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Hanley Ramirez

A photo of Hanley Ramirez.

Hanley Ramírez (born December 23, 1983, in Samana, Dominican Republic) is a shortstop in Major League Baseball for the Florida Marlins. Ramírez was named 2006 NL Rookie of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of America.[1]

Minor League career[]

Ramírez was considered the top prospect in the Boston Red Sox organization before being traded to the Florida Marlins in 2005 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 a .292 BA, 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).[citation needed] 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.[2] 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.

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.[3]

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.[4] 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.[5]

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.

Personal[]

Ramírez has a son, Hanley Ramírez Jr., born November 15, 2004.

Statistics[]

Through March 7, 2009

year team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO BA OBP SLG
2005 BOS 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .000 .000 .000
2006 FLA 158 633 119 185 46 11 17 59 51 56 128 .292 .353 .480
2007 FLA 154 639 125 212 48 6 29 81 51 52 95 .332 .386 .562
2008 FLA 153 589 125 177 34 4 33 67 35 92 122 .301 .400 .540
Total 4 years 467 1,863 369 574 128 21 79 207 137 200 347 .308 .379 .527

See also[]


References[]

External links[]

Awards
Preceded by:
Ryan Howard
National League Rookie of the Year
2006
Succeeded by:
Ryan Braun
Preceded by:
Ryan Howard
Baseball Prospectus
Internet Baseball NL Rookie of the Year

2006
Succeeded by:
Ryan Braun

Template:Florida Marlins roster navbox

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