Ramirez's hitting 'no laughing matter'

Manny Ramirez may not be making as many new friends as he would like on the Albuquerque Isotopes after calling their ballpark a "joke" and stiffing his new teammates on a pre-game meal.

According to the Los Angeles Times newspaper, the disgraced Los Angeles Dodger outfielder was taking batting practice prior to his first outing with the club's minor league affiliate when he hit one over the outfield wall and turned to reporters and said, "This field is a joke. I want to play here."

Isotopes Park may be considered a hitting-friendly minor league park but it doesn't seem to be the case with the minor-league pitching when Ramirez plays there.

On Wednesday, Ramirez went hitless at the plate for the second-straight day in a 8-3 15-inning loss to Nashville as his 50-game ban for violating baseball drug policy nears its end. Ramirez is zero-for-four at the plate in two brief appearances with Albuquerque.

It is a tradition for Major League Baseball players in Albuquerque to pay for a special pre-game meal during rehab assignments, the Times said.

The players were given pizza prior to Ramirez's first game on Tuesday which contrasts with the Outback Steakhouse food served last week courtesy of Will Ohman, the newspaper said. Claudio Vargas footed the bill for P.F. Changs.

"Manny better pony up," Ohman jokingly told the Times. "I know his money is deferred but if we get Domino's after the game there will be a lot of (angry) guys."

Ramirez recently signed a two-year 45-million dollar contract with the Dodgers.

Ramirez is in the 43nd game of his suspension but a controversial deal between the owners and the players union allows him to spend 10 days in the minor leagues before returning to Los Angeles.

Ramirez, who is the first marquee player to be suspended under MLB's stepped-up drug policy, has played two of three games with Los Angeles' triple-A minor league affiliate.

Ramirez was slapped with a 50-game ban May 7 after testing positive for a female fertility which is a common masking drug for steroids.

Ramirez said the stigma of violating the league's drug policy hasn't taken a toll on his fan base.

"Like I said everybody love me," Ramirez told the Times on Tuesday. "Everywhere I go people support me. I am excited to bring a lot of joy to a lot of people here. I am excited that I am here."

Ramirez refused to answer questions about whether he used steroids.

He was hitting .348 with six home runs and 20 RBI in 27 games prior to the suspension.

Ramirez is scheduled to play seven innings on Thursday for Albuquerque then travel back to California to play for Class A Inland Empire in San Bernadino, California on the weekend. He is eligible to make his return to the Dodgers on July 3.