Hard Road Back to Majors for Ramirez & Guerrero
Manny Ramirez and Vladimir Guerrero spent countless hours and days in the minors traveling on bus across the country with the goal of reaching the majors one more time.
Both players have failed.
Ramirez and Guerrero, who once terrorized pitchers in the big ballparks with the bright lights, have struggled to get back into the show.
The Athletics gave Ramirez a one-year deal in the spring, far from the multi-million deals that fattened up his bank account in the past.
The A's were waiting for Manny to be Manny, to call him up from Triple-A Sacramento and let his bat do the talking. All this after so many laughed at Oakland for giving Ramirez another shot and after MLB shortened his 100-game suspension for the use of performance enhancing drugs.
Commissioner Bud Selig cut the suspension in half after Ramirez retired, having played only five games with Tampa Bay last April.
He hit .302 and drove in 14 runs in 17 games in his comeback attempt.
Ramirez was not anywhere close to getting called up and asked to be released.
"The A's treated me amazingly during this time, but sadly didn't have space for me and this is something I can't control," Ramirez told ESPNdeportes.com on Friday after the A's let him go.
A career .312 hitter with 555 home runs and 1,831, it's odd that the A's didn't add him to the ball club.
Guerrero was picked up by Toronto in May. His contract stipulated that the Blue Jays to reach a decision last week. The Blue Jays wanted to see more out of the 37-year-old.
The 2004 American League MVP hit .358 with four home runs and 12 RBIs in 12 minor league games. Last Monday, he went 4-for-5 in a game for Triple-A Las Vegas. He asked them to release him after they were against calling him up.
Both men's careers have stalled out.
St. Louis' Carlos Beltran First to 300 Steals and 300 Homers
Playing against the team that drafted him as a teen out of Puerto Rico, St. Louis' Carlos Beltran became the first switch-hitter in baseball to have 300 stolen bases and 300 home runs.
Beltran stole second base during Friday night's game against the Kansas City Royals. It was his seventh swipe of the season and his 300th in 343 attempts.
Play was stopped and second base was pulled to celebrate.
Only eight players have reached the 300-300 club. Barry Bonds and his father, Bobby Bonds, Andre Dawson, Steve Finley and the "Say Hey Kid" Willie Mays. Alex Rodriguez and Reggie Sanders round up the group.
"I just have to thank God for the opportunity of being able to play this game for a long time. All the glory is for him," the 35-year-old outfielder said according to MLB.com.
Beltran leads the National League with 19 homers.
With Pops Cheering Him On, Ervin Santana Lights Out
Before Saturday’s one-hit shutout gem, Angels pitcher Ervin Santana had been anything but but picture perfect.
He had given up 23 runs in 20 1-3 innings spanning his last four starts. The long ball was his buddy as he served up six of them and he walked 15 batters.
With his parents watching the day before Father's Day, Santana treated his dad to an early gift although he lost his perfect game when Justin Upton singled in the seventh inning.
Santana said they've always been his backbone through the ups and downs, especially this year.
"Mom and Dad, nothing better than that," Santana said.
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