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Sports

Ramirez released from jail on battery charge

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

Fort Lauderdale, FL – Former major league star Manny Ramirez was released from Broward County jail Tuesday after being charged with domestic battery for allegedly striking his wife with an open hand.

The retired slugger took several minutes to walk from the doors of the building to a waiting SUV, but said "no comment" several times to English speaking reporters while also speaking to at least one reporter in Spanish.

In a video posted on the website of Miami's NBC affiliate, Ramirez gets into a white SUV driven by a woman who says, "That's my brother and we love him very much. ... He's an amazing guy."

Near the end of the video, Ramirez pulls a microphone out of the hands of one reporter and throws it. Ramirez, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, then yanks the microphone away from another reporter.

"You're going to get in trouble for doing that to us now, Manny," one reporter says. "You can't do that."

Ramirez, 39, decided to retire from the Tampa Bay Rays in April rather than face a 100-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball's drug program for a second time.

He was arrested Monday night after his wife, Juliana, called 911 saying her her husband had struck her in the face.

According to the police report, Ramirez's wife told the arresting officer that the couple was "involved in a dispute that escalated." Juliana Ramirez said her husband struck her in the left side of her face with an open hand, causing her to hit her head against the headboard of their bed.

Fearing that the situation might escalate, she called police and was observed by an officer to have swelling on the left side of her face and a small contusion on the back of her head, according to the report. She refused medical attention.

The former player told police that he had grabbed his wife by the shoulders and shrugged her, causing her to hit her head on the headboard. He was booked and held in the main jail until Tuesday

Ramirez batted .312 with 555 homers, a .411 on-base percentage and 1,831 RBI over 19 seasons, mostly with Cleveland and Boston. He also played for the Dodgers, White Sox and Rays.

The 12-time All-Star was MVP of the 2004 World Series, when he helped the Red Sox sweep the Cardinals. He also won a title with Boston in 2007.