As of right now, there is not much Orioles fans know about outfielder Henry Urrutia, who recently joined the club after successfully defecting from Cuba. However, stunning details of his escape from the island are surfacing.
According to an interview with Urrutia posted on YouTube on March 16, the player and his wife hid in the bushes for ten days on the shore of Holguin, Cuba, waiting for the right time to board the boat that would take him on a three day voyage to the Dominican Republic. The Urrutias had canned food, but eventually had to shed the added weight. They were without food and water for over two days.
Watch the video for yourself:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTuG-vnL1W0[/youtube]
Urrutia, 26 years old, is a switch hitter with below average power, but solid contact numbers. Neither speed nor defense is his strong point, according to Orioles Hangout’s scouting report,
Still, Urrutia could be an everyday left fielder batting in the second spot for a Major League team.
It would be a remarkable chapter in what is already an amazing story.
