Washington Nationals’ Wilson Ramos returns to Venezuela two weeks following kidnapping – MLB Update
Catcher for the Washington Nationals, Wilson Ramos, did not let his kidnapping affect his passion for the sport of baseball and returned to Venezuela in order to make his debut with the Aragua Tigers in the Venezuelan winter league on Tuesday, November 22,
2011.
Ramos was kidnapped nearly two weeks ago in Valencia, Venezuela in front of his house by armed criminals who held him for 51 hours before Venezuelan commandoes, consisting of more than 30 individuals, made a heroic attempt at rescuing the Major League Baseball
(MLB) player, which was successful.
The Nationals general manager, Davey Johnson, had also spoken about how Ramos would be participating in the foreign league on Tuesday, but for some, the news was still doubtful.
"Wilson started working out the last couple days with the club," the Nats' GM informed reporters, "And if all goes well, he'll play his first game on Tuesday.
After being released, Ramos had made an emotional speech for the fans that had supported him during the hectic time he faced under illegal custody along with vowing to return and play, a promise he has now fulfilled.
"I just want to say thanks Nats fans for your prayers and your support," Ramos said last week, "I'm happy to be here, happy to be with my family and see you in Spring Training."
Along with playing, the Nationals GM also had it noted that he also told Ramos to work on his swing during this winter if he decided to play in Venezuela, after the 2011 season had ended.
"I talked to him a little bit about his swing", Johnson said, "I thought he [has] just a little tendency to sometimes be a little too much upper cut. But he's worked on it a little bit here and I like his progress.”
So far, Ramos has 435 plate appearances with the Nationals and finished his first full MLB season with a .267/.334/.445 line and 22 doubles.
Ramos, a player who has already faced enough traumas, just hopes that this time during the MLB offseason, will be spent in a good way for the fans that supported him throughout and still have him in their hearts.
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