Orlando Ramírez
| Orlando Ramírez | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Shortstop | ||||||||||||||||||
| Born: December 18, 1951 Cartagena, Colombia | ||||||||||||||||||
Batted: Right Threw: Right | ||||||||||||||||||
| MLB debut | ||||||||||||||||||
| July 6, 1974, for the California Angels | ||||||||||||||||||
| Last MLB appearance | ||||||||||||||||||
| May 16, 1979, for the California Angels | ||||||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics | ||||||||||||||||||
| Batting average | .189 | |||||||||||||||||
| Home runs | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| Runs batted in | 16 | |||||||||||||||||
| Teams | ||||||||||||||||||
Medals
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Orlando Ramírez Leal (born December 18, 1951), nicknamed as "El Ñato" (Snub Nose), is a Colombian former Major League Baseball shortstop who played for the California Angels between 1974 and 1979. He was the first recognized Colombian-born player in major league history, following Luis Castro, who played 42 games for the Philadelphia Athletics in the 1902 season.[1]
In his 143-game major league career, Ramírez batted .189 with 16 RBI, 24 runs, five doubles, one triple and 16 stolen bases. On the international stage, he led the Colombian national team at the Baseball World Cup and Pan American Games.
Professional career
[edit]Ramírez began his career with the Willard club from Barranquilla, Colombia in 1966 which was recognized as the top level of Colombian baseball.
Ramírez first played for the Shreveport Captains in the Texas League, the Double-A affiliate of the California Angels. He excelled and was transferred to the Idaho Falls Angels in the Pioneer Rookie League. From Idaho Falls, he was sent to the minors in 1973, playing for the Quad Cities Angels where he soon played Double-A again in 1974. A short time after playing Double-A, Ramírez was promoted to the majors.[2]
International career
[edit]At the age of 17, Ramírez made the Colombian national team and debuted in his first game in the 1969 Amateur World Series held in Santo Domingo. He batted third and played third base on the Colombian national team. In the 1970 and 1971 Amateur World Series, Ramírez played shortstop and led all players in stolen bases. He led the Colombian national team to a silver medal in the 1971 tournament, held in Havana.[2] He also won a bronze medal at the 1971 Pan American Games.[citation needed]
Colombian significance
[edit]Ramírez was inducted in the Colombian Baseball Hall of Fame in September 2009. He was the first Colombian to play in the Major Leagues. The Colombian Professional Baseball League Most Valuable Player award has been in his name since the winter of 2005-06.[2]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Players Born in Colombia - Baseball-Reference.com". www.baseball-reference.com. Retrieved June 2, 2008.
- ^ a b c Costello, Rory. "Orlando Ramirez". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
External links
[edit]- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- 1951 births
- Living people
- Sportspeople from Cartagena, Colombia
- Colombian expatriate baseball players in the United States
- Major League Baseball players from Colombia
- Major League Baseball shortstops
- California Angels players
- Charleston Charlies players
- Quad Cities Angels players
- Shreveport Captains players
- El Paso Diablos players
- Salt Lake City Gulls players
- Bakersfield Outlaws players
- Baseball players at the 1971 Pan American Games
- Pan American Games medalists in baseball
- Pan American Games bronze medalists for Colombia
- Medalists at the 1971 Pan American Games
- Idaho Falls Angels players
- Dorados de Chihuahua players
- Colombian expatriate baseball players in Mexico
- Indios de Cartagena players