Ramirez Hopes Surgery Brings Relief

Pitcher Erasmo Ramirez will be in Southern California on Tuesday, but he won’t be at The Diamond in Lake Elsinore for the Class-A all-star game between the California and Carolina leagues.

It’s not because he hasn’t had an all-star season.

Ramirez, who played at Saddleback High and was one of the Cal State Northridge players who transferred to Cal State Fullerton after the Matadors announced they were dropping baseball (only to rescind the announcement after public outcry), blossomed in San Jose.

Ramirez, a left-handed pitcher for the San Jose Giants, was named to the all-star team, but underwent surgery on June 8 to remove bone chips in his pitching elbow.

“Yeah, I’m disappointed [about the all-star game], but it’s behind me now. There’s nothing I can do about it--why keep dwelling on it?” Ramirez said.

“[Being selected] was pretty exciting. I didn’t expect that, especially because I’m a relief pitcher.”

Ramirez is spending the all-star break with his parents in Santa Ana. He has no plans to attend the game.

The bone chips, which doctors told Ramirez he had for about 10 years, flared up at a bad time. He had never experienced any elbow pain previously.

“I think he had a chance to put himself in double-A at some point this season and now next season is still a mystery,” San Jose Manager Lenn Sakata said. “If he comes back early enough where he can get enough of a season in this year, that puts him back on course.

“With these types of injuries, it’s always a disappointment for the player because it stalls his upward mobility.”

Ramirez seemed to have a chance to be upwardly mobile.

In nine appearances and 39 innings, he gave up 30 hits, 14 earned runs with 36 strikeouts and only four walks. He was 2-0 with four saves and a 3.23 ERA, and hadn’t walked anyone in his final 13 appearances (23 2/3 innings).

Excluding appearances against Bakersfield, another Giants affiliate, on April 17 and 19, Ramirez had a 1.72 ERA. He pitched 2 1/3 innings in those two games, giving up seven runs (all earned), five hits, two walks and had no strikeouts.

He is expected to be out six to eight weeks, meaning he might be able to play the final month of the season.

“He throws a high percentage of strikes, changes speeds well, and gets both right-and left-handed batters out,” Sakata said. “He was our main guy out of the bullpen and it’s a big loss for our team.”

Sakata had high hopes for Ramirez, an 11th-round choice in 1998.

“I could see him pitching in the big leagues some day if that [injury] didn’t happen,” Sakata said. “It’s still a mystery what this is going to do for his arm.

“He didn’t have a great fastball to begin with. If he loses any more on his fastball, he will have to develop something else.”

Ramirez, whose out pitch is his changeup, said he will cross that bridge when he comes to it.

“I’ll address it if I have to,” Ramirez said. “I’m the type of pitcher who is going to give up hits. The one thing I’ve noticed here is a lot of guys walk people. When you walk people, that’s when you get [hurt].

“As long as I throw strikes and keep hitters off-balance, I’ll be all right.”

ALL-STAR INFO

The all-star game starts at 7:15 p.m.

The Carolina team will be managed by Wilmington Blue Rocks Manager Jeff Garber. Lake Elsinore’s Mario Mendoza will direct the California League.

An autograph session (5 p.m.), home run hitting contest (5:55 p.m.) and fireworks will be featured, along with The Cowsills, who will sing the national anthem and perform a postgame concert. Tickets can be purchased at (909) 245-HITS.

Tickets are $8 (box seats), $7 (reserved) and $6 (general admission).

Tommy Lasorda, Steve Garvey and Rod Dedeaux will throw out the first pitches.

This isn’t the first time The Diamond, Lake Elsinore’s 6-year-old stadium, has hosted an all-star game. It hosted a game in 1995, which featured current major leaguers Heath Murray (Padres), Derrek Lee (Marlins) and Paul Konerko (White Sox)

At that time, it was a North-South all-star game for California League players. The contest expanded to include the Carolina League format in 1996.

“The feeling was that the two premier leagues in [Class A] should be facing each other,” said Storm spokesman Mike Gazda, explaining the change in format. “One drawback is you get half as many all-stars, but on the other side, these are the studs.”

Mark McGwire was a California League all-star and Barry Bonds a Carolina League all-star in 1985.

HOMECOMING

Brian Tokarse, who pitched at Cal State Fullerton and Fullerton College, will be in uniform for the Carolina League Tuesday. Tokarse, drafted by the Angels but now with the White Sox, gave up 16 hits in 29 innings, with 35 strikeouts and 10 saves while with Winston-Salem.

Another Carolina League all-star, Jason Marr, played at Long Beach State.

Marr, of the Potomac Cannons, is a reliever from Downey who was drafted in the 28th round in 1998 by the Cardinals.

He is 0-3 but has 12 saves.