Resuming the ‘Phillies 50’ series on the most random players from the 1971-2019 teams with the pitching representative from the 1997 club.
That 1997 Phillies team was bad. Really bad. They finished just 68-94 under first year skipper Terry Francona, tied with the Chicago Cubs for the worst record in the National League.
Into the middle of that mess stepped a 22-year-old rookie pitcher named Edgar Ramos. He would appear in just four games during the month of May, and those would be the only four Major League Baseball games in which he would ever appear.
Originally signed as an amateur international free agent at age 16 in February 1992 by the Houston Astros out of his native Venezuela, the Phillies picked him up four years later in the December 1996 Rule 5 Draft.
The Phillies thus had to keep him on the big-league roster for the entire season, which led to his brief opportunity. He was ultimately returned to the Astros, who sent him back to the minors for 1997 and 1998.
Before being returned, Francona would give Ramos his chance in the bigs. The right-hander’s debut came as the starting pitcher for the Phillies on Wednesday afternoon May 21, 2007 at Wrigley Field in Chicago during a 7-0 shutout loss to the host Cubs.
Ramos allowed four runs, three of those earned, on four hits over five innings that day, striking out three and walking three. The first batter he faced, Brian McRae, singled. A ground out by Doug Glanville moved him over to second base, and then Mark Grace singled McRae home with the game’s first run.
In the bottom of the 2nd inning the Cubs used a pair of walks, a hit-by-pitch, a fielder’s choice, and a Phillies error to manufacture two more runs without a base hit. Then in the home 6th, Sammy Sosa led off with a double off Ramos and came home on a base hit by Tyler Houston to make it 4-0. Ramos then walked Ryne Sandberg and was lifted by Francona having thrown 74 pitches.
Five days later, Francona called on Ramos in relief during both games of a doubleheader at Cinergy Field in Cincinnati. His final appearance came on May 30, 1997 in a start at Shea Stadium in New York during what became a 7-3 loss to the host Mets. Ramos lasted five innings, allowing four earned runs on six hits and two walks.
In total, Ramos allowed 15 hits over 14 innings across the four appearances. He gave up nine runs, eight earned, striking out four and walking six batters while surrendering three homers. He would finish his brief MLB career with an 0-2 record, a 5.14 ERA, and 1.500 WHIP.
After being returned to Houston and pitching through 1998 in their system, Ramos moved to independent ball in 1999 and 2000. He then pitched professionally in Mexico during the 2001 campaign.
Five years later after being mostly out of the organized game, Ramos attempted a comeback in the Venezuelan Winter League at age 31. He was whacked around over four appearances and retired as a player for the final time.
MATT VEASEY 