12/21/24
April 08, 2011
Manny Ramirez Retires from Baseball: Manny Ramirez has retired from baseball after being notified of an issue involving the league's drug policy. "Rather than continue with the process under the program, Ramirez has informed MLB that he is retiring as an active player," the league announced.
Poor Rays. On the Red Sox broadcast they said Ramirez failed a test a week ago during spring training.
posted by rcade at 04:48 PM on April 08, 2011
He would have faced a 100 game suspension for failing a drug test for a banned substance. Not really surprised he chose to retire.
posted by insomnyuk at 04:49 PM on April 08, 2011
At this point in his career the Rays were taking a huge gamble. I guess they figured the upside vs. salary was larger than with any other player. But this doesn't surprise me at all.
posted by justgary at 05:34 PM on April 08, 2011
That's as inauspicious as it can get for a guy who was the best right-handed hitter I can remember watching. At least, I can't think of anyone I would say was flat out better... Frank Thomas might be slightly better.
On edit, no Frank Thomas was not slightly better. It's amazingly almost perfectly even.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 05:37 PM on April 08, 2011
One more thing going wrong for the Rays early on. Can't be too surprised, though. The guy always finds a way to mess up. Regardless, from a hitting perspective, he will go down as one of the best right-handed hitters ever.
posted by dyams at 05:54 PM on April 08, 2011
Ahhhh, that itching in the back of my skull was the name Albert Pujols. He's the best ever.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 06:04 PM on April 08, 2011
What a terrible way to end a stellar career. I kinda hope that this was just a case of a guy trying to hang on to a career, rather than the whole effing thing being a tainted mess, but really it's impossible to know.
posted by dfleming at 06:07 PM on April 08, 2011
Sucks.
posted by yerfatma at 06:16 PM on April 08, 2011
What a great shame! After Manny's last season in Boston, I lost all fondness for him as a person, but still had great respect for his abilities on the field. Now the succession of failed drug tests has cast some doubt on those. I cannot deny that he is one of the best right-handed hitters to have played the game. The drug hasn't yet been invented that could produce a swing like his, nor is hand-eye coordination improved by steroids or HGH. Still, there are rules, and they are there for a reason, so Manny has been caught yet again. Too bad he had to let it end this way.
posted by Howard_T at 03:24 PM on April 09, 2011
Yeesh. Let the hate-on begin.