"Anybody tuned in to the Marlins lately has probably picked up on Hanley Ramirez doing some peculiar things with the bat — namely, not letting it go.
Ramirez on multiple occasions after base hits or well struck balls has started to run to first holding the bat straight out from a fully extended left arm. At times, he's kept that pose until he reaches the running lane halfway down the line. It looks like showboating, but Ramirez after going 3-for-3 with a homer and three RBI in Friday's win over the Astros explained why he does it.
"That's one thing [Eduardo Perez] told me," Hanley said. "You have to finish it up. When you finish your swing up, that means you're through the ball. I'm just staying through the whole time. I don't do it to show up anybody. I'm just trying to do my job and stay through the zone…Everybody has to find a way to do their job on the field. If you don't do your job you're not going to be part of this team, or you're going to be somewhere else.
"I'm trying to do my job and I don't want to upset anybody. That makes me stay through the ball. Ryan Howard told me the other day, 'That's good. You're not shorting your swing.'""