Ramirez back with Potomac and hitting to all fields

Outfielder J.P. Ramirez returned to high Single-A Potomac after showing well again at low Single-A Hagerstown, where he displayed his knack for getting on base and making good contact at the plate. The 22-year old Ramirez has gone back and forth a couple of times between Hagerstown and Potomac, but that is not a signal that he is not worthy of playing at Potomac. There has been a logjam of talented players at both stops and there were not enough roster spots available on opening day. Now that the season has settled in, a spot opened in the P-Nats' outfield when Wade Moore was sent for extended work in Florida. The 5-foot-10, 185-lb., Ramirez has performed so well that it was an obvious choice to get him going again for the P-Nats. Potomac manager Brian Rupp said the left-handed hitting Ramirez has been impressive in his return. "He has been swinging the bat really good," Rupp said. "He had three hits the other day and two hits the next game. He drove in two more runs the next contest." In 2010 at Hagerstown, Ramirez hit .296 in 132 games with 32 doubles, four triples, 16 homers and 75 RBIs. In 2011 at Potomac, when he was slowed a bit by a hamstring issue, Ramirez batted .223 in 85 games with 14 doubles, one triple, seven homers and 29 RBIs. To begin 2012, Ramirez hit .285 with seven doubles, two homers and 16 RBIs in his first 35 games. Since being promoted again to Potomac, he has not missed a beat, hitting .357 (10-for-28) in eight games. Rupp said the solid at-bats Ramirez is getting this season are due to adjustments the New Braunfels, Texas, native has put into his approach at the dish. "He has changed himself a lot," Rupp said. "(Ramirez) has come a long ways. He is starting to use the whole field a lot more. He is cutting down his strikeouts. It is good to see all the hard work he is putting in is paying off."