Manny Ramirez wants to keep playing baseball, even if it means going overseas. After a winter playing in the Dominican, Manny is apparently heading to Taiwan.
ESPN Deportes says if Manny doesn't have an offer to play in the U.S. by March 7 — and judging by the lack of interest in him to this point, that seems like a lock — he'll sign with the EDA Rhinos of the China Professional League. No financial terms of the deal were announced, but apparently "good foreign players" earn about $12,000 a month. The Rhinos begin their season on March 17.
More from ESPN Deportes, by way of Google Translate:
"I will play in Taiwan if I can not work in the U.S. for the deadline," said Ramirez. "It will be a new experience, experience another culture while I keep doing what I love and all I've done in my life, playing baseball," he added.
"My agents called almost every team in the AL with apparent needs a veteran to use as a designated hitter and occasional pop and nobody was interested," said Ramirez.
"I have no control over that situation. Thought that showing on the field what I can still do facilitate me back, but that has not happened," Ramirez said.
"But I'll settle for playing in Taiwan or elsewhere in the summer and in the winter my country," he added.
Given Ramirez's drug testing history — after being popped twice already, his next positive test will get him banned for life — it seems unlikely that a Major League team will give him another chance, even on a minor league deal like the one Oakland gave him last year.
At the very least, the idea of Manny assimilating to Taiwanese culture is a fun one. For the record, Google says "Manny Being Manny" in Chinese is "曼尼是曼尼."
