Manny ramirez retires why

Had Ramirez accepted his suspension, he would have become the first player to be suspended twice for a performance-enhancing drug violation since the program went into effect in The only previous player to be punished twice for any type of drug-related violation was infielder Neifi Perez , who served two suspensions in for positive amphetamine tests. In , sources told ESPN. After he was informed of this violation, he notified the commissioner's office that rather than appeal or serve another suspension, he was simply announcing his retirement.

Instead, MLB issued a release stating only that it had informed Ramirez of "an issue" under that program, and he had chosen to retire. If Ramirez seeks reinstatement in the future, the process under the Drug Program will be completed.

The year-old outfielder-designated hitter with career home runs left the Rays earlier this week to attend to what the team called a family matter.

It's a choice he has to make. Ramirez played in five games for the Rays, with one hit in 17 at-bats, and flied out as a pinch hitter Wednesday. He had a strong spring training, then was excused from the last exhibition game for personal reasons. All I know is he's a great teammate and a great player," Damon said, when asked specifically about the PED allegations. A schoolboy legend on the streets of New York, Ramirez was selected 13th overall by the Cleveland Indians in the amateur draft and rose quickly through the minor leagues, with a youthful exuberance and natural charisma that endeared him to just about everyone he met.

He broke into the majors in and played his first full season the following year, when he finished second to the Kansas City Royals ' Bob Hamlin in voting for rookie of the year. He went on to establish himself as one of the game's most feared hitters, adopting a dreadlock hairdo that seemed to mirror his happy-go-lucky demeanor -- both on the field and off.

Ramirez signed with the Red Sox as a free agent in December He helped the long-suffering franchise win the World Series and again in The Red Sox wearied of those issues, though -- Ramirez's erratic behavior, his enigmatic personality -- and traded him to the Dodgers in July Ramirez instantly became a fan favorite, with "Mannywood" signs popping up around town, as he led Los Angeles to the NL West title and a sweep of the Chicago Cubs in the first round of the playoffs.

All of that goodwill fizzled in May , when Ramirez tested positive for human chorionic gonadotropin, a banned female fertility drug often used to help mask steroid use. According to a report in The New York Times later that summer, Ramirez also tested positive for performance-enhancing substances during MLB's anonymous survey testing in He was unbelievable when it came to hitting.

Ramirez's positive test for a banned substance comes as baseball, which has been working hard to put its so-called "steroids era" in the past, has another of its great hitters, Barry Bonds, on trial in San Francisco. Bonds is facing federal charges that he lied to a grand jury in when he denied knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs.

It also left players and managers across the game with a mix of emotions: baffled that Ramirez would get caught again, angry that baseball is still dealing with the specter of steroid use, and disappointed that another of the game's great players has walked away.

Now he's got to live with them. The Rays, who were winless through their first six games, had hoped that Ramirez could add some pop to a lineup that lost several key pieces of last year's AL East championship team. After all, he'll finish as a. They don't play around. They let the players know how tough they're going to be," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said.

The year-old outfielder-designated hitter left the team earlier this week to attend to what the Rays called a family matter. Ramirez hit. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. All rights reserved About Us. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local.

Manny led a very successful and accomplished career, but left in the game in the absolute worst way. Will he end up in the Hall of Fame? I have a hard time believing that anymore. EE Sports World - Providing the best free sports analysis on the web. Kyle Drabek is Fantasy Worthy. Miguel Cabrera Player Profile.