Wilson Ramos Kidnapped In Venezuela: Abandoned SUV Found

Wilson Ramos Kidnapped, New Details Emerge

After shocking news broke Wednesday night that Washington Nationals Catcher Wilson Ramos had been abducted in Venezuela, more details emerged Thursday morning about the kidnapping.

Police say they’ve found an abandoned SUV they believe was used in the abduction Wednesday night at about 6:45 p.m. at the baseball player’s home in the region 95 miles west of Caracas. A person close to the family said the catcher was at home with his father and brothers when several men “entered the house and took him away.”

A spokeswoman for the Aragua Tigres, Ramos’s winter league team in Venezuela, wrote this morning on Twitter that they have yet to receive an update on the situation. “We are still waiting for any news about Wilson Ramos,” Katherine Vilera said. “All the authorities are working in the case. We need to be [patient] and pray.”

Since he was kidnapped, Ramos’ family has not been notified either.

Venezuelan winter league president Jose Grasso told a Venezuelan television station Thursday that the league will continue to play its season in spite of the kidnapping. “Suspending any ballgames will not help Wilson Ramos at all,” Grasso said. “Turning the lights off is not a solution. We will keep Wilson present in our thoughts and prayers, but suspending activity won’t help.”

Ramos had a successful first season at the big league level for the Nationals, hitting 15 home runs and throwing out 19 of 67 runners attempting to steal a base, a 28 percent success rate that ranked third among National League catchers.

Wilson Ramos Stats (113 Games in 2011)

.267, 15 HR, 52 RBI