Hanley Ramírez

Infobox MLB player
name = Hanley Ramírez


width = 178
caption = Ramírez with the Marlins in June 2007
team = Florida Marlins
number = 2
position = Shortstop
birthdate = birth date and age|1983|12|23
birthplace = Samana, Dominican Republic
bats = Right
throws = Right
debutdate = September 20
debutyear = 2005
debutteam = Boston Red Sox
statyear = 2008
stat1label = Batting average
stat1value = .308
stat2label = Home runs
stat2value = 79
stat3label = Runs batted in
stat3value = 207
stat4label = Stolen bases
stat4value = 137
teams =
*Boston Red Sox (by|2005)
*Florida Marlins (by|2006-present)
awards =
* All-Star selection (2008)
* NL Rookie of the Year (2006)

Hanley Ramírez (born December 23, 1983, in Samana, Dominican Republic) is a shortstop in Major League Baseball for the Florida Marlins. Ramírez was named by|2006 NL Rookie of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of America. [ [http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20061113&content_id=1739717&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb Rookie of the year 2006] .]

Minor League career

Ramírez was discovered by scouts Levy Ochoa and Julian Camilo and was considered the top prospect in the Boston Red Sox organization. He was traded to the Florida Marlins in 2005 together with Aníbal Sánchez for Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell.

Major League career

2006 season: Rookie of the Year

During Spring Training in 2006, Ramírez was impressive enough to earn the starting shortstop job for the Marlins over another candidate, shortstop Robert Andino. Ramírez led all MLB rookies with 185 hits, 119 runs, 11 triples and 51 SBs. He became the first Marlin ever to post double digits in triples (11) and stolen bases (51).Fact|date=March 2008 He also hit 7 leadoff home runs, the most in team history for a season and career.

Ramírez's 46 doubles in the 2006 season is the all-time NL record for a shortstop age 22 or younger. [ [http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6157436 FOX sports report] ] He is the first NL rookie to post 110-plus runs and 50-plus stolen bases. He also became the fifth big-league player since 1900 to hit 45-plus doubles and have 50-plus stolen bases, joining Hall of Famers Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker and Lou Brock.

2007 season: Continued Success

Ramírez picked up where he left off during his sophomore season. The ever improving young star, who referred to Ryan Howard when asked about the sophomore jinx in baseball, was hitting .331 with 14 home runs and 35 RBIs to go along with 27 steals at the 2007 All Star break. Despite his great numbers, he was left off the All-Star roster behind starter Jose Reyes and reserve J.J. Hardy, not to the surprise of many writers.

Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez experimented with Ramírez a bit in the number three slot in the lineup, batting him ahead of star Miguel Cabrera when injuries hit the Marlins position players. Gonzalez believes Ramírez can be a middle-of-the-lineup player despite his speed, because of his potiential to hit 30+ home runs. On the other hand, Ramirez is known to be more comfortable as a leadoff hitter and has spent most of his career in that position. [http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080522&content_id=2749901&vkey=news_fla&fext=.jsp&c_id=fla]

In a game versus the Cincinnati Reds on July 22, 2007 Hanley over-extended his shoulder when he tried to hit a pitch on the lower outside corner off right hander Bronson Arroyo. He was helped off the field and was determined to have suffered a partial dislocation of his left shoulder. Ramírez has had a history of problems with the shoulder. In the 2006 season, he missed 5 games for a similar problem after swinging at a pitch. In December of '06 he fell awkwardly on the shoulder while playing Winter League ball in the Dominican Republic.

In 154 games Ramírez batted .332 with 29 home runs, 81 RBI, 125 runs and 51 steals. He fell one home run shy of becoming only the third player in baseball history to hit 30 or more home runs and steal 50 or more bases in the same season. Ramírez led the National League in VORP.He also finished in the top 10 in the voting for the NL MVP.

After the end of the season, Ramírez underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair his injured left shoulder. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3048411 Ramirez has shoulder surgery] ]

2008 season: Richer Ramírez

Entering the 2008 season, Ramírez was now looked at as the face of the franchise after the Marlins traded All-Stars Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis. Ramírez has contributed well in the Marlins fast start, earning a spot as the starting Shortstop for the National League All-Star team for the first time in his career.

In addition, Ramírez agreed to a six-year, $70 million extension, by far making it the richest contract in Marlin history and furthermore making him the face of the franchise through the new stadium in 2011. [ [http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080516&content_id=2712243&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb Hanley Ramirez signs six year deal] ] MLB.com has reported that Ramírez will get $23.5 million in his arbitration years of 2009 through 2011, $15 million in 2012, $15.5 million in 2013 and $16 million in 2014. However, there is a no trade clause included in the deal.

Ramírez was named NL Player of the Month in June. He had been batting .298 with six doubles, a triple and ten home runs. He led the NL in three categories: home runs, runs scored and total bases. At his pace he could wind up being in the rare 40-40 club achieved by four others and latest by Alfonso Soriano in 2006. [ [http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080702&content_id=3050255&vkey=news_fla&fext=.jsp Ramirez named NL Player of the Month] ]

In July, Ramírez was selected to his first All-Star at Yankee Stadium, voted in by the fans as the National League's starting shortstop. He was 2-for-3 with two singles and a run in the 2008 All-Star Game.

Ramírez hit his 30th home run of the season on September 13 to become a member of the 30-30 club.

Personal

Ramírez has a son, Hanley Ramírez Jr., born November 15, 2004. His wife, Elisabeth, gave birth to their second son, Hansel, on September 12, 2007. [ [http://www.hanleyramirez.com/ramirez/about Hanley Ramírez's Official Bio] ] [ [http://www.celebrity-babies.com/2007/09/hanley-ramirez-.html Hanley Ramírez welcomes second son] ]

Statistics

small|Roll over stat abbreviations for definitions. Stats through September 10, 2008.cite web| url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/r/ramirha01.shtml | title=Hanley Ramírez Statistics| work=Baseball-Reference| accessdate=2008-06-28]

ee also

* List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions
* Florida Marlins all-time roster

References

External links

* [http://www.hanleyramirez.com Hanley's official website, www.hanleyramirez.com]
*
* [http://soxprospects.com/players/ramirez-hanley.htm SoxProspects.com Bio]
* [http://soxprospects.com/players/ramirez-hanley.htm Red Sox Nation Interview]
* [http://wiki.fishatbat.com/Hanley_Ramirez Hanley Ramirez: Profile on the Fish@Bat Florida Marlins Wiki]
* [http://www.hanley-ramirez.com/stats.php Hanley Ramirez Stats]
* [http://ohadonline.com/photo/438 Photo of Hanley Ramirez batting at Yankee Stadium (2006)]

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