Manny Ramirez has been released by the Texas Rangers. He was playing for the Rangers Triple-A affiliate in Round Rock.
The Rangers signed Ramirez six weeks ago to a minor league contract. He played 30 games in Triple-A hitting .259 with three homers and a .698 OPS in 30 games for Round Rock. Ramirez started off hot, but could not maintain it, and put up a measly .282 slugging percentage in 22 games since the All-Star break.
Rangers general manager Jon Daniels announced the move saying: “Based on our evaluation, there was not a spot on the club for Manny at this time.”
Even with Lance Berkman battling knee issues, and Nelson Cruz suspended, Ramirez just wasn’t putting up the numbers to justify bringing his bat up to the Major League roster. It appears to be the end of the road for the now 41-year-old slugger.
Ramirez has not played in the majors since an 5 game stint with the Tampa Rays in 2011. That stint ended when Ramirez was suspended for his second violation of Major League Baseball’s substance abuse policy. He was given a 100 game ban.
In 2010, Ramirez struggled with the Los Angeles Dodgers. His season also ended with a drug suspension. That one was for 50 games.
Last season Ramirez played 17 games in the Oakland A’s minor league system before being released.
Ramirez also spent time with the Eda Rhinos in Taiwan’s professional baseball league this season.
If this is the end of the line, Ramirez’s 15 year MLB career shows some great numbers. He was a .312 career hitter with 555 homers and 1,329 walks in 2,302 games. However given the two drug suspensions and his presence in the Mitchell Report, it would appear that baseball writers will not look highly on Ramirez’s candidacy.
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