Wednesday, July 25, 2012
DODGERS ACQUIRE ALL-STAR INFIELDER HANLEY RAMIREZ FROM MARLINS
Left-handed reliever Randy Choate also comes over from Miami in the four-player deal.
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers today acquired three-time All-Star infielder Hanley Ramirez and left-handed reliever Randy Choate from the Miami Marlins in exchange for right-handed pitcher Nathan Eovaldi and Single-A Rancho Cucamonga right-hander Scott McGough. Dodger General Manager Ned Colletti made the announcement.
“The addition of a hitter the caliber of Hanley Ramirez improves our lineup from top to bottom, inserting a proven run producer to go along with Matt and Andre,” said Dodger General Manager Ned Colletti. “We’re excited for Hanley to begin a new chapter in Los Angeles.”
Ramirez owns a .300 career batting average with 148 home runs and 482 RBI in 945 games over eight Major League seasons with the Red Sox (2005) and Marlins (2006-12). The 28-year-old started three consecutive All-Star Games at shortstop for the National League from 2008-10 and took home back-to-back Louisville Silver Slugger Awards at the position in 2008 and 2009, when he won the NL’s batting title with a .342 average.
Since his first full season in 2006, Ramirez leads the NL with 666 runs scored and ranks among the league leaders in batting average (.300, 9th), hits (1,103, 2nd), doubles (232, 3rd), home runs (148, 16th), on-base percentage (.374, 15th) and slugging percentage (.499, 20th).
The 6-foot-3, 225-pounder was named the National League Rookie of the Year in 2006 with Florida and has finished in the Top 10 of the NL’s MVP voting twice in his career, including a second place finish in 2009. In 18 career games at Dodger Stadium, Ramirez is batting .388 (26-for-67) with three home runs and a .467 on-base percentage.
After playing exclusively at shortstop through the first seven seasons of his career, Ramirez transitioned to third base this season and was hitting .246 with 14 home runs and 48 RBI through 93 games with Miami. Ramirez was originally signed by Boston as a non-drafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2000 before being traded to the Marlins as a part of six-player deal in November of 2005 that netted Boston Josh Beckett.
Choate has a 2.49 ERA in 44 relief appearances with the Marlins in his 12th Major League season. The 36-year-old has limited opposing hitters to a .178 batting average this season, including a .150 mark by left-handed hitters. Choate has allowed just three extra-base hits while striking out 27 in 25.1 innings this season.
“Randy Choate is a veteran pitcher that provides depth to our bullpen and gives Don Mattingly another left-handed relief option,” said Colletti.
Over the course of his career, the Texas native has limited opponents to a .232 average, including a .203 mark against lefties, and posted a 4.01 ERA with the Yankees (2000-03), Diamondbacks (2004-07), Rays (2009-10) and Marlins (2011-12). Choate won a World Series ring as a member of the 2000 Yankees and has a 2.84 ERA in seven career postseason appearances. He was originally selected by New York in the fifth round of the 1997 First-Year Player Draft out of Florida State University.
Eovaldi, 22, was 2-8 with a 3.96 ERA in two Major League seasons, including a 1-6 mark with a 4.15 ERA in 10 starts with the Dodgers this season. McGough, 22, was the club’s fifth-round selection from the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Oregon and was 3-5 with a 3.99 ERA and five saves in 35 relief appearances for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga in his second professional season.
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