The Official Site of Hanley Ramirez

Mon, Aug 17th 2009, 15:38

Hanley Ramirez leads the NL in hitting

Hanley Ramirez can hit – he always has. But Ramirez is looking a lot flashier at shortstop this year, and it’s not just those strong teal accents that light up his glove.

After leading major league shortstops with 22 errors last year, Ramirez has been charged with just nine this season, putting him on pace to finish with 12.

His fielding percentage is .979, well above his career average of .966. Combine that with his league-leading batting average of .356, and it’s hard to find a better shorstop.

His play has helped keep the Marlins in both the NL East and wild-card races entering a three-game series starting Tuesday night in Houston.

Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who saw Ramirez in a three-game series this weekend at Land Shark Stadium, called him the best in the league at their position.

“He is head and shoulders above everybody,” Tulowitzki said. “He can do everything. He can run, hit for power, play defense. He has all the five tools. I were to start a team he’d be the guy I’d start it with.’‘

Ramirez, 25, was the National League rookie of the year in 2006 and an All-Star in ’08 and ’09, but those honors were largely because of his hitting. He made 26 errors in ’06 before making nominal improvement with 24 errors in ’07.

To emphasize his commitment to improving his defense, Ramirez last summer started wearing a new glove with teal stripes and accents. He arrived at spring training determined to make defense a priority.

“He has been on a mission to prove some people wrong about the last couple of years,’‘ said Marlins infield coach Andy Fox. “You hit the ball in his area, you’re out now. He’s attacking everything.”

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