Player Profile: Alexei Ramirez

     While I’m waiting for a little more input from you fans on what you think Ozzie Guillen’s prospective batting order should be, it’s time again to move around the diamond and get to know another starter for your 2010 season.  We all remember the hype that came along with his arrival and we all know of the disappointment he brought us in 2009.  Well, it’s a new season and there are some recent reports from SoxFest 2010 that should, not only put his mind at ease, but give us hope that the ship has been righted and we’re instore for a big year.  I present to you the starting shortstop for your Chicago White Sox…Alexei Ramirez!

Alexei Ramirez, SS

The Basics

How He Got Here

     As a member of the Cuban National Team for seven years, Ramirez enjoyed tremendous success as a ballplayer.  He was the starting shortstop for the Cuban team that won the gold medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics and was the starting centerfielder for the team that finished second overall (lost to Japan in the finals) in the 2006 World Baseball Classic.  But playing for his homeland wasn’t enough and in September of 2007, Ramirez left Cuba and applied for citizenship in the Dominican Republic while simultaeuously informing MLB that he was ready to make the move.  He set up numerous auditions for major league clubs and after witnessign the talent and evaluating the potential, the Chicago White Sox quickly signed him as a free agent to a 4 year deal worht $4.5M that include a $500K signing bonus.  Ramirez has been the starting shortstop for the team for the last 2 seasons. 

Career Statistics and Milestones

The Player

     Similarly to Gordon Beckham, the sample size for MLB experience is a little thin.  Scouts were able to get a little more of a feel for him as a big leaguer with his time spent in the Olympics and the WBC, but we all know the secrecy that Cuba has with its players, especially with increasing number of defections over the last few years.  In fact, there’s still some speculation, as with most of the Latin American imports, as to the actual birthdate of Ramirez.  It’s listed as September 22, but rumors also have April 25th as a possible date making him about 5 months older.  But from what we do know about his times spent with the Cuban National Team, Ramirez, over 6 seasons, hit .332 with a .503 slugging percentage over 2,115 at-bats. He wasn’t much for hitting homers, with 67 on his career and one every 31 at-bats or so, but he did hit 20 of those during the 2007 season (with a .335 batting average and .574 SLG), showcasing more power as he entered his peak; those 20 homers were also good for the league lead. He also picked up plenty of extra-base hits overall, as evidenced by the .171 ISO (PECOTA’s Isolated Power Stat) and 140 doubles and triples combined that he amassed in six seasons. One thing he needed work on was his baserunning, as he swiped 38 bags but was nabbed 29 times for a career 57 percent success rate.

     But that was plenty for the White Sox to hear, and in December of 2007, signed him to a  multi-year deal.  Ramirez came out of Spring Training in 2008 and was listed as a back-up infielder, playing behind Juan Uribe (2B) and Orlando Cabrera (SS) and mixing in with Chris Getz and Pablo Ozuna on the bench.  But in late April, Ramirez started to get some playing time and by mid-May, he played his way into the starting second baseman’s job where he stayed for the rest of the season.  And what a season it was as the rookie hit .290 for the year with 21 HR, 77 RBI and 13 SB.  In the process, Ramirez also tied the MLB record for most grand slams in a season by a rookie when he hit his 4th in late September against the Tigers.  He definitely met everyone’s expectations for power and even with speed as he was caught stealing 9 times giving him a 59.1% success rate — all right on par given his history.

     But 2009 took a different turn.  During the spring, it was announced that Ramirez would be shifting over to shortstop (his natural position) to make room for Getz to take over at second.  But with all of the Beckham hype, rumors persisted that Ramirez would be shifted into centerfield to make room while also taking over a position that had been a troubling spot for the Sox for some time.  So between that, plus the increased expectations, Ramirez spent most of the year concentrating on his defense rather than his hitting.  The results were disastrous.  With his head all twisted up, Ramirez not only committed 20 errors in the field, but his hitting experienced a major dropoff as he hit only .277 with 15 HR and 68 RBI.  Oddly enough, the only thing he improved on was his stolen base percentage as he swiped 14 bases and was only caught 5 times, resulting in a 73.7% success rate.

     So what are we to expect from Ramirez in 2010?  Well, he’s staying over at shortstop as Ozzie Guillen firmly declared during SoxFest 2010 that he was the better defensive shortstop between he and Beckham, and will likely stay near the bottom end of the lineup which should keep the pressure off.  Personally, I like him batting in the two hole, where he hit .281 with 9 HR last year, but they might like the lefty Mark Teahen in there ahead of Carlos Quentin and Paul Konerko, both righties.  However, with this newly balance White Sox lineup, I don’t see too much of an issue with hitting Ramirez lower in the order.  He should still get some decent RBI opportunities and if he can improve that .333 OBP from last year, then he’ll be setting the table for the top end of the order as the games progress.  I definitely see improvement on the horizon.

*These projections are based on Ramirez hitting in the bottom third of the lineup.  If Ozzie wises up and hits him second, then I’m going with .280-78-20-67-15.

Tags: Alexei Ramirez, Carlos Quentin, Chicago White Sox, Chris Getz, Cuban National Baseball Team, Gordon Beckham, Juan Uribe, Mark Teahen, MLB, Orlando Cabrera, Ozzie Guillen, Pablo Ozuna, Paul Konerko, PECOTA, White Sox