- Slug: Sports-Ramos Brawl Call-up, 600 words
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By Michael Baribault
Cronkite News
PHOENIX – It ended with a bang. And started with one, too.
Career minor leaguer Henry Ramos was called up by the Arizona Diamondbacks Sunday following a brawl Friday that ignited as he rounded the bases in a minor league game with Triple-A affiliate Reno. He showed his gratefulness to the big league club with a pinch-hit single in the seventh inning against Seattle.
“Having seen the footage, the response and reaction is nothing that we condone,” Diamondbacks Manager Torey Lovullo said. “Henry (Ramos) is a very soft spoken but intense player and he felt like he had been targeted for a few days being hit the night before and the night of the incident.”
“When I hit my home run, I celebrated. The only way I know how to respond after getting hit is to hit a home run and that’s what I did,” Ramos said. “I did regret throwing my helmet because I work with a youth group in Florida and I don’t want to set that example or show them those actions.”
Ramos led all full-season minor leaguers in average (.371), ranked third in OPS (1.021), fifth in on-base percentage (.439) and ninth in slugging percentage (.582).
“It’s a very well deserved call up for him, he’s been having a terrific year offensively and has been grinding away at his career,” Lovullo said. “For me to get the opportunity to welcome him to the big leagues for the first time is a really special moment for me.”
Originally signed by the Boston Red Sox in 2010, Ramos bounced around organizations during his 11-year minor league career. Following his six years in the Red Sox organization, he would sign minor league contracts with the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants and Texas Rangers before signing with the Diamondbacks on May 19 of this year.
“It was a long road, I was just able to work hard, always having God present to be able to get here,” Ramos said.
After 916 minor league games and 3,252 minor league at bats, it was time to welcome Ramos to the show.
He made a pinch-hit appearance in the seventh inning of Sunday’s 10-4 loss to the Seattle Mariners, lining a single into center field for his first major league hit.
“That was a great moment for all of us in our entire dugout,” Lovullo said. “When you watch somebody run back to the dugout with a smile on their face having officially become a major league player and gotten their first big league hit is a very special moment.”
Ramos is equally excited about putting on a major league uniform and playing with the Diamondbacks.
“It’s the best baseball in the world,” Ramos said. “To be here with teammates like Ketel (Marte) and (David) Peralta, it’s a great feeling.”
With 23 games left on the schedule, Lovullo admitted that he will struggle to find consistent time for Ramos along with many of the other younger players on the full 40-man roster. However, he reiterated that Sunday is not the last Diamondbacks fans will see of the player.
“Henry’s (Ramos) not here to just be a pinch-hitter off the bench, he’s going to get some opportunities and some starts here and there,” Lovullo said. “Where they are I can’t tell you right now, but I’m excited to give everybody an opportunity and that includes Henry as well.”
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