The Oakland A's and Manny Ramirez have decided to cut ties after the team released the troubled slugger before he even suited up for a game.

Ramirez requested to be released and the team granted his wish on Friday.

The 40 year old Ramirez signed a minor league deal with Oakland back in February and played 17 games with the A's Triple-A affiliate Sacramento. Ramirez served a 50 game suspension for a second positive drug test.

Ramirez was supposed to serve a 100 game suspension, but Commissioner Bud Selig cut the suspension down to 50 games after Ramirez sat out almost all of last season.

If Ramirez were to make the Oakland squad, he'd have earned $500,000.