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When No One Was looking The Atlanta Braves Quietly Found A Setup Man

By Fred Owens

Sep 6, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Jose Ramirez (40) throws to the Washington Nationals during the ninth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 6, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Jose Ramirez (40) throws to the Washington Nationals during the ninth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /
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Moving Up

Ramirez remained a starter as he split 2013 between AA and AAA throwing 73 2/3 innings with a 3.67 ERA striking out 78 along the way. His appearances were limited due to an oblique injury that year. Following that season BA sounded undecided about Ramirez, they moved him up to #13 on the Yankee but suggested he was progressing slowly and might not be a starter.

"“. . . A rail-thin righty, he brings an explosive fastball in the mid- to upper 90s and . . .a tumbling changeup that often gets mistaken for a splitter. The change easily rates as a 60 pitch . . .(his) slider has its moments, but . . .his command and his breaking ball remain inconsistent, and most scouts project him as a reliever. He also remains slight of build and injury prone. . ."

The Yankees agreed with the scouts and moved him to bullpen in 2014 when he split time between AAA and the majors with mixed results.

More from Tomahawk Take

AAA time

At AAA he made nine appearances throwing 12 1/3 innings with a 1.46 ERA and 16 strikeouts and even though he posted a 1.865 WHIP – pumped up by 10 walks – the Yankees needed bullpen help and called him up.

After arriving in New York made just eight appearances due to a lat injury throwing 10 innings with a 5.40 ERA striking out 10, walking seven and giving up two home runs.  That led to BA dropping him to #26 in a think Yankee system, continued to call him “slight” and hinted that he was injury prone while still liking his stuff.

". . .(Ramirez is) a tease, with a dynamite fastball/ changeup combination and developing slider. . .(whose) fastball still checks in at the mid to upper 90s with good life, and his changeup still features plenty of late fade. . .”"

Next: Call the moving man.. call him again

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