Red Sox: Manny Ramirez is returning to baseball in Japan
At 44 years old, former Boston Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez has decided to return to baseball in Japan.
Just when you thought his engine had ran out of mileage, it has found a sudden burst of life. The Associated Press reports that former Boston Red Sox star outfielder Manny Ramirez will be bringing his talents to Japan.
Ramirez has agreed to terms with the Kochi Fighting Dogs of Japan’s independent Shikoku Island League.
After serving as a hitting consultant for the Chicago Cubs for the past two seasons, Ramirez is ready to continue his playing career.
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As surprising as this may seem, this isn’t Ramirez’s first rodeo playing across seas. In 2013, he hit .352 with 8 home runs and 43 RBI’s with the EDA Rhinos of the Chinese Professional Baseball in Taiwan.
Now, whenever you see someone at Ramirez’s age trying to make a comeback in sports, you never really see success no matter where they play. But what seems to be more surprising is how much talent he has at the ripe age of 44 years old.
For Red Sox Nation, everyone can remember Ramirez as one of the best hitters in all of baseball and a key reason for the 2004 and 2007 World Series championships.
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At the same time, he was a free spirit on and off the field. Who can forget when Ramirez had to use “the little boys room” when they were on the field, so the smartest decision was to sneak into the Green Monster to use the bathroom? Or when he made a great running catch, high fived a fan, then proceeded to double the runner on first base? For some people, it was annoying. But for others, it was comical and entertaining. As we all now, it was just another episode of “Manny being Manny.”
As much of a character as Ramirez was, people must never forget how much of a feared hitter he was in pitcher’s heads. In his 19 year career in the Major Leagues, Ramirez had a slash of .312/.411/.585 with 555 home runs and 1831 RBI’s. And while he made his presence known on the diamond, it seems he isn’t ready to hang up the cleats.
With his numbers seeming to be good enough to be accepted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, his multiple suspensions for violating the league’s banned substance policy may hold him back.
Although the four-team independent league based in Shikoku is the smallest and least populous of Japan’s four main islands, it is still a great story to keep an eye on throughout the 2017 season.
Next: Red Sox: Will Eduardo Rodriguez make Opening Day roster?
Ramirez, who hasn’t seen a pitch in the Major Leagues since 2011, seems ready for his next challenge as he tries to write his own comeback story.