SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Texas Rangers pitcher Joseph Ortiz believes he's fortunate that all he suffered in a motorcycle mishap in Venezuela this offseason was a broken foot.
Ortiz, 23, said he was texting on his phone and walking across a street when a motorcyclist going 55 mph turned onto the road and ran over Ortiz's left foot, fracturing it. Ortiz said the driver bounced off him and hit another car in front of him. People who witnessed the incident took Ortiz to a hospital.
"I think I was very lucky because I've actually seen people get run over and die in those accidents," Ortiz said.
He said he "wasn't paying attention" to the road but was aware there was a car stopped in front of him and was surprised to see the motorcycle come up so quickly.
Ortiz is riding around the Rangers' facility on a knee bike because he still can't put all of his weight on the foot. He's been doing a lot of rehab work.
"I think by mid-April to the end of April, I'll be able to play in games," he said.
Ortiz was on the Opening Day roster last year and spent the season going between Triple-A Round Rock and the big club. He was 2-2 with a 4.23 ERA in 44 2/3 innings (32 appearances) in four stints with the Rangers. He was 2-1 with a 3.08 ERA in 26 1/3 innings for Round Rock.
