that I was able to carry throughout my career. A lot of guys from that year in the Eastern League made it to the big leagues

Do you keep in touch with any teammates you had in Bowie?

Facebook is amazing. Roy Hodge. Scott McClain is a really good friend of mine. He played third base and we've been good friends forever and still keep in touch. Those are probably the main two guys that I keep in touch with. There are always one or two teammates that you keep in touch with over the years.

What did you like about the experience of Minor League Baseball? And for you, how did it differ from the Major League experience?

In the Minor Leagues, you build closer relationships because of all the time on the busses and it's the same group of guys and everyone is very young at the time and not everyone has a family. Those bus rides and those hotels really brought the team together. And for me being from South Florida, and never really having been out of that part of the country other than New York, that was awesome. To go on those bus rides and gain the experiences I had was great. Even being in the Midwest League going to those little cities and towns in the middle of corn fields and farms was very eye-opening for me and I loved that experience. Some people have a hard time with it, but I loved it. And in the Big Leagues you play against everyone you dream of. It's a different experience. You develop in the Minor Leagues. Obviously you are trying to win, but more importantly, you are developing and once you get to the Big Leagues, it is time to put everything together to win.

Any Minor League stories from your time here that you would like to share?

Everyone on the team watched Days of Our Lives. It was funny because we would sit around and stretch and talk about the show. It was funny to hear guys talk about it and I will always remember that when I remember the Bowie team.

What was your favorite Major League park to play in during your career?

Believe it or not, Fenway. I always love fields that have a lot of tradition and history. Fenway always left an impression on me and that was my favorite park.

What's the key to learning how to play the Monster?

It is obviously very unique and different from so many other ballparks. Even for routine fly balls, you don't know which ones are going to hit off the wall and which ones might not. You come in for a three game series and you might get one ball you would misplay, but on an everyday basis getting used to it was a big help.

Now that you are coaching, did you envision yourself in that role while you were in the minors and majors as something you wanted to do after your playing career?

I would say no for most of my career. My last couple years, when I was in Japan and I knew the end was coming, then you start saying that I might want to coach. You start paying more attention to what you want to do later on. My last year in Japan was a great experience getting to learn the culture. There were a couple guys who had just gotten out there and I was coaching them about the culture and little things about baseball that I really had paid attention to when I was out there that I helped them out with that year and I really started saying that this was something I wanted to do for sure.

How does the Japanese game or preparation for the game differ from the Major League game?

Well spring training is much longer. The days are much longer too. It's slower over there. They practice for very long periods of time and quantity is very important for them in their culture. You get so many swings and ground balls and so many fly balls. Their mentality is that they want to have the fundamentals down almost to the point of perfection. It makes the pregame workout in the States look like child's play. If you don't take infield over there, you can't play in the game. It's more of a cultural thing to do things over and over again in Japan. It's challenging as a foreigner but it's also a great experience. When you live it on an everyday basis for months and years, it's pretty cool.

Baysox Baseball - We'll Knock Your 'Sox Off. The Baysox 20th season is underway. Parking is free at every Baysox home game and tickets are now available at www.baysox.com, or by calling the Baysox box office at (301) 464-4865.