Manny Ramirez

About Manny Ramirez

Manuel Aristides (Onelcida) Ramirez known by the nicknames Manny or ManRam (born May 30, 1972 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) is an American Major League Baseball player. A nine-time Silver Slugger, and one of twenty-four people to have hit over 500 career home runs, he is well recognized for his strong offensive abilities. He has the most career grand slams of any active player, and has led the American League in three key batting measures: batting average, home runs and runs batted in. For the past eleven years, Ramirez has been a fixture in the Midsummer Classic, and is a twelve-time All-Star. In 2004, he was named the Most Valuable Player of the World Series after helping the Boston Red Sox win their first championship in over 86 years.

Ramirez was selected by the Cleveland Indians with the 13th pick of the 1991 June draft. From 1993 to 2001, he collected 236 home runs and 804 RBI in 967 games for the Cleveland Indians, including a career-high 45 home runs in 1998, and a career-high 165 RBI in 1999, when he hit .333 with 44 homers and scored 131 runs (also a career high). His 165 RBI in 1999 was the highest total by any player since Jimmie Foxx (1938). His 1999 season was all the more impressive since he only played in 147 games. During his time in Cleveland, he played in two World Series, the first coming in 1995 and again in 1997. During his time in Cleveland Manny was primarily a rightfielder.

In December of 2000, Ramirez signed an 8 year, $160 million deal with the Red Sox, with $20 million options for 2009 and 2010, pushing the total value to $200 for 10 years, thus reaching a goal of Manny and his agent at the time, Jeff Moorad who sought a $200 million package. Ramirez immediately delivered for the Red Sox, hitting .408 in April. Overall for the year, he hit .306, hit 41 home runs and drove in 125. On June 23, Ramirez hit two monstrous home runs against the Toronto Blue Jays, with the second one hitting the very top of the light tower in left field. Many people believed the HR to be well over 500 feet, but was officially listed at 501. This is important because Ted Williams holds the longest home run at Fenway Park, at 502 feet.