Manny Ramírez
Manny Ramírez is recognized for his great batting skill and power. He has 555 home runs. Ramírez led the Boston Red Sox to World Series Championships in 2004 and 2007. Reuters

Manny Ramirez, 42, twice champion of the Boston Red Sox and twice suspended by the Major League Baseball organization after violating the rules against the use of performance enhancing drugs, joined the Iowa Cubs as a player/coach for their Triple-A affiliate team. Ramirez is expected to play once or twice a week with the main branch in Desmoines. In his second game (first home game) on Monday, he smashed a two-run home run.

But Ramirez 'greater responsibility will be to work with promising prospects for the Cubs; and he gave them simple advice:. "Do it right, friends, follow the rules, that's all," Ramirez said. That was a common problem for Ramirez when he shone in the major leagues. The drama seemed to always follow Ramirez, the enigmatic extrovert who had constant disputes with managers, teammates and managers during a 19-year career in the majors that included 555 home runs and 12 All-Star selections.

But the president of the Cubs, Theo Epstein, who spent years dealing with Ramirez as general manager of the Red Sox, said Monday in an interview with Boston radio station WEEI that he believes Ramirez has changed. "Manny gave me as much trouble as he gave to anyone, except probably (former manager of the Red Sox) Terry Francona at the time. He is responsible for many of my gray hairs. So it's not something we have considered lightly" Epstein said.

"But people certainly changes. I've Talked a lot with Manny, and he looks like a completely different guy."

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