Mario Ramírez Torres was a Puerto Rican

shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists who ...

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

. He played six seasons from through , all coming off the bench. Known mainly for his defensive prowess, Ramírez had a career batting average of .192.

Career

Ramírez was signed as an amateur

free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...

by the

New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...

in . He played five seasons in their minor league system, getting his first shot at the majors in April 1980. He played 18 games in two different stints in New York, going 5-for-24. He was left off the Mets' major league roster that winter, and was selected by the

San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...

in the Rule 5 Draft. After two brief major league appearances in and , Ramírez spent and as the Padres' primary reserve at shortstop, often coming in as a defensive replacement for

Garry Templeton Garry Lewis Templeton (born March 24, 1956) is an American former professional baseball player and minor league manager. He played as a shortstop in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres, and New York Mets from 1976 t ...

. He was released during spring training in , ending his major league career. He later played for the

Leones de Yucatán The Leones de Yucatán (English: Yucatán Lions) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League. The team play its home games at Parque Kukulcán Alamo in Mérida, Yucatán. The Leones have won the Mexican League title five times in , , , ...

of the

Mexican League The Mexican League (, ) is a professional baseball league based in Mexico and the oldest running professional league in the country. The league has 18 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games each season. Five te ...

during the season. Ramírez died in 2013 in his homeland of

Yauco, Puerto Rico Yauco () is a Yauco barrio-pueblo, town and Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality in southern Puerto Rico. Although the Yauco barrio-pueblo, downtown is inland, the municipality stretches to a southern coast facing the Caribbean Sea. Yauco ...

at the age of 55, following a long illness.Baseball Almanac – Major League Baseball Players Who Died in 2013
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Sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ramirez, Mario 1957 births 2013 deaths Hawaii Islanders players Jackson Mets players Las Vegas Stars (baseball) players Leones de Yucatán players Lynchburg Mets players Major League Baseball players from Puerto Rico Major League Baseball shortstops Mexican League baseball infielders New York Mets players People from Yauco, Puerto Rico Puerto Rican expatriate baseball players in Mexico San Diego Padres players Tidewater Tides players Toledo Mud Hens players Wausau Mets players