http://js.mlblogs.com/archives/2009/05/diamondbacks_augie_ojeda.html PHOENIX -- Since joining the Diamondbacks in 2007, infielder Augie Ojeda has gone from being an extra man on the bench to being the man to root for at Chase Field. His manager Bob Melvin respects him. The D-backs fans love him. Ojeda even has his own chant: Augie, Augie, Augie, Oy, Oy, Oy! It's hard to call Ojeda a journeyman when the most of his trips consisted of being shipped back and forth to the Minor Leagues early in his career, but there are at least two certainties in the present -- Ojeda has found a home in Arizona, and he's having a blast in the Valley of the Sun. Why wouldn't he? Ojeda likes to say it takes only a second to swing a bat or to field a ground ball, so what's not to enjoy? And yes, he admits the chants are a nice touch. "I'm just trying to play the game the right way," Ojeda, 34, said. "You always want support from the fans, because they can give you that little push and you appreciate it. I know I have seen guys get booed at their home stadium and I feel bad for them. I can't imagine what they feel like." It's hard to imagine Ojeda getting booed at Chase Field these days. He's hitting .325 through 17 games. He has three doubles, two RBIs and six base on balls. For his career, which began with the Cubs in 2000, Ojeda is a .240 hitter who can play all around the infield. He will see plenty of action at shortstop until Stephen Drew comes off the disabled list because of a strained hamstring. Josh Wilson made a start at shortstop Thursday because Ojeda was nursing a sore groin, but the Diamondbacks don't expect Ojeda to be out for an extended period of time. "Augie's strength is to be able to fill in any type of role, whether it's an extended period or whether it's a day off for somebody at third, second or shortstop," Melvin said. "There are very few players that can handle it like he can. He's done a terrific job for us." But what is the reason for Ojeda's popularity? His numbers are not staggering, and before he played in 105 games for the Diamondbacks last year, his highest number of games played was 78, and that came back in 2001 with the Cubs. Perhaps the D-backs faithful simply love his effort on the field, or his popularity stems from the belief that fans traditionally root for the underdog. Ojeda is listed as 5-ft-9, but he's closer to 5-ft-6. He looks like your neighbor, he talks like your big brother and he plays with the enthusiasm of a child. The fact that he is Mexican-American in Phoenix, a city with a large Hispanic population, does not hurt. In many ways, Ojeda is a role model for the community. Ojeda was one of many Mexican-Americans to play for Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, and although many Mexican fans did not know who he was, he quickly won them over. During the tournament, Ojeda was known to the Mexican fans as Octavio, his given name. It didn't matter. They cheered his effort. "He's a hustler and fans like guys that hustle and dive, get dirty and run balls out," Melvin said. "You are never going to get booed if you do that type of thing. You'll have your share of struggles at times, but fans will always relate to a guy who is out there playing hard every inning of every game, and that's exactly what he does." Ojeda says he'll never change his approach on the field, in part because he feels fortunate to get paid to do a job he loves. He also says he is a professional, and being and acting like a professional means something. "The way I look at it is that it is a game and you have to have fun, and you go out there and you have four at-bats and enjoy it," he said. "The fans pay a lot of money to watch you play, so you want to go out there and give them what you got all the time. Sometimes the performance is not good enough, but at least the effort is always there." --

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