Edwar Ramirez: The pitcher who made his debut with yankees is the most searched keyword in Google US

Who is Edwar Ramirez?
Edwar Ramirez (born March 28, 1981, in San Juan, Dominican Republic) is a relief pitcher for the New York Yankees.

Ramirez was in the Angels system for two years, but was released. He played independent ball last year before the Yankees signed him in July 2006. He pitched well for the single A Tampa Yankees (4-1, 1.17, 30.2, 47 K) in 2006, and then pitched well for the AA Trenton Thunder and AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees in 2007, before he was called up to the major leagues for the first time on July 1, 2007.

Why is he popular?
In his major league debut on July 3, 2007, against the Minnesota Twins, Ramirez pitched the ninth inning for the Yankees and struck out all three batters he faced, securing a 8-0 win for the Yankees.

The Yankees have promoted 26-year-old right-handed reliever Edwar Ramirez from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and he will report today to provide support for a bullpen that has been wretched.

Ramirez, who threw three scoreless innings and struck out six Friday night, was 0-0 with an 0.67 ERA in 15 appearances with Scranton. In 262/3 innings, he allowed 13 hits and nine walks, and struck out 47.

To make room for Ramirez, the Yankees are expected to send infielder Chris Basak down to Scranton.

This is by far the most productive minor-league season for Ramirez. He was playing with the Edinburg (Texas) Coyotes of the United League, an independent league, last year, when the Yankees signed him as a minor-league free agent on July 9. He went 4-1 with a 1.19 ERA in 19 appearances (302/3 innings) for Class-A Tampa last summer.

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Whenever Joe Torre sees the slightest sign Bobby Abreu is swinging the bat better, the slumping right fielder will return to the No. 3 spot in the Yankees order.

Despite being in a 4-for-35 (.114) slide and going 1-for-4 with an infield single and hitting into a double play Friday night, Abreu was re-inserted into the third hole yesterday against A's righty Chad Gaudin.

"His at-bats were good [Friday]," said Torre, who batted Abreu eighth, sixth, sixth and sixth in the previous four games with little success. "That's where I am most comfortable with him. That's where I want to see him."

It helped Torre's decision that Hideki Matsui was 2-for-15 (.133) in the four games he batted third. Abreu went 0-for-3 with a walk in yesterday's 7-0 loss and is 4-for-his-last-38 (.105).

Torre returned Johnny Damon to the designated hitter spot after using Jorge Posada there Friday night. Damon's one-out single in the sixth was the only Yankees hit.

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When Derek Jeter exited after the home eighth, it was assumed the foul ball he took off his left foot in the bottom of the inning was the reason. But according to Torre, Jeter has been nursing tendinitis in his right knee.

"He jumped for a ball in the middle of the game," Torre said. "I anticipate he will play [today]."

As usual, Jeter said, "I am fine."

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Alex Rodriguez drove in a major league-leading 34 runs in June, the most since Roger Maris drove in 35 in June, 1961. . . . The Yankees were blanked for the second time in four days and fifth time this season. It's the first time in three years the Yankees have been shut out twice within a week.

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Having passed Leo Durocher for ninth place on the all-time win list for managers with 2,010, Torre is in position to pass Walter Alston for eighth place. Alston had 2,040 victories.

"I will appreciate it more when I stop doing what I am doing," said Torre, who doesn't have a contract for next year