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Recently, Hanley Ramirez of the Boston Red Sox was asked about whether or not he would want to move to being an infielder. He was emphatic that he wanted to stay in the outfield. For some reason, a lot of people had a really hard time with this. However, I think that Hanley is showing that he really wants to be a team player and that he has matured.
It is no secret that Ramirez has really struggled in the outfield. As a matter of fact, it is safe to say that his defense has been absolutely horrendous. However, it does seem that he is getting a little more confident out there and has made some catches that he might not have made at the beginning of the year. Another positive about Ramirez is that he has been playing through injuries. He had a reputation for taking his time coming back from injuries. So far, we haven’t seen any of that.
I am not sure why people have such a problem with Ramirez wanting to just be an outfielder. This is the position that he needs to play if he wants to be a regular on this team and this is the position that was agreed upon. It seems as though left field is a challenge for him, but he is up for the challenge and wants to make the position his own.
I feel that in time, Ramirez is going to be an adequate left fielder. I know Red Sox Nation is frustrated, but Ramirez shouldn’t be raked over the coals for what he said. Remember the Green Monster is your friend, Hanley.
Carter Roane is a Boston Red Sox writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter@CarterGRoane, “Like”him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
