Marlins’ Ramirez handles move with aplomb
Transition from shortstop to third going well so far
Any concerns Hanley Ramirez might resent the arrival of free agent shortstop Jose Reyes, forcing his shift to third base, have been rinsed away.
Proof these Miami Marlins infielders are getting along came this week when Ramirez tweeted a photo of the pair smiling in Jupiter, Fla., sporting matching reddish-orange hairdos.
That could be a great sign for the (formerly Florida) Marlins, as they move into their new stadium with revived hopes to contend in the National League East. A happy and healthy Ramirez tends to be a highly productive Ramirez, and the Marlins very much need the latter to realize their dreams of unseating the Philadelphia Phillies, winners of the last five NL East crowns.
Ramirez, the 2006 NL rookie of the year, led the league in stolen bases in 2007 with 51, clubbed 33 homers in 2008 and led the NL with a .342 average in 2009, which helped him finish second in NL MVP voting.
Capable of the extraordinary in the field, it seemed Ramirez could do anything. Then came 2010. That May, he was benched by then-manager Fredi Gonzalez for a perceived lack of hustle. Management eventually stood by Ramirez, Gonzalez was replaced and Ramirez went on to finish the year batting .300 in a season limited to 142 games because of an elbow injury.
If 2010 was rocky, 2011 was a disaster. On June 20, he was bat- ting .200 with four homers. He finished at .243 with 10 homers, sidelined the final 52 games with a shoulder injury that required September surgery.
Still, the Marlins, appreciating Ramirez’s potential and popularity in the Miami area, chose to build with him rather than without him. Along with free agents Heath Bell and Mark Buerhle, they signed Reyes from the New York Mets with a $106 million commitment, hoping to inject offense at the top of the order and bring another top- tier glove to the infield. Originally, there was speculation Ramirez, 28, might be asked to move to center field, but with third-base prospect Matt Dominguez coming along slowly at the plate, there was a vacancy at the hot corner.
When manager Ozzie Guillen came on board, he said the first order of business was to get the most out of Ramirez. He guaranteed Ramirez would be smiling.
“I expect him to be 100% on board with this move when we play St. Louis (in the season opener),” Guillen said as spring training was set to open.
All indications are that is the case. A renewed commitment has been evident. Ramirez sought counsel and inspiration from countryman Jose Bautista this offseason. This spring, he has been spotted early in the morning in the weight room, working out under the direction of strength coach Joey Cora. And he most often is spotted smiling.
Ramirez told the Dominican paper El Dia: “I feel really happy (at third). If I had known that, I would have changed before.”
Guillen, a former shortstop, says he expects Ramirez to handle the transition smoothly.
“A-rod did it,” Guillen says of the New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez. “(The Texas Rangers’) Michael Young did it. I’m not saying Hanley is a better player than A-rod, but he’s a better athlete than those guys. . . . Make 30 errors at shortstop, and you might get released. Make 30 errors at third base and hit 30 home runs, and you could be MVP.”
Guillen isn’t planning to move Ramirez back if Reyes needs a day or two off.
“I’m not going to play with Hanley’s mind,” Guillen says. “If they made me change positions, I would be mad.”