![spt-hbt2-hanley-ramirez-110130.standard[1]](http://nbchardballtalk.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/spt-hbt2-hanley-ramirez-110130-standard1.jpg?w=136&h=121&crop=1)
Cuban defector Jose Ruiz signs with the Rangers after being released by the Rays
Jan 31, 2011, 11:17 AM EDT
Cuban first basemen Jose Ruiz, who was released by the Rays in November as part of a unique contract stipulation, has signed a new deal with the Rangers.
Ruiz’s original agreement with the Rays was a minor-league deal that would become a four-year, $4 million contract if the Rays exercised that option by mid-November. They weren’t impressed with Ruiz while he hit .272 with one homer and a .709 OPS in 23 games at Double-A, so they declined the option and he became a free agent.
His new contract with the Rangers is simply a standard minor-league deal that includes an invitation to spring training, with assistant general manager Thad Levine telling T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com that he’ll “probably start at Double-A or Triple-A, so we can get around him and see what he can do.”
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- BC - Jan 31, 2011 at 11:54 AM
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.709 OPS? That’s really difficult to do even if you’re TRYING to suck.
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- billtpa - Jan 31, 2011 at 12:03 PM
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In 23 games, though? I bet if you put Pujols in AA for a few years you’d eventually find a 23-game stretch somewhere along the line where he OPSed around .709.
OK, not Pujols. But, say, Ryan Howard.
