Dodgers Release Statement On Manny Ramirez Suspension

STATEMENT FROM THE LOS ANGELES DODGERS


LOS ANGELES, CA – Los Angeles Dodgers CEO Jamie McCourt issued the following statement in reaction to today’s statements from Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Association, and Manny Ramirez.

“We share the disappointment felt by our fans, our players, and every member of our organization. We support the policies of Major League Baseball, and we will welcome Manny back upon his return.”

This statement will constitute the comment of the Los Angeles Dodgers organization until Joe Torre meets with the media at approximately 4:30 p.m. today at Dodger Stadium.

Prime Ticket will televise the Dodgers news conference live beginning at 4:30pm.

Manny Ramirez Issues Statement And Apology

The Major League Players Association recently released a statement regarding Manny Ramirez's 50-game suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs.

MLPA says that Ramirez will not appeal his suspenion.

Here's an excerpt from the news release.

"Manny has requested that the Players Association release the following statement on his behalf.”

“Recently I saw a physician for a personal health issue. He gave me a medication, not a steroid, which he thought was okay to give me. Unfortunately, the medication was banned under our drug policy. Under the policy that mistake is now my responsibility. I have been advised not to say anything more for now. I do want to say one other thing; I've taken and passed about 15 drug tests over the past five seasons.

“I want to apologize to Mr. McCourt, Mrs. McCourt, Mr. Torre, my teammates, the Dodger organization, and to the Dodger fans. LA is a special place to me and I know everybody is disappointed. So am I. I'm sorry about this whole situation.” – Manny Ramirez

“The Players Association stands behind Manny and will continue to support him in any way we
can.”

Be sure to check out Dodgers Live beginning at 6:30pm on Prime Ticket for the very latest on this story, including reaction from Dodgers executives, coaches and players.

DODGERS FANS PURCHASE 49,000 TICKETS ON FIRST DAY OF SINGLE GAME SALES

Amazing what the signing of Manny Ramirez can do for the first day of ticket sales, huh?

-Figure is 33% higher than the 37,000 last year-

LOS ANGELES – Fans of the Los Angeles Dodgers today purchased more than 49,000 tickets for the 2009 regular season, a 33% increase over the 37,000 they bought on the first day of single game sales last year.

The club, which brought back free agents Manny Ramirez, Casey Blake, and Rafael Furcal, and which added such stars as Orlando Hudson and Randy Wolf, held tickets at 2008 prices.

“We are seeing how eager families are to incorporate the Dodgers into their spring and summer plans,” said Chief Operating Officer Dennis Mannion. “We also saw such evidence today at Camelback Ranch – Glendale, where our third home game drew our biggest crowd, 11,896. Enthusiasm is high.”

Single game tickets for the regular season went on sale today via dodgers.com, via telephone (866-DODGERS), and at TicketMaster outlets and the Dodger Stadium box office.

DODGERS & MANNY RAMIREZ AGREE TO 2-YEAR, $45 MILLION DEAL

In case you didn't know, it's official!

Future Hall of Famer Makes Commitment to Community

CAMELBACK RANCH – GLENDALE – The Los Angeles Dodgers today signed 12-time All-Star outfielder Manny Ramirez to a two-year contract with a player option following the first season. In addition, Ramirez will make a $1 million commitment to the Dodgers Dream Foundation that will help fund Dodgers Dreamfields.

Ramirez is expected to meet with the media at a news conference tomorrow at approximately 10:30 a.m. (MT) at Camelback Ranch – Glendale, located at 10712 W. Camelback Road.

“We are thrilled that Manny wants to be a Dodger and that he has made such a tremendous commitment to the Los Angeles community,” said Dodger Owner Frank McCourt. “We witnessed something very special last year in the way that our fans connected with him and the manner in which the team came together. Now, we focus our complete and undivided attention on our primary goal – winning a World Championship.”

“Manny has shown that he has an ability to significantly alter our lineup,” said Colletti. “Our organization has maintained its commitment to our core of young, homegrown talent while also retaining such key veterans as Casey Blake, Rafael Furcal, and now Manny, all of whom helped us reach the National League Championship Series.

“Manny showed great leadership in the clubhouse and on the field last season and to say we’re very pleased that he’s back with the Dodgers is an understatement.”

Ramirez, who hit .396 (74-for-187) with 17 homers and 53 RBI in 53 regular-season games in a Dodger uniform, helped lead the team to a 2008 National League West Division Championship, a sweep of the Cubs in the Division Series, and its first National League Championship Series appearance since 1988. He became one of the most popular players in franchise history after he was acquired by the Dodgers July 31 along with cash considerations from the Boston Red Sox at last year’s trade deadline as part of a three-team deal with Pittsburgh.

Ramirez’s 21 homers as a Dodger from August 1 through the postseason were the most by any player on the team for the entire season, one more than Andre Ethier’s 20.

The right-handed hitter batted a combined .332 with 37 homers and 121 RBI in 153 games with the Red Sox and Dodgers in 2008. He ranked third in the Majors in batting average, tied for fourth in homers, and tied for sixth in RBI. He also ranked second in the Majors with a .602 slugging percentage, behind only Albert Pujols (.653), and fourth with a .430 on-base percentage.

In the 2008 postseason, Ramirez batted .520 (13-for-25) with four homers, 10 RBI, 11 walks, and a .667 on-base percentage in eight games as the Dodgers swept the Cubs in the National League Division Series before falling to the eventual World Champion Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Championship Series.

Ramirez ranks 17th on baseball’s all-time home run list with 527, and is one of only eight players in baseball history with at least 12 seasons with 30 or more homers (1995-96, 1998-2006, 2008). He is also one of just nine players in history to hit at least 20 home runs in 14 straight seasons.

Ramirez, 36, is a career .314 hitter in 2,103 games with Cleveland (1993-2000), Boston (2001-2008), and the Dodgers (2008). Among active players, he ranks sixth in hitting, third in doubles (507), fourth in home runs, and second in RBI (1,725) behind only Ken Griffey Jr.’s 1,772. Only Griffey Jr. (611), Alex Rodriguez (553), and Jim Thome (541) have more home runs among active players. Ramirez has won nine AL Silver Slugger Awards for outfielders during his 16 Major League seasons.

Ramirez ranks 20th on baseball’s all-time RBI list. He has logged at least 100 RBI in 12 seasons, including nine straight campaigns from 1998-2006. Since “RBI” became an official statistic in 1920, only eight players in history have recorded nine consecutive seasons of at least 100 RBI. Ramirez has 1,353 RBI since the start of the 1998 season, trailing only Alex Rodriguez (1,378) among all Major Leaguers in that time. Ramirez’s 418 home runs in that same span rank second behind only Rodriguez (489).

A veteran of 10 postseasons, including four World Series, Ramirez is baseball’s all-time post-season home run leader with 28, and he ranks second with 74 RBI, just six behind Bernie Williams. Ramirez won two World Series championships with Boston in 2004 and 2007, and was named the World Series Most Valuable Player in 2004. He also played in the 1995 and 1997 Fall Classics with Cleveland.

Among active players, Ramirez ranks fifth in on-base percentage (.411), and seventh in batting average. He also ranks eighth in baseball history, and second among active players behind only Albert Pujols (.624), with a .593 slugging percentage. His 2,392 hits rank ninth among active players, while his 507 doubles are third.

He was the AL batting champ in 2002 with a .349 average and the 2004 AL home run champ with 43.

Ramirez was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Washington Heights, NY, graduating from George Washington High School in 1991. He was originally selected by the Indians as the 13th overall pick of the 1993 First-Year Player Draft. He then signed with Boston as a free agent on December 13, 2000.

Manny Set To Meet With McCourt

Is it true? Is Manny Ramirez finally on the verge of signing with the Dodgers? Well, that certainly seems to be the case.

According to several sources, including the LA Times, Manny is set to meet with Dodgers owner Frank McCourt as early as Wednesday morning. It's about time!

I, for one, will be so glad when this saga is over. I don't really blame either side, because when it comes to negotiations, it's all business. Both sides want the best possible deal without giving up much to the other.

But regardless of how long the negotiations took, one thing was never in question: LA was the best and only place for Manny to play in 2009.

The Dodgers knew it, the fans knew it, and ultimately, Manny knew it.

"I'm happy in L.A. I like my teammates and had a great time. The fans were so good to me; they treated me the best anywhere in my career."

Diamondbacks Trade For Adam Dunn

It looks like the Diamondbacks aren't about to let the Dodgers steal the division my acquiring Manny Ramirez. Two of the biggest bats in Major League Baseball now reside in the NL West, and the most effective one may very well determine the division winner.

Arizona acquired Cincinnati Reds outfielder Adam Dunn, who is tied for the major league lead with 32 home runs, for three prospects.

The trade was first reported by KTAR Radio in Phoenix.

In exchange for Dunn, Cincinnati will receive minor league pitcher Dallas Burk and two other players to be named later.

Dunn is tied with the Phillies' Ryan Howard for the NL lead with his 32 homers. The White Sox's Carlos Quentin also has 32 home runs.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3529966

Dodgers Nab Manny Ramirez At Trade Deadline

Say what you will about Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, but his desire to win cannot be questioned. Since he has been holding the wallet, LA has shown a willingness to spend money-- even if some of the spending has been ill-advised (i.e. Jason Schmidt, Andruw Jones).

And now with the opportunity to acquire one of the top 5 hitters in the game-- even if it's only for a few months--the Dodgers pulled the trigger just before the deadline in hopes of not just making the playoffs, but being a serious contender once they get there.

Even with Ramirez set to be a free-agent in the off-season, the deal was still a no-brainer when you think about it. The Dodgers part ways with a struggling Andy LaRoche and a minor league pitcher, while the Red Sox will still pay the remainder of the contract for Ramirez this season.

So, enjoy it while you can, Dodger fans. Ramirez in Dodger Blue won't last long, but it could be one memorable ride.

DODGERS ACQUIRE 12-TIME ALL-STAR MANNY RAMIREZ FROM BOSTON RED SOX

Dodgers send infielder Andy LaRoche and right-handed pitcher Bryan Morris to the Red Sox;
Pittsburgh acquires LaRoche, Morris, outfielder Brandon Moss, and right-handed pitcher Craig Hansen from Boston in exchange for outfielder Jason Bay

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers today acquired 12-time All-Star Manny Ramirez and cash considerations from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for infielder Andy LaRoche and right-handed pitcher Bryan Morris. General Manager Ned Colletti made the announcement.

Following the trade, the Pittsburgh Pirates acquired LaRoche, Morris, outfielder Brandon Moss, and right-hander Craig Hansen from Boston in exchange for outfielder Jason Bay.

A 12-time American League All-Star, including each of the last 11 seasons, Ramirez has won nine AL Silver Slugger Awards during his 16 Major League seasons. The 36-year-old is a career .312 hitter with 493 doubles, 510 home runs, and 1,672 RBI in 2,050 games with Cleveland (1993-2000) and Boston (2001-2008). He was the AL batting champ in 2002 with a .349 average and the 2004 AL home run champ with 43.

Ramirez ranks 23rd on baseball’s all-time home run list, and is one of only 11 players in baseball history with at least 11 seasons with 30 or more homers (1995-96, 1998-2006). He has also hit at least 20 home runs in 14 straight seasons, including a career-high 45 in 1998 with Cleveland and 2005 with Boston.

Ramirez won two World Series championships with Boston in 2004 and 2007, and was named the World Series Most Valuable Player in 2004. The Dominican Republic native is a veteran of nine postseasons overall, including four World Series. He also played in the 1995 and 1997 Fall Classics with Cleveland. Ramirez is baseball’s all-time post-season home run leader with 24, and ranks second with 64 RBI.

Among active players, Ramirez ranks third in RBI, fifth in home runs, sixth in on-base percentage (.409), and seventh in batting average. He also ranks eighth in baseball history, and second among active players behind only Albert Pujols (.620), with a .590 slugging percentage. His 2,318 hits rank 10th among active players, while his 493 doubles are tied for fourth.

Ramirez ranks 23rd on baseball’s all-time RBI list with 1,672. He has logged at least 100 RBI in 11 seasons, including nine straight campaigns from 1998-2006. Since “RBI” became an official statistic in 1920, only eight players in history have recorded nine consecutive seasons of at least 100 RBI. Ramirez has 1,300 RBI since the start of the 1998 season, trailing only Alex Rodriguez (1,340) among all Major Leaguers in that time. Ramirez’s 401 home runs in that same span rank third, behind only Rodriguez (477) and Sammy Sosa (402).

Ramirez leaves Boston ranking fifth in franchise history with 274 home runs and a .411 on-base percentage. He also ranks fourth in Red Sox history with a .588 slugging percentage and sixth with 868 RBI.

Ramirez, who graduated from George Washington High School in Bronx, New York in 1991, hit .299 with 22 doubles, 20 homers, and 68 RBI in 100 games with the Red Sox in 2008. He hit career homer No. 500 on May 31 at Baltimore, accomplishing the feat in his 7,263rd at-bat, eighth fewest all-time. Ramirez was originally selected by the Indians as the 13th overall pick of the 1993 First-Year Player Draft. He then signed with Boston as a free agent on December 13, 2000.

The 24-year-old LaRoche, who was selected by the Dodgers in the 39th round of the 2003 draft, hit .217 with three homers and 16 RBI in 62 games with Los Angeles over the last two seasons. He is batting .294 with 95 homers and 331 RBI in 494 minor league games. LaRoche played 27 games with the Dodgers in 2008, batting .203 with two homers and six RBI. He is hitting a combined .284 with five homers and 27 RBI in 42 games this season with Las Vegas of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League and Jacksonville of the Double-A Southern League.

Morris, 21, was the second of two first-round picks (26th overall) of the Dodgers in the 2006 draft, and is 6-9 with a 4.16 ERA in 30 professional starts. After missing the entire 2007 season due to “Tommy John” ligament-replacement surgery, he is 2-4 with a 3.39 ERA in 16 starts this year with Great Lakes of the Single-A Midwest league.

The Los Angeles Dodgers, pioneers in sport and world culture, are celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2008. In that period, they have won more games, more pennants, and more World Series than any other club in the National League. Since the start of the modern era in baseball, the Dodgers of Brooklyn and Los Angeles, combined, have a cumulative attendance of more than 177 million, the highest total in the history of baseball or any other sport.

Visit the Dodgers on the Internet at http://www.dodgers.com/.