The Official Site of Hanley Ramirez

Tue, Jun 1st 2010, 10:34

Hanley striving for all-around excellence

At his best, Hanley Ramirez is dynamic.
The Marlins’ two-time All-Star shortstop established himself as one of the top offensive players in the game because he can beat you in so many ways. He’s got terrific speed, and he is able to hit for power.

For much of this season, the all-around Ramirez game has not been present. Granted, he has shown it in flashes, but not consistently.

Sunday was an example of how Ramirez can use his entire game to lift the Marlins to a victory. The 26-year-old stole second base with two outs in the sixth inning, and he scored on Ronny Paulino’s slow roller into right field for the lone run in Florida’s 1-0 win over Philadelphia.

The stolen base was Ramirez’s sixth of the season, and third in the last five games.

A former 50-plus base stealer, Ramirez says he hopes to build on his stolen base total.

“I’m getting in better shape now,” Ramirez said. “My body is feeling better now.”

Since moving to the third spot in the lineup, Ramirez has bulked up the past two years to help improve his power numbers. Playing a physically taxing position like shortstop has added some wear and tear to his body. He’s dealt with some sore hamstrings for a while.

He noted that he has lost a little weight, and his legs are feeling better.

After winning the NL batting title with a .342 average in 2009, Ramirez has been battling to stay above the .300 mark this season. He admits that he is not always showing the necessary plate discipline.

“You just have to look for a pitch to hit,” Ramirez said. “I think lately I’ve been chasing a lot. I’ve been trying to look for a good pitch and put a good swing. Everybody can see when I’m chasing too much, they’re going to keep trying to do the same thing.”

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