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Manny Ramirez Jr. chases baseball dream

Manny Ramirez Jr. decided as far back as he began playing baseball to create his own path, separate from his dad — who became famous for home runs and notorious for drug suspensions.

"That's what I've been trying to do since I started playing the game, starting from high school, through college now, just starting to have my own identity," he said. "It's hard to do, just with my name and who my dad is. I might as well just go with the flow. I don't really pay much attention to it. Just accept it, I've been dealing with it for so long. It's nothing new to me."

Ramirez, 19, insists he won't take advantage of situations just because of his recognizable last name. He is determined to earn everything he gets in this game.

"I just try to be myself and whatever happens, happens," he said.

Ramirez is batting .214 with five RBIs and no home runs with 27 strikeouts in 26 games and 15 starts going into a weekend series at Dallas Baptist. The Dons bounced back from their tough start with an impressive run. They are in third place in the West Coast Conference and must finish in the top four to make the conference tournament — and it's likely to come down to the final weekend.

— Janie McCauley/AP