The Hanley Ramirez deal seemed perfect. He was a household name, having won two Silver Sluggers and getting MVP votes in four seasons. Furthermore, he was initially signed by the Boston Red Sox when he was 18, rose through their farm system, and even made his debut for Boston. He would join the lineup behind David Ortiz, a player whom he had been close friends with throughout his career and could still serve as a type of mentor to him.
Boston is the city where star baseball players’ careers come to die.