Maprox Sports: Manny Ramirez Baseball Player 2012

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Manny Ramirez Baseball Player 2012

Born: May 30, 1972
Hometown: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Height: 6-0
Weight: 200
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Family: Wife, Juliana; sons Manny, Manny Jr. and Lucas
Primary position: Designated hitter

On January 21, 2011, Ramirez agreed to a one-year, $2 million deal with the Tampa Bay Rays, while the Rays also signed his former Boston Red Sox teammate Johnny Damon in a package deal suggested by agent Scott Boras.

The 38-year-old Ramirez cut short his tenure with Tampa Bay and in major league baseball on April 8, 2011, after just five games during which he batted .059 (1-for-17), when he abruptly retired.Ramirez reportedly tested positive for a banned performance-enhancing drug in his spring training drug test. His first sample, or A sample, was retested and again returned a positive result. Ramirez filed a notice to appeal, and a second sample, or B sample, was tested under observation by Ramirez' representatives. When the B sample also tested positive, he dropped the appeal and told the MLB that he would immediately retire.

Major League Baseball issued a statement that Ramirez had been informed of an issue under the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment program, and chose to retire rather than continue with the appeal process.Ramirez was facing a 100-game suspension, which will still apply if he chooses to return to Major League Baseball at any point in the future. Neither Ramirez nor the player's association issued a statement about the sudden retirement. Ramirez apparently did not personally inform the Rays about his decision. The team announced that they had been informed of his retirement by the MLB commissioner's office.