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On the cover of the Sports Illustrated preview issue for the 1996 summer of baseball, Indian slugger Manny Ramirez’s picture illustrated the magazine’s belief that Cleveland’s stacked line up lead by Ramirez was “Ready to Rock” after losing to Atlanta in the World Series a year before.

Before his face appeared on a magazine cover, Ramirez was playing baseball on the streets of Santa Domingo.  When Manny turned 11, his family moved to New York City where he would shine as a star on his high school baseball team.  In 1991, the Indians drafted Manny with the 13^th pick overall.  Manny quickly mastered the major league game and made his first of seven AL All Star teams in 1995.

Since 1998, Manny has exploded.  In six seasons (two with the Indians and four with the Red Sox), the power hitter has finished in the major league top ten in batting average four times; on-base percentage five times; slugging percentage six times; home runs six times: total bases four times; and RBIs four times.

Ramirez, of course, missed another elusive World Series Championship in 1996 despite SI’s best prediction.  He left the Cleveland Indians four years later after two World Series appearances.  Ironically, the outfielder signed with the team that eliminated his Indians from the playoffs in 1999, the Boston Red Sox.  Since 2000, the power hitter still seeks a return trip to the World Series with his new club in Boston.  Nonetheless his bat has played a significant role in the Red Sox recent runs at the pennant.  Even on a star-studded club like the Red Sox, Manny still stands out on the field with his inspired play.