Is this the end of the line — again — for Manny Ramirez? The hitting savant retired last season after violating baseball’s drug policy for the second time, but he was attempting a comeback this season.

On Friday, however, the Oakland A’s announced that they had released the 40-year-old.

Manny Ramirez has requested his outright release from the #Athletics and the team has granted his request.—
Oakland Athletics (@Athletics) June 16, 2012

After a slow start, Ramirez had improved his season totals to a .302 average with no home runs and 14 RBIs in 17 games (63 at-bats) for the Triple-A Sacramento RiverCats. In seven games in June, Ramirez batted 11-for-27 (.407) with 10 of his RBIs.

No word on whether Ramirez plans to continue his comeback, although as Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com tweets …

And if Manny can't play for the A's, who are hitting .224 as a team . . . don't really need to complete that sentence, do we?—
  (@DKnobler) June 16, 2012

UPDATE: Ramirez’s agent, Barry Praver, tells Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com that Ramirez plans to continue his comeback.

Manny's last nine games at AAA: 13-for-35 (.371), 3 2B, 11 RBIs, 2 BB, 10 Ks. Agent Barry Praver says he plans to continue with his career.—
Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) June 16, 2012

The A’s offense could use Manny Ramirez at his best, but he’s hitting only .243 in Triple A. (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)

Manny Ramirez is toiling away with the Oakland Athletics Triple-A affiliate in Sacramento, batting just .243 with no home runs and a .543 OPS. And a week after some thought he would be promoted after serving his 50-game suspension from the majors, Ramirez looks likely to stay in Triple-A until at least mid-June.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that a couple of factors are holding Ramirez back from a call-up. First, he has yet to impress any executives or scouts that have seen his 37 at-bats in the minor leagues. Second, the 40-year-old Ramirez is battling tightness in his left hamstring.

In her report, Susan Slusser’s notes how dreadful the A’s offense has been recently. Oakland has been shut out seven times in its last 18 games. But the big-league club will not look to Ramirez for help:

The A’s do have one of the greatest right-handed hitters of all time at Triple-A Sacramento, but scouts and baseball executives who have seen Ramirez recently agree with Oakland’s assessment that he is not ready for the majors. In addition, Ramirez has been bothered by left hamstring tightness that limited him to one at-bat in the past four games, but Ramirez is hanging in there, he said Sunday.

“It’s not what I want, it’s what God wants,” Ramirez told the Chronicle. “God doesn’t want me to come to the team to be embarrassed. When the time is perfect, I’m going to be there, and I’ll do what I do, and that’s hit.”

The A’s have scored the fewest runs in the American League, and they have lost nine of their last 10 games. They already sit nine games back of the Texas Rangers in the AL West.

Manny Ramirez’s long wait for a return to Major League Baseball could be coming to an end.

The enigmatic outfielder, who opted to retire rather than serve a 100 game suspension for a positive drug test last year, applied for reinstatement this season and was signed to a minor league contract by the Oakland Athletics. Major League Baseball stipulated that Ramirez be suspended for 50 games after signing – a suspension that expires this Wednesday, May 30.

However, Ramirez may have to wait before joining up with his new team, according to Athletics manager Bob Melvin via a tweet from the San Fransisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser.

Melvin says it's 50-50 Manny will join team Weds. #Athletics—
Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) May 28, 2012

Ramirez has been spending his suspension in the minor leagues this season, hitting .214 with the Sacramento River Cats – Oakland’s Triple-A affiliate.

Due to a 50 game suspension that will force him to miss nearly the first third of the season, Manny Ramirez will likely get to see more at bats in minor league camp this spring than with the big league squad, according to MLB.com.

“Being as he has to start with the 50-game suspension and that camp is shortened, I think we’ve probably committed DH at-bats to finding out some other things about other guys,” Athletics manager Bob Melvin said. “But he wants to go over there [to Minor League camp]. He tells me, ‘Hey look, don’t worry about me. I know you’re under the gun to get other guys at-bats.’ He’s been great about that.”

Ramirez has played in three games with the A’s, going hitless in eight at-bats, and will start for them at DH today against the Brewers.

The 39-year-old slugger signed a one year deal with Oakland this season after announcing his retirement last year. Ramirez played in just five games  for the Tampa Bay Rays last year before he was suspended by Major League Baseball for violating its banned substance list. Instead of serving the suspension, Ramirez chose to walk away from the game.

Over the course of his storied career he has hit .312 with 555 home runs and 1,831 RBIs.

News broke yesterday that the Oakland Athletics had signed the unretired Manny Ramirez to a one-year contract worth $500,000, and now there’s an update: The A’s expect Ramirez to report to Phoenix for spring training on Friday.

“I watched some video of him and saw the swing,” A’s manager Bob Melvin told the AP today. “It didn’t look any different, and it looked like he was in good shape. He’ll be ready to go with the position players, and we’ll see what he has to offer.”

Ramirez retired from baseball on April 8, 2011 after it was revealed that he’d tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug. Now that he’s back, he must serve a 50-game suspension before he plays again in the major leagues, but beyond that, he’s ready to go.

“I’m feeling really good, mostly on a spiritual level,” Ramirez said in a radio interview. “I’m very confident with the shape I’m in heading to spring training. … I have a passion for the sport, and I know I can still play.”

Ramirez has played 19 major league seasons so far with the Indians, Red Sox, Dodgers, White Sox and Rays. He has a .312 career batting average, 555 home runs and 1,831 RBIs.

The Oakland Athletics are likely to sign former Boston Red Sox star Manny Ramirez before the beginning of Spring Training, according to Susan Slusser of San Francisco Chronicle.

“I like him,” Coco Crisp, the Oakland A’s centerfielder told the Chronicle. “He’s a great teammate, he’s cool, he works hard, he’s just eccentric. He’s different. All of the great players are quirky in one way or another. Manny is an awesome person, nothing but pleasant and fun, but the negative stuff always captures people’s attention more than the positive things. I think the positive outweighs the negative.”

According to Slusser, Ramirez will likely be signed just before or soon after the start of spring training and play as a designated hitter.

After serving his 50-game suspension for violating baseball’s drug policy, Ramirez would be free to play for the Athletics.   Despite the baggage he may bring to the team, the 12-time All-Star is considered one of the greater sluggers to put on a uniform in the past 25 years.

The potential return of 2011 retiree Manny Ramirez has been an ongoing story this offseason, but we can now cross one team off the list of potential Manny suitors: The Baltimore Orioles are no longer interested, according to Roch Kubatko of MASN.

“I don’t think there’s going to be a fit for Manny,” Orioles exec Dan Duquette told Kubatko. “We’ve looked at that all winter, and I’m not sure there’s a fit there for the Orioles. I wish Manny a lot of luck, but I just don’t think he fits in our ballclub right now.”

Ramirez retired on April 8, 2011 after it was revealed that he’d tested position for a performance-enhancing drug, but he’s been holding private workouts this winter with his eye on a return to the major leagues. The Orioles and Oakland Athletics were rumored to be among the top suitors for his services.

If Ramirez does return this season, he will first have to serve a 50-game suspension for his positive test, as per his agreement with Major League Baseball.

Ramirez played 19 major league seasons for the Indians, Red Sox, Dodgers, White Sox and Rays. He retired with a .312 career batting average, 555 home runs and 1,831 RBIs.

Manny Ramirez has let it be known that he’s interested in making a comeback to the major leagues, and apparently, there are multiple suitors for his services. In the words of FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal:

Sources: #Athletics, #Orioles most interested in Manny, but unclear if either has even made an offer. A's looking at relievers too. #MLB

—
Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 02, 2012

Ramirez retired from basetball on April 8, 2011 after testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing drug. But he’s been working steadfastly toward a return, holding private workouts in Miami since December.

If Ramirez does land a job this season, he will first have to serve a 50-game suspension for his positive test, as per his agreement with Major League Baseball.

Ramirez played 19 seasons in the major leagues for the Indians, Red Sox, Dodgers, White Sox and Rays. He retired with a .312 career batting average, 555 home runs and 1,831 RBIs to his name.

Last anyone heard from Manny Ramirez, he was abruptly announcing his retirement on April 8 after testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing drug. But now he might be on the comeback trail — according to a report today, the Oakland Athletics have expressed serious interest in welcoming the slugger back to baseball.

The 39-year-old Ramirez has been working out in Miami since December and plans to have open workouts for interested major league clubs — and according to Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes Los Angeles, the A’s are “very interested” in making Ramirez their designated hitter in 2012.

“The Orioles and Blue Jays saw Manny work, and Baltimore liked what it saw, but Oakland has been the team that has expressed the most interest, even before having him work out,” a source told Rojas.

If Ramirez catches on in the big leagues this season, he will have to serve a 50-game suspension before taking the field, as per his agreement with Major League Baseball.

Ramirez played 19 seasons in the major leagues, primarily with the Indians, Red Sox and Dodgers but also including brief stints with the White Sox and Rays. He retired with a .312 career batting average, 555 home runs and 1,831 RBIs.