Manny's going Down Under. The Sydney Blue Sox of the Australian Baseball League (ABL) officially presented Manny Ramirez during a press event held at the Sydney Tower Eye.
The native of the Dominican Republic and 12-time Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star is the club's biggest player acquisition for the 2020-21 season. His presence Down Under has been generating a media buzz.
But Ramirez says he is not playing for the glory but to help grow the game with the next generation of players.
"I am here to pass my knowledge on to these young players so they can develop," Ramírez said during a press conference. "All that experience, why not pass it on to the young people?"
The Blue Sox launched their own Manny Ramirez brand for the occasion.
The club also announced that Ramirez will participate in the ABL Home Run Derby.
Ramirez, now 48, had a stellar MLB career. He made his debut in 1993, and last appeared in an MLB game in 2011. He collected 2,574 hits, 555 home runs and 1,831 runs batted over 19 seasons played for the Cleveland Indians, the Boston Red Sox, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Chicago White Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays. His career batting average is .312.
He helped the Red Sox win the 2004 and 2007 World Series. He was named the 2004 World Series MVP.
After his MLB retirement, Ramirez also appeared in the Chinese Professional Baseball League, making a splash and generating headlines in the CPBL.
The ABL and CPBL are both Associate Members of the WBSC.
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