Mario Ramos
| IP | 13 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 6.231 |
| WHIP | 1.846 |
| BB/9 | 9 |
| SO/9 | 5.538 |
- Full name Mario Martin Ramos
- Born 10/19/1977 in Aurora, IL
- Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 180 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Rice
- Debut 06/19/2003
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Drafted in the 6th round (183rd overall) by the Oakland Athletics in 1999.
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LHP Mario Ramos, who pitched for Team USA last year, has his supporters. He has been the leader of Rice's pitching staff all season. He's an undersized pitcher and isn't overpowering, making up for it with an advanced understanding of pitching. His velocity tops out at 89 mph, and he's adept at moving balls in and out on hitters.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Ramos was the A's top pitching prospect when they included him in the January 2002 Carlos Pena trade with the Rangers. But after going 30-9, 2.88 in the Oakland system, he was shellacked to the tune of a 12-19, 5.74 with Texas, including a brief stint in the majors last June. When the Rangers tried to remove Ramos from their 40-man roster this offseason, the A's reclaimed him on the waivers. They're hoping to resurrect his career by reuniting him with the pitching coaches who helped him rise. His changeup is his best pitch, but he foolishly tried to overpower hitters following the trade and never has regained his confidence. His fastball sits at 85-88 mph, so he must survive by varying speeds and throwing strikes. He also mixes in a curveball. The most likely scenario is that Ramos will begin 2004 in Triple-A, where he has struggled mightily the previous two years after pitching well there in 2001. -
Few minor leaguers were as scrutinized as Ramos last season. He was the key player the Rangers acquired from the Athletics in the Carlos Pena trade, and Grady Fuson staked his personal reputation on the deal, but his 2002 season was a disaster. Luckily for Fuson, he has plenty of success stories to mitigate Ramos' failings, and there also is some hope to go with Ramos' disastrous numbers. He must pitch off his changeup to succeed, but the he got away from that in trying to justify the trade. Ramos succeeded in the past when he varied speeds off his 85-88 mph fastball and changeup and threw strikes with his curveball. However, he began last season trying to pound righthanders inside with his mediocre fastball and got destroyed in Triple-A. He posted an 8.20 ERA as a starter and didn't regain his confidence until a move to the bullpen late in the year. Ramos was protected on the 40-man roster, evidence the Rangers think he can regain his confidence and his ability to pitch, whether as a starter or back in the bullpen. -
Ramos was the key to the Carlos Pena trade for the Rangers, who lacked a major league-ready pitching prospect with his upside. The Athletics considered him the cream of their minor league crop and compared his ability to learn and make adjustments to Mark Mulder and Barry Zito, two other college lefties who zoomed through their system. After Ramos' first year as a pro, the A's told him to develop a breaking ball to compete at higher levels. So he went to work and came up with a plus curveball that some consider his best pitch. More than anything, he knows how to pitch. He lives by changing speeds off his 88 mph fastball, and both his changeup and command are outstanding. Doubters wonder whether a pitcher who doesn't break 90 can quickly become a force in the major leagues, though Ramos has a knack for putting the ball by hitters. His only real flaw is a tendency to pound righthanders inside. Ramos will compete with Rob Bell, Hideki Irabu and Aaron Myette for the fifth spot in the Texas rotation this spring. If he doesn't win out, he still figures to surface with the Rangers at some point in 2002. -
Ramos may not intimidate folks with his size, but the slender lefty continues to succeed. He led Rice to the 1999 College World Series by going 12-2, 2.51, then signed late and didn't make his pro debut until 2000. He dominated the California League and fared even better when he was bumped up to Double-A for four late-season starts. Ramos is intelligent and knows how to pitch. He understands how to evaluate hitters and pitch to their weaknesses. He lives by changing speeds off his 88 mph fastball, and his changeup makes it seem faster. He throws strikes and keeps the ball in the park by pitching down in the strike zone. His changeup is his lone plus pitch. Ramos has yet to develop a legitimate breaking ball, though he has worked hard to add a curveball. He will need the curve if he's going to continue to survive his lack of velocity. Midland will provide a stern test for Ramos, who will face Double-A hitters in an unforgiving home ballpark. If all goes well, he might be ready for the major leagues in 2002.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Ramos continues to overcome the doubts brought on by his height (generously listed at 5-foot-11) and slender build. After spending the first half of the season in Double-A, he stabilized the RiverCats rotation. He carried no-hitters into the eighth inning of four different games this year. Determined and intelligent, Ramos is the classic crafty lefthander. His fastball peaks at 87-88 mph, but he changes speeds and spots the ball well to keep hitters off balance. His preparation between starts quickly got noticed. "He knows what kind of pitcher he is," Geren said. "He seems to be deceptive. Hitters can't pick the ball up. He gets a lot more swings and misses from the velocity he has than guys who throw much harder." -
The stealth pitching star of the Oakland organization continued his quiet campaign for a major league starting spot, picking up 16 wins, equally split between Double-A and Triple-A, to run his professional record to 30-9. Ramos, who led Rice to the 1999 College World Series, does it on brains, not brawn. His fastball rarely touches 90 mph but he has the best control in the system. His changeup is his best pitch, and his curveball improved this year. Ramos combines finesse and an enlightened pitching approach to maximize his ability to pick apart opposing hitters. "He just goes about his business of getting batters out," Midland pitching coach Curt Young said. "There's no wasted pitches, no wasted motion. He knows what he wants to do with each batter and he gets it done."
