From plying his trade in MLB to embarking on Hugo Chávez's campaign: The gripping story of former Venezuelan mayor Magglio Ordonez
Magglio Ordonez went from being one of the most dangerous hitters in MLB to openly aligning himself with one of Latin America's most vilified modern leaders. Needless to say, the Venezuelan's career trajectory is not exactly a typical one.
Born in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas in 1974, it did not take long for Ordonez to gain the attention of MLB scouts. Before the 1997 season, the outfielder inked a deal with the Chicago White Sox as an international free agent.
In 1998, his first full season with the Sox, Magglio Ordonez hit ..282/.326/.415 with 14 home runs and 65 RBIs. On account of the strong freshman performance, he finished fifth in AL Rookie of the Year voting. It was then that fans realized that they might have a real talent on their hands.
In 1999, Ordonez hit .301/.349/.510, cranking 30 home runs, 117 RBIs, and stealing 30 bases to earn his first career All-Star designation. The following season, Magglio hit .315 with 32 home runs and 126 RBIs. Not only was he now clearly the best hitter on the Chicago White Sox, but he also finished twelfth in AL MVP voting, and earned himself a Silver Slugger.
"Magglio Ordonez had his first big season in 1999, hitting .301 with 30 HR and 117 RBI. He also made the all-star team for the first time" - Baseball Time Machine
Incidentally, the first year that the 25-year old made it to the All-Star Game, 1999, was also the year that saw one of the biggest changes to the Latin American political scene in decades. Hugo Chavez, a populist military captain, swept to power in that year's Venezuelan election. An outspoken critic of US foreign policy, Chavez soon moved to nationalize the nation's extensive oil reserves and implemented sweeping social programs aimed at tackling poverty in the South American nation.
Ahead of the 2005 season, Magglio Ordonez inked a five-year, $85 million deal with the Detroit Tigers. With a salary of $17 million per year, the outfielder became the highest-paid player in the history of that franchise. In addition to being one of the flashiest players around at the time, Ordonez was also an outspoken supporter of President Chavez.
In 2006, Magglio Ordonez hit a walk off home run in Game 4 of the ALCS against the Oakland Athletics. His homer represented the eighth time in history that a postseason series ended with a walk-off home run, and sent the Tigers to the World Series, where they would eventually lose to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Following his retirement in 2011, Ordonez would return to his homeland. While Chavez passed away from cancer in April 2013, Ordonez would carry on his leader's ideals. In August 2013, he ran for mayor of Juan Antonio Sotillo Municipality in eastern Venezuela, winning under the banner of Chavez' United Socialist Party.
"17 years ago, President Hugo Chávez gave one of my favourite U.N speeches, where he called then U.S President, George W. Bush, "The Devil" on the world stage." - bears
Magglio Ordonez' politics would not sit well in most of MLB today
Given the recent turmoil between the US and Venezuela, Ordonez' alignment with Chavez' United Socialist Party would ruffle more than a few feathers. During the 2009 World Baseball Classic, Ordonez was booed by anti-Chavez fans in the crowd. Now, with Victor Maduro, Chavez' successor, having stepped up the anti-American rhetoric, there is no way of knowing how heated things would be if Ordonez played in today's MLB.