Tampa Bay General Manager Chuck LeMar described the enthusiasm of Devil Rays' Gulf Coast League Bobby Ramos to The Tampa Tribune in July 1997, as an enthusiasm fit for his GCL surroundings.
"I've seen staff members try to be as enthusiastic as Bobby Ramos, but it's hard," LeMar told The Tribune. "What you see in him is true heart and passion for the game. He wears his emotions on his sleeve. He lives and dies with the success and failure of his players."
Ramos gained that enthusiasm through a pro baseball career that had, to that point, spanned more than two decades as a player and coach. He went on to continue for at least another decade-plus, spending much of that time as a bullpen coach in the majors.
Ramos' career in baseball began in 1974, taken by the Expos in the seventh round of the draft out of Miami Jackson High School in Florida.
Ramos went to school in Florida, having been born in Cuba. His father had to work in the sugar cane fields to get the government to let Ramos emigrate to the United States at age 13, The Montreal Gazette wrote years later.
Ramos started with the Expos in the rookie Gulf Coast League. He moved to single-A West Palm Beach in 1975, then made AA Memphis, AAA Denver and Montreal for two games in 1978.
The catcher returned to Montreal for 13 games in 1980, 26 games in 1981 and four in 1982. He made Montreal for 27 games in 1983 and a final 31 in 1984. In all, he played in 103 major league contests over six seasons and hit .190.
Ramos continued on in the minors through 1988, playing in the Angels, Cubs, Royals and Giants systems.
Ramos then turned coach with the Astros at AA Columbus in 1989. He moved to high-A Osceola for 1990. By 1993, he was manager at single-A Asheville. He explained his approach as manager to The Asheville Citizen-Times that April.
"You can't take anything for granted," Ramos told The Citizen-Times, "at this level, this stage.. Some of the Latin kids have played winter ball, but, for most of them, it's the first time away from home. ... As long as the kids give me 100 percent on the field, there's no problem."
Ramos moved to the Rays and the GCL for 1997. For 1998, he joined them as bullpen coach in Tampa Bay. He saw the majors again in 2000 with the Angels as bullpen coach, serving three years, including their 2002 title. He then returned to the Rays for 2006 as bullpen coach. He stayed in that role through 2011. He then joined the Marlins as minor league Latin coordinator.
- Montreal Gazette, March 31, 1983: Ramos the survivor doesn't ask 'why?'
- Asheville Citizen-Times, April 8, 1993: Tourists
- Tampa Tribune, July 23, 1997: Ramos like a Ray of sunshine
Made the Majors:1,397-32.3%-X
Never Made Majors:2,926-67.7%
10+ Seasons in the Minors:351
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