Miami Marlins’ shortstop Hanley Ramirez seems happy to play at third-base
The Miami Marlins’ former shortstop Hanley Ramirez is taking his new job at third-base relatively easy and showing no extra burden towards playing at a new position.
During this year’s Spring Training, he talked to several media people and explained all his concerns and good things about playing one position over another.
Ramirez said, “I never said I’m not going to do it, I’m just happy to be here, be back in the spring with my guys, my teammates, everybody’s happy. That’s what we need. We got to stay together through the year.”
He added putting some enthusiasm for the next Major League Baseball season, “We’re looking good. This is the best team I have been in six years with the Marlins. If we stay healthy the whole year it’s going to be a monster year, Jose leading off, (Emilio) Bonifacio and me (at the top of the line-up), what a combination! Nothing at all, just catches the ball and throws the ball.”
The Marlins, who took some drastic steps forward in this offseason, certainly did according to the plan on rotating several players’ positions.
Experts believe two main reasons are behind as to why Ramirez position was changed from shortstop to third-base. Firstly, in this offseason, the Marlins’ management signed shortstop Jose Reyes, starting pitchers Mark Buehrle, Carlos Zambrano and closer Heath Bell. To accommodate in the new environment, the Marlins did not make changes in these players’ position instead they changed their current players’ position. This helped them realise as to how this rotation will be going to help the Marlins on a broader sense.
While secondly, the Marlins’ management wants to establish some of their top level players to go all-round and whenever the team needs them, they should be ready for playing at any position.
In the meanwhile, the past track record of Ramirez suggests as he certainly has been playing his top game with the Marlins’ since arriving in 2006 from Boston Red Sox where he played only a single season.
His last season’s performance, experts also believe that he will be quite fascinating to watch at third base. Last year, he achieved a batting average of .243 along with 10 home-runs, 45 RBIs and .333 OBP.
Tags: