Ramirez enters not guilty plea By SPORTS NETWORK

Manny Ramirez entered a not guilty plea in connection with a domestic battery charge on Friday, Oct. 14, 2011. (REUTERS/Broward County Sheriffs Office/Handout)

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Former baseball slugger Manny Ramirez entered a not guilty plea Friday in connection with a domestic battery charge.

According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Ramirez did not appear in a Broward County court and his attorney entered a written plea prior to Friday's arraignment.

Ramirez was arrested on September 12 after allegedly striking his wife with an open hand. He has denied any wrongdoing.

According to the police report, Ramirez's wife told the arresting officer that the couple was "involved in a dispute that escalated." Juliana Ramirez said her husband struck her in the left side of her face with an open hand, causing her to hit her head against the headboard of their bed.

Fearing that the situation might escalate, she called police and was observed by an officer to have swelling on the left side of her face and a small contusion on the back of her head, according to the report. She refused medical attention.

The former player told police that he had grabbed his wife by the shoulders and shrugged her, causing her to hit her head on the headboard. He was booked and held in the main jail.

Ramirez decided to retire from baseball in April after a short stint with the Tampa Bay Rays rather than face a 100-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball's drug program for a second time.

The 39-year-old Dominican native played in just five games for the Rays and was 1-for-17 at the plate.

Ramirez batted .312 with 555 homers, a .411 on-base percentage and 1,831 RBI over 19 seasons, mostly with Cleveland and Boston. He also played for the Dodgers and White Sox before joining the Rays.

The 12-time All-Star was MVP of the 2004 World Series, when he helped the Red Sox sweep the Cardinals. He also won a title with Boston in 2007.