It’s been three months since Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos was kidnapped at gunpoint in his native Venezuela, but the youngster is now back with his teammates for spring training, refreshed and ready to resume his career in the States.

“I feel like I’m living again,” Ramos told the AP. “I’ve got a new life. Everybody in my family is happy with me. My family before was a little separated, and now everybody’s together. So that’s good for me and my family. I’m happy for that, and I will play hard for my family and my team.”

Ramos was taken away from his family on Nov. 9 — he was later rescued by authorities in a violent confrontation. Ramos is now ready to put the incident behind him — he was in good spirits today at the Nats’ first day of pitchers’ and catchers’ workouts at spring training, and he thanked his fans for having his back.

“They give me a lot of support,” Ramos said. “They believe in me, so they helped me a lot with everything. During the games everybody clapped their hands and said a lot of good words for me. “

Ramos was the Nationals’ primary catcher last season, appearing in 113 games. He aims to be their opening day starter behind the plate in 2012.

Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos was investigated by team doctors today, just one week after being freed from his abductors in Venezuela, ESPN.com reports.

According to Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo, Ramos is in “terrific shape” and will now return to Venezuela to finish the winter league season with his team.

Ramos was kidnapped earlier this month by gunmen outside of his home in Venezuela. His captors loaded him into a van took him to a mountainous region in the center of the country. Ramos later told the Washington Post that he refused all food that was offered to him while held captive, out of fear for his safety.

Venezuelan police commandos rescued him two days after his capture. After a firefight, the police were able to arrest four of Ramos’ captors. Four more people believed to be involved with the kidnapping have been arrested since the incident.

Venezuelan authorities have arrested five additional suspects who are allegedly connected to the kidnapping of Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos, according to CNN.

The five new suspects, all Columbian citizens, will join the other six kidnappers who were detained after security forces successfully rescued Ramos in a firefight Friday.

Ramos was reportedly found in Montalban, a remote region in the mountains of Venezuela. Prior to his rescue, local authorities had reported that they were using aircraft in their investigation to find Ramos and his kidnappers.

Ramos was kidnapped last Wednesday before his scheduled Winter League game with the Aragua Tigers. He was reportedly hauled into a van when gunmen approached him outside his mother’s home in Santa Ines, Venezuela.

Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos spoke with members of the media Saturday morning for the first time since his rescue. Ramos described a surreal scene, one in which his captors exchanged gunfire with police.

“It was impressive, something I had only seen in the movies,” Ramos said, according to the Washington Post. “If it had not been for them, who knows what would have happened to me. I had just asked for God, at every moment, to get me back to my home.”

Ramos was kidnapped last week in his native Venezuela. His captors took him to a mountainous region in the center of the country, where he was bound. He did not know the men who kidnapped him, but it was later discovered that they were Venezuelan.

Fearing for his safety, Ramos refused any food that was offered to him. He didn’t eat the entire time he was held captive.

“It was so painful,” he said of his ordeal. “To be locked inside there with these guys I did not know. Understand? I did not even want to eat, wondering what was in the food.”

Although details remain vague, Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos is apparently safe after being kidnapped in Venezuela on Wednesday night, according to a series of tweets from Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post.

Kilgore’s first report was vague but promising, a retweet of Ramos’ family friend: “Family friend of Wilson Ramos says he has appeared. RT@Marfamata Wilson apareció!!”

But Kilgore quickly got confirmation from a much more specific source: “From Gustavo Mercado [sic], Wilson Ramos’s agent: The Minister Interior informed the family 10 minutes ago he is safe. ‘They got him.’”

And, a minute later: “Wilson Ramos’s agent is with the family. Could hear ‘Wil-son! Wil-son’ in the background. ‘It’s a special moment for his family.’”

UPDATE: Kilgore later corrected the name of Ramos’ agent to Gustavo Marcano.

Ultimas Noticas, a Venezuelan news outlet, has reported that a second vehicle used in the abduction of Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos has been located, according to the Washington Post.

Ultimas Noticas is also reporting that there are 300 law enforcement officials on the search for the Nationals rookie.

Ramos, 24, was kidnapped by gunned assailants Wednesday. The catcher’s family has not been contacted by the kidnappers as of yet, according to reports. Major League Baseball and the Washington Nationals issued a joint statement yesterday that they have been instructed not to comment on the abduction.

It was reported Thursday morning that a car used in the abduction had been found abandoned in a nearby town. 

The Venezuelan minister of justice said this morning that they have made progress in the investigation of the kidnapping of Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos, according to CSN Washington.

“We have faith in the swift clarification in this case,” said Edwin Rojas, according to the Associated Press. “We already have some advanced expertise, we have sketches of people allegedly involved in the abduction.”

The Venezuelan police have also reportedly begun using aerial operations in an attempt to locate the missing catcher.

Ramos, 24, was kidnapped by gunned assailants Wednesday. The catcher’s family has not been contacted by the kidnappers as of yet, according to reports. Major League Baseball and the Washington Nationals issued a joint statement yesterday that they have been instructed not to comment on the abduction.

Washington Nationals fans have begun to organize a candle lit vigil for kidnapped catcher Wilson Ramos. The vigil, which has been organized via Twitter, is slotted to be held tonight at 6 p.m. outside the centerfield gate at Nationals Park.

“The main goal of the vigil for Ramos is to simply show fan support for a player we love who is in danger,” said Alicia Durfee, a Nats fan who has spearheaded the organization of the vigil. “I hope that by gathering the Nats fan community together, we can be sure that Ramos’ family – and Ramos, wherever he is – knows that he is loved here and that we want him home and safe.”

Dufree says she expects a few hundred people to show up for the vigil, which has not been sponsored or acknowledged by the Washington Nationals.

It is believed that the 24-year-old catcher was taken from his home Wedensday by four armed men. Ramos was playing winter ball in Venezuela, along with several other Washington Nationals players.

Earlier yesterday morning, police claimed they had found the kidnappers’ vehicle abandoned in a nearby town. There has been no known communication between the kidnappers and Ramos’ family.

There is still remarkably little news emerging from the kidnapping of Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos in his native Venezuela.  Scattered details of the abduction have started to appear, but there has been no reported word from the kidnappers, and no announced ransom request.

When that ransom request does arrive, though, the Washington Post’s Nationals Journal reports, it is likely to be in the neighborhood of $10 to $20 million dollars.  The Post’s Juan Forero is on the ground in Venezuela and spoke to an expert on local crime from a think-tank in Caracas:

He said with a big target like Ramos, a ballplayer who earned $415,000 in 2011, the culprits are likely to be part of a criminal organization, rather than a fly-by-night team. If they do make contact with the family, Cedeno said, it will likely not be to demand a dead-drop location but rather to give instructions in the first stage of a complex operation in which money is deposited in foreign accounts.

“Ten to 20 million dollars in this case,” he said. “That is what I would expect.”

Ramos’s family waits with police for any contact from the kindappers, the Post reports.

There haven’t been many details about the kidnapping of Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos beyond the initial reports and a confirmation that he is, in fact, alive.  But a report (in Spanish) on El Universal seems to paint a slightly more in-depth picture of Ramos’s kidnapping.

Zac Boyer of the Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg, Va.) tweeted a partial translation, writing “Might be a bit rusty here, but it appears Wilson Ramos was signing autographs, playing baseball with kids when taken”.

Translated using Google Translate, the story explains:

Many details have emerged during the last hours of the kidnapping of the player of the Tigres de Aragua. One of the most dramatic is that just at the time of the criminal action had just signed the autograph was a small birthday present.

Two trucks passed by the scene; Ramos and his family retreated; then, according to the translated report, the trucks returned:

This time, two men with their faces uncovered got out of a Chevrolet Captiva 2007, orange. They hanged the player Aragua Tigers with his arm and placed a Glock pistol 9m.m. in his head.

Ramos has been playing with the Tigres de Aragua during MLB’s offseason.

According to Ben Goessling of MASNSports.com, Venezuelan authorities have confirmed that kidnapped Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos is alive.

It is believed that the 24-year-old catcher was taken from his home yesterday by four armed men. Ramos was playing winter ball in Venezuela, along with several other Washington Nationals players.

Earlier this morning  police claimed they had found the kidnappers’ vehicle abandoned in a nearby town, the AP reported. Until now there has been no known communication between the kidnappers and Ramos’ family.