Manny Ramirez has retired, Major League Baseball announced. MLB says it notified Ramirez of "an issue" under its drug program and that the longtime slugger decided to retire instead of continuing with the process.
Ramirez would have faced a 100-game suspension if he hadn't retired, because he tested positive for a banned substance, according to Bill Shaikin of the LA Times (on Twitter). The positive test occurred in Spring Training, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). It would have been Ramirez's second major drug-related suspension; he was suspended for 50 games after a positive drug test in 2009.
Five games into his one-year, $2MM contract with the Rays, Ramirez's brief tenure in Tampa is over. He went 1/17 with a single and an RBI, getting booed by his own fans in the process. The Rays did not anticipate this development.
"We are obviously surprised and disappointed by this news," the club said in a statement. "We will have no further comment on this matter."
Ramirez ends his 19-year big league career with 2574 hits, 1831 RBI, a .312 batting average, a .411 on-base percentage and a .585 slugging percentage. The 12-time All-Star ranks 14th all-time with 555 homers and 9th all-time with a .996 OPS. Ramirez played for the Indians, Red Sox, Dodgers, Rays and White Sox, winning nine Silver Sluggers, two Hank Aaron Awards and the 2004 World Series MVP. He earned over $200MM in his career, according to Baseball-Reference, but won't earn the bulk of his agreed upon 2011 salary.
Seriously? … wow.
Mannywood, then Manny wouldn’t. WWMD?
Manny tried… But failed!
Manny being Manny with an occasional injection..
Booooo.. I was really hoping he’d have an awesome year.
Lol why?
I commented before the story of him testing positive was added.
You must have Manny confused with the Orioles. Now there’s a feelgood story. Outside of the Sox and Yankees, they’re looking Ike the 3rd best team in the East by a mile!
Umm… right now the Red Sox are looking like the 8th best team in the East, right after the hot-dog vendors at the Rogers Centre…
Well that was very abrupt… and I checked that today’s not 4/1
You had to check?
I really don’t know how to read this guy. Is this for attention or is he genuinely done?
Edit: never mind, it’s because of the drug issue
The Rays website says he left for a family matter.
Manny’s pregnant! More female fertility drugs.
Johnny Damon’s the father.
Family matter ? Since when is “trying to beat a drug suspension” considered a “family matter” ?
HOF or no?
I vote no until another known steroid/PED user gets in. I am not against them from getting in, but it’s not fair to put some in and keep some out. And I”m talking about those who have the numbers for it- McGwire, Sosa, Bonds, Palmeiro, Manny, A-Rod, Bonds etc.
no HOF for him
mcgwire and palmeiro dont have even close the the quality of numbers than manny has
McGwire, no. But Palmeiro? Absolutely. 1 of 4 players with 500 HR and 3000 hits.
Career WAR
Palmeiro- 75.5
Manny- 71.9
not that the HOF voters know anything about anything, but you’re right
manny’s 152 wRC+ is 25th all-time. he has a .417 career wOBA. add that to the counting stats (2500 hits, 550 HRs) and he’s an easy vote
he absolutely gets an asterisk and i don’t have a problem excluding him if they also exclude every other confirmed user, but otherwise he’s a lock
career fielding total:
-155.7
awesome
“he absolutely gets an asterisk and i don’t have a problem excluding him if they also exclude every other confirmed user, but otherwise he’s a lock”
LOL!!! And if your aunt had a twig, she’d be your uncle…..
my aunt’s career OPS is 9th in baseball history
And what was your uncle’s?
Thats Lame!
I guess he didn’t wanna waste his time with a team that is 0-6? Wow, wasn’t expecting this, not this early in the season anyways…
No; he’d be set to miss 100 games if he stayed.
Wow. Shocked would be an understatement.
Manny being Manny.
Who had the over/under on the back of Joe Maddon’s T-shirt saying
“…Oooops, you don’t have to tell me anything”
its because all his female hormones
Busted.
hope no one drafted him in their fantasy leagues…
guilty
Another example of why Farrel’s managing the Jays and you’re not!
That was a pretty poor attempt at what ever you were trying to accomplish.
@ Lunchbox as well. This past winter there were all the rumblings about Manny signing with the Jays. They were projected to have an inside track because Farrell was the manager and familiar with Manny from their days in Boston. My take was that was the reason the Jays passed on Manny.That Lunchbox would choose Manny for his fantasy team and Farrel would pass struck me as funny.Didn’t think my ‘Lame’ joke would strike a nerve, or confuse.
wait… what? what’s your point?
Lunchbox took a flyer on manny who could post decent numbers in fantasy. fantasy doesn’t take into account salary, team chemistry (which i could care less for), direction of the team, fieling, etc. It is completely different from actully signing manny to a team you dolt.
Obviously you don’t understand english or maybe reading comprehension is beyond your skills. I explained the poor attempt at humor which seems to bother you more than anyone else, judging by your unnecessary response. I suggest you read it once more, since you didn’t get my point. If it still bothers you, you can place your thumb where the sun don’t shine and yell fire!
Strike a nerve? No.
Confuse? Yeah, a little.
It’s pretty obvious what he’s trying to accomplish. I can see why it went over tour head though being that you’re from Maine and probably have a 3rd grade education!
I don’t even need to say anything. I could never say anything that would make you look as bad as you’ve already done yourself.
No one here is surprised!
drafted him, traded him, laughing at the guy who took him in a trade.
what did you get back?
lower blood pressure
I traded manny and kimbrel (braves closer) for kevin youkilis (he better pick it up soon) and ian kinsler. how did you think I did?
Amazing. I love kimrel but still amazing trade.
phoenix anthopolous
I wish I had that stupid of people in my league.
Picked him up off the FA pool in one of my leagues. Can’t say I’ll have a hard time replacing him though.
Caught drugging again? Don’t let the door hit you on the way out… Cheater!
For all you know he could have been doing crack. I actually find that alarmingly likely.
Manny was waaaaaaaay too relaxed to be on crack.
He’s half the reason I bought tickets to see the Sox vs. Rays on Tuesday. Wanted to see him return, WTFFFFFFF. Lol, oh well.
What was the other half?
Going to one of the greatest ballparks around & seeing my favorite team.
sounds like that will still be enough for you to have a good time
Must be talking about the Sox and Fenway! Much better than that generic monstrosity in Toronto called the Rogers Center!
LOL!! Seriously? You try to insult a guy from Maine about his education and then you can’t even understand the difference between Rays and Jays . . . too funny! The guy said he was going to see the Sox and the RAYS so he could see Manny!
Not only that, but the original poster clearly said “on Tuesday”… This RedSoxDynasty doesn’t even know who his team is playing in the next series… Or if they’re at home or away…
The real question…Will he go into the HOF as a Ray?
LOL he did just as good as a ray, and a White Sox maybe both
or how about never going in.
No as a White Sox.
this is way, way worse for the rays than going 0-6
notsureifsrs
srs. one of the reasons for them not to worry too much about the slow start was knowing guys like manny would revert to the mean
manny now reverting to the couch instead
Manny was a 1.5 WAR player last year. Losing that isn’t way way worse than going 0-6.
that’s because he played half of a season and had to play in the outfield for a good part of it. this year he would have DHed exclusively
last year he hit .298/.409/.460 with a wOBA of .382. do you know how good that is?
adrian gonzalez does, because he hit .298/.393/.511 woBA.378 last year
I love it when you shine light on the truth. Last yearManny had a good year despite what he did or didn’t do in Chicago.
All the facts are out on Manny but all I have to say is “how stupid can you be”?
Canceled that trade offer I had out there.
What a blow. Even a crippled Manny is a force to be reckoned with. It must be drug related. I just believe he had more in the tank.
More PED’s in his tank!!!!
exclamation point
oneoneone?
exclamation point
Welp. Whatever slim ounce I had for the Rays is now gone. Is it 2012 yet?
you mean 2015?
Funny.
The few, the proud? The Rays fans? o.O
fan*
welp indeed
countdown to draft day
Manny is a gangster. Retired instead of complying with MLB.
Very RIcky Williams-esque
lolwut? That’s so out of left field. It will be interesting to see if he gets inducted to HOF.
Of course he won’t. Players who have been merely SUSPECTED of using steroids aren’t making it in. Manny was caught TWICE.
I think him retiring instead of accepting the suspension wll seal his fait on not being admitted to HOF
That is what happens when you get caught…again!
after seeing some of his spring training interviews I wouldn’t be surprised if the drug issue was weed. Seriously. he seemed really really out of it whenever I saw him on TV.
Yes, 100 game suspension for weed…
ha! is that what he got? well, then it’s definitely not weed!
to be clear, when I went to post this, the article didn’t have the 100 game thing in it.
I may be mistaken, but I don’t think it matters what caused the second offense. The 100 game penalty is automatic.
I don’t even think they test for Mary Gee Wana do they?
Pretty sure they only test for “abuse” drugs if they have reason to suspect use, not randomly like performance enhancing drugs. So I suppose if they had reason to suspect Manny was using they could have tested him for it. I wonder if we’ll ever find out what he tested positive for.
No. That is not correct. They test for both.
There is some discretion given to the authorities when the first failed drug test is caused by marijuana. The authorities can either suspend for 50 games and give him his first strike, or give him a warnings. once he gets popped again, be it for either a PED or a drug of abuse – there is no discretion adn the discipline is automatic.
ask Jeremy Jeffres.
Correct. The drug testing program started with Cocaine, Marijuana and other “recreational” drugs.
PED tests came later, and if the article is correct, at least one guy hasn’t figured out how to beat them.
Section 3.B of the MLB drug testing policy states “Except as set forth in Section 3.A or Section 5.B (as to Stimulants) or Section 3.C or Section 4.E, Players shall not be subject to testing for the use of any Drug of Abuse.” 3.A says that they will be tested within 5 days of reporting to spring training, 5.B says that they can be retested if they have been caught before, 3.C says that they can be tested if there is reasonable cause, and 4.E applies to players going through treatment for drugs. So like I said, they cannot be tested randomly, and can be tested if they have reason to believe that they are using. The one exception is at the beginning of ST when they are tested for any drug.
Thanks for clarifying about the tests. I thought there were periodic tests for recreational drugs (Drugs of Abuse) but that is not true.
No problem, you guys got me curious so I had to look it up and figured I might as well share.
That and the fact that u have all the time in the world seeing as how u probably live alone in the lame woods of Maine. Good for you!
You mad?
Ignorant or 12 is more like it.
Id assume if they did Lincecum would be suspended right about now.
MLB should start testing more on such drugs as cocaine, not so much so for weed.
If cocaine was tested more than it is now, I wouldn’t have to worry when my fantasy starters pitch against the Rangers.
As if Manny looking like he’s stoned is news.
marijuana is only a banned substance in the minor leagues, if i’m not mistaken.. Please refer to Tim Lincecum.
* Jumps up for high five
Manny being Manny.
Manny done being Manny?
Manny being Favre?
So long, Manny. Don’t let the door hit you in your syringe-pocked fanny on your way out.
I learned a long time ago, never trust ANYTHING that can be abbreviated “Man-Ram”
Again?? Guess he decided he couldn’t deal with it a second time and just retired… or the rays said “hell no, we’re not paying 2 mil for this…”
Nah nah nah nah, hey hey hey, goood byeeee!
Na Na Na Na….Na Na Na Na….Hey Hey Hey….GOODBYE!
haha Busted!!
Well well well , now wheres all the idiots that wanted this guy on their team as dh because he “still had something left in the tank” Well i guess you were technically right , if you replaced “tank” with “syringe”.
hi there
cheater flees in shame
wont be missed
Rangers dodged a bullet on this guy. Whew…
You almost had to expect Manny to leave the game in some odd or abrupt fashion.
I always figured he’d shave his head and lose all his powers like sampson
I really thought he was going to find his way back onto boston. Then, mid inning, go to take a piss behind the wall again and not comeback.
The one good thing about this is that Damon can move to DH and the Rays don’t have to worry about his little girl arm. Jennings could be called up sooner than expected, too.
lol the best was when damon fell and flinged the ball in to centerfield when Upton was standing right there.
the average age of the 2012 club is gonna be like 25
And who can ever forget Manny diving to cut off Damon’s throw when they were both playing sterling outfield for the Red Sox?
he should make the hall of fame for that play alone. seriously
I liked when he gave the fan the high 5 in the middle of a play..
I mean a lot of people laughed and mocked, but imagine how awesome that guy feels to get a high 5 from Manny before he threw the ball back to the infield.
My last good memory of the guy. It was pretty much all downhill from there off the field.
Pure awesome
Pure comedy…this just made my day.
oh man im just shoked, poor many i though this will be a nice and serious season for him…but i just dont know what happend
This is all a conspiracy to make sure we all dont notice that boston is actually winning a game.
don’t remind me. i’m mad that their first win came against the yankees, but i suppose it makes sense. with the rivalry and all, they wait to stick it to the yanks.
lol ya they were bound to win one at some point, tho it wont matter if yanks take the rest of the series.
just get colon to give hughes his velocity back
Yeah… but also Hughes before this game had a 4.97 ERA and a 1.421 WHIP vs Boston. And JoeG blowed the game open trying to be a “smart” manager once again. I hope Nove doesn’t get beaten up too much tomorrow, but it is unlikely, paired with the lifetime 4.09 ERA and 1+ h/9inn by Sabathia at Fenway, this looks like another swept by Boston of the “sucky” yanks rotation.
What in the world did you just attempt to convey there?
MikhelB is trying to convey the thought that being a Troll is a terrible affliction to overcome.
I think it was more that it was at home than it being against the yankees.
This has ruined my day!
goodbye any chance of HoF
At least we don’t have to see him or his stupid looking dread locks anymore.
He dreaded this day.
In the immortal words of Hawk Harrelson, You gotta be bleepin’ me!
HE GONE.
Once a cheater……..
always a Jeter! amiright?
Wow, this I did not expect. With all that money, and the 50-game suspension still fresh in his memory, Manny still couldn’t figure out how to not get caught?
Am I the only one that actually sees this as a good thing for the Rays? Sure Manny was decent, but I would rather Jennings start than Manny. And on top of that, Damon can DH now, so you don’t have to worry about his crappy defense. I figured Manny would have a terrible season anyways, judging by his 1-17 start. He just looked lost out there…
Good for the Rays. Get some exp under Jennings and see what he can do.
If that’s your rationale, the better option would’ve been Damon getting busted. Damon can’t field and he can barely hit at this point.
Its not just Hughes’ velocity, its also that his fastball is so flat, hitters have been sitting on it even on last year when he was lucky a lot of those well hit liners didn’t get to be homeruns.
The league as was expected, made the adjustment, as it did with Gardner who doesn’t like to swing to pitches down the middle (check him tomorrow, and count how many first pitch fastballs in the middle he takes).
So… do you think Hughes should ask Manny for any extra fertility pills he’s not going to need?
I disagree.Last year ppl knew what he was throwing andfor the most part,couldn’t hit it. Aside from his home #’s he kept the ballin the park. The fact that his fastball isn’t very fast and his cutter isn’t cutting is what’s causinghim to getsmacked around.
As for Gardner, he was TOO patient at the plate.BUT he has shown that if you’re throwing it down the middle with less than 95 + stuff that he can drive the ball.
So much for all the people that said that Manny would be the best bargain signing of the year, hit 20+ HR’s and 80+ RBI’s.
Manny was a great player in his time, but an embarrassment all the same.
Manny being Manny right???
Only a nitwit would have Manny on their fantasy team!
you’re pathetic
Baby want his Binky!
Red Sox should be stripped of their last 2 World Series titles. What else do you expect from the city of cheaters.
You’re right…….and maybe they should vacate all the championship titles that were won after performance enhancing drugs were created. I mean if you vacate Boston’s, it would only be fair…they didn’t even have effective testing previously, everyone could have been on the juice. This isn’t college football, no one is being stripped of any titles…
Nearly every WS club has had some amount of juicers on their rosters the past few years.
Jealous much!
The Yankees are the cheatingest cheaters to ever cheat in cheat-town. You shouldn’t throw stones.
Headline should of said Manny quits cause that’s what he did.
Na na na na, hey hey hey, you’re Busted!
Only an idiot would pick Manny For their Fantasy Team!
Love all the folks on this website who stated the Rays got good value for him when they signed him. Was that before or after he got cheating…um twice? Love to see the 08 playoffs between the Cubs and Dodgers played now…now that we know how much he cheated. He was a major force in that series….he and his drugs, that is.
Yes, because we know it was Manny’s PED’s that snuck into James Loney’s body in Game 1.
Ok. Forget about game 1. Tell me what Manny’s BA was for the entire series. Then, ask yourself how much he helped the Dodgers win that series, with all his inflated numbers, smart boy!
Testy…
But for good reason…it’s not like Barry, Mark, Manny, Rafael, or others couldn’t play the game. But when the natural decline in Manny’s swing came about…what does he do he cheats. And HOW DUMB does he have to be to his team to try to not get caught when MLB is on to him more than ever and facing the prospect of a 100 game suspension. Look, I said it on another post, whole games, seasons, playoffs and maybe World Series were altered by players like these. And what did MLB do–they looked the other way. So in retrospect this has way more to do than with the Cubs ’08 playoff run. But as a Cubs fan, knowing what many was when he wasn’t juiced, I’m furious.
One would have to be brain dead to pick Manny for their fantasy team!
lol keep trying… even disqus thinks your jokes are lame.
Can honestly say, from the bottom of my hart… HAHAHAHA. May you join Barry Bonds, Mark Mcquire and Rafael Palmero as 3 other scumbags who thought they were above the game. Of cours your attitude was worse, then you always thought you (maybe Bonds also) were above the game anyway.
In the immortal words of Alvin “Blackie” Dark.. Take a hike son.. Just take a hike..
Later manny, it’s been real. Not really, but hey… yeah.
I wonder if now we can stop the whole “one of the best hitters of our generation” since clearly this guy was a product of roids. I know roids dont help with pitch recognition. but they do help with strength, batspeed, and recoevry time. Who knows if he was clean his entire career if he would be nearly as good.
I mean come on why would you keep using banned substances if you have already been caught once. He is clearly going to be tested over and over again untill he would have retired, you would think his agent would have told him to stop
It’s a shame. So much talent, but it’s over-shadowed by poor decisions. We can only hope the next Manny Ramirez esque player gives it his all, on and off the field and isn’t so bone headed.
I still love you Manny, even through all the female hormones, which just accelerates my love for you.
the rays knew they were taking a gamble with manny and got him cheap. it’s too bad though, i would have liked to see him at least play against the red sox once as a ray.
great career for manny even though he took roids for most of it. he made his money now he can go chill and be manny like
To all those Manny fans, remember this: He was a cheat, and proved it-twice. Good riddance.
As a hardcore Red Sox & Baseball fan in general, after the way he whined & cheated his way out of Boston, like a child who can’t get what he wants, I say this is the best for Baseball.
If it had not been for MLB he would be working for min. wage at the local Wendys on the corner of 14th St. & 8th Ave.
He should not make the HOF & should never be allowed to buy a ticket to another MLB game again.
and $200 million.
I’m surprised this many people actually got the joke. I’m impressed!
I wish there were no mods, because there’s a lot of comebacks I could use..
I’ll have to settle for.
Oh ya, well.. the jerk store called, they’re running out of you!
Failing!
:S u seriously don’t know where I got it?
Nope!
U must be Mrs. Lunchbox! Lol!
It’s almost tragic how bad you are failing. Tragic fail?
What? That the joke is you!
ever heard of fail blog dot org? i’m betting it has heard of you
know when to quit, guy
atleast you pushed yourself to a point where you got yourself banned permanently. !
good work
What you talking about Willis?
Apparently the moderators are on vacation. Posts get deleted, and people get banned for a lot less than this crap.
nope we are here
If you dont like the site leave and go back to playing Webkinz! Lol!
I noticed when you deleted my response to him in another post. My question is why is his obvious targetting and harrassment of other commenters okay but people responding to it, since you guys obviously wont stop him, not okay?
sorry if something was missed, in the end bickering back and forth will go away. Guys this is a forum to talk baseball not fight behind a computer screen, please keep it to the point.
Thanks MaineSox, guys play nice. You know you will have your posts deleted and be banned for attacking others. Make your point and talk about baseball. Do not attack each other with a keyboard.
aaaand my comment got deleted. You guys have a seriously odd way of deciding which posts are acceptable and which ones aren’t.