The Official Site of Hanley Ramirez

Mon, Jun 29th 2009, 16:28

Hot-hitting Hanley Ramirez steps up in the clutch

When Hanley Ramirez came to bat with runners in scoring position last season, there wasn’t a player hitting better than .300 that had less success than him. Ramirez was putrid when the pressure was on, hitting just .239 (26 for 109) when the Marlins needed a big hit.

Now, there isn’t a hitter in baseball having more success than the 25-year-old shortstop when teammates are standing on second or third. Entering Monday night’s series opener against the Nationals, Ramirez was hitting .433 with runners in scoring position (29 for 67). He has 39 of his 51 RBI in those spots.

Ramirez’s new knack for delivering clutch hits is part of the reason why he earned National League Co-Player of the Week honors Monday. Last week, he belted two grand slams and drove in 15 runs in six games against the Orioles and the Rays. He led the majors with 24 RBI and the NL with 25 hits in interleague play.

Not bad for a young hitter who spent the majority of his career hitting leadoff until this season, when the Marlins moved him to the cleanup role and then to the No. 3 spot.

First baseman Jorge Cantu said he has seen growth and maturity from Ramirez this season.

‘‘His approach at the plate is a lot better hitting in that spot,’‘ Cantu said. ``Last year, he got into a little bit of trouble when he was hitting in that spot. Experience is all it is. Every day is a learning experience. He’s learned how to work the count in those situations with runners in scoring position. It’s all about looking at more pitches when you have that runner over there.’‘

Ramirez credits Hall of Famer Tony Perez, who usually watches the Marlins during batting practice at home, for some of the changes.

‘‘We always talk,’‘ Ramirez said. ``He’s helped me understand game situations better, what you have to do when you have runners on base. I’d tell you, but I can’t give away all the tricks.’‘

Continue reading….