CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs want Manny Ramirez to mentor their minor leaguers at the very end of a colorful career that includes two World Series titles and a pair of suspensions for positive drug tests. Ramirez signed a minor league deal with the Cubs on Sunday and will be a player-coach at Triple-A Iowa after he gets some at-bats in extended spring training at the teams facility in Mesa, Arizona. The 41-year-old Ramirez is a .312 hitter with 555 home runs in 2,302 games covering 19 major league seasons. Seven of those were in Boston, where Cubs executive Theo Epstein was the general manager of two Red Sox clubs that won it all with Ramirez playing a key role and earning a World Series MVP award. "While Manny is not and will not be a fit on the Cubs major league roster, we do think at this stage of his life hes a nice fit as a mentor for some of the young talented hitters we have in the organization," Epstein said in a statement. "Manny will coach full-time and play part-time in a limited role that does not take at-bats away from our prospects. "If he shows there is still some magic in his bat, perhaps he will find his way to the major leagues and help another team, but that is not why he is here. We are thrilled that he wants to work with our young hitters and make a difference." Ramirez most recently played in the big leagues in 2011, with Tampa Bay. The 12-time All-Star had a minor league with Texas before the Rangers released him last August. "Im at the stage of my life and career where I really want to give something back to the game that I love -- the game that has meant so much to me and done so much for me and my family," he said in a release. "I know I am nearing the end of my playing days, but I have a lot of knowledge to pass on to the next generation -- both what to do and what not to do." Ramirez was suspended for 50 games in 2009 while with the Los Angeles Dodgers after testing positive for a banned drug. He retired in April 2011 instead of serving a 100-game ban for a second positive test while with Tampa Bay, but later agreed to a reduced 50-game suspension and played in the minors for Oakland in 2012. The teaching role for Ramirez is a bit of a gamble for Epstein, who is depending on Chicagos rich farm system to turn around the floundering franchise. The Cubs lost 197 games over the previous two seasons, and began Sunday in last place in the NL Central with an 18-29 record. "The reality is he is a great, great hitter who can provide valuable insight and knowledge," Chicago manager Rick Renteria said before the game at San Diego. Chicagos top hitting prospects at Iowa include infielders Arismendy Alcantara and Javier Baez, a first-round pick in 2011 who is off to a slow start after he was a late cut by the Cubs following a solid spring training. Third baseman Kris Bryant, the No. 2 overall selection in last years draft, is one of the top hitters in the Double-A Southern League and could make it to Iowa by the end of the season. "The Cubs have some very talented young hitters, and I would love nothing more than to make a positive impact on their careers," Ramirez said. "I am passionate about baseball and about hitting, and I have a lot to offer. While I would love to return to the major leagues, I leave that in Gods hands. My focus will be on working with the young hitters, making sure they dont make the same mistakes I made, and helping the team any way I can." Ramirez was selected 13th overall by the Cleveland Indians in the 1991 amateur draft and rose quickly through the minor leagues, with a youthful exuberance and natural charisma that endeared him to just about everyone he met. He signed with the Red Sox as a free agent in December 2000, helping the franchise win an elusive World Series championship a few years later, then doing it again in 2007. Ramirez led the American League with a .349 batting average in 2002, finished second the next year, and had an AL-best 43 home runs in 2004. But there was another side to Manny -- his lackadaisical play, particularly on defence and the basepaths, rubbed some managers and teammates the wrong way. "Manny has made real mistakes in the past but he has owned up to them and moved his life in a positive direction the last couple of years," Epstein said in a release. "He is in a really great place right now and wants to share the lessons hes learned along the way. We think he deserves another chance and that our young hitters will benefit from it." Mark Messier Jersey . 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Oscar Klefbom Oilers Jersey .Y. -- Florida Panthers captain Ed Jovanovski finally has something to show for all the pain he went through in overcoming a string of injuries that kept him sidelined for much of the past two years. Bill Ranford Jersey . Wearing bib No. 1, Maze skied through the gates cleanly to defend her big first-run lead and finish 0.07 seconds ahead of Anna Fenninger of Austria. Defending champion Viktoria Rebensburg of Germany was third, trailing 0. EDINBURGH -- Meaghan Benfeito couldnt hide her disappointment. The Canadian diver had just made a critical mistake on her and partner Roseline Filions fourth attempt in the womens synchronized 10-metre platform final at the Commonwealth Games -- an error that left their medal hopes hanging in the balance. But instead of dwelling on the flubbed back 3 1/2 somersault, Benfeito gathered herself in hopes of still securing a top-three finish. "Theres still another dive left. I know how to do all my dives properly," said 25-year-old. "I think our last dive is our strongest one and I knew if we nailed it we could get on the podium." And nail it they did. Benfeito and Filion produced a textbook back 2 1/2 somersault with 1 1/2 twists to not only get on the podium Wednesday, but win a gold medal that seemed improbable just minutes earlier. "I wasnt expecting to come out of this with a gold," said Benfeito. "I knew that we were still in the hunt for a medal. Gold, I didnt think so, but our last dive is a strong dive and its the reason its our last dive. "We did it pretty well and were happy with the result." Montreals Benfeito and Filion, of Laval, Que., scored a total of 310.65 points, just ahead of Englands Sarah Barrow and Tonia Couch with 307.92. Malaysias Pandelela Rinong Pamg and Nur Dhabitah Sabri took bronze with a score of 300.12. Benfeito and Filion were awarded 76.80 points on their final dive, but the 2012 Olympic bronze medallists could only wait for the leaders final attempts. When Barrow and Couch tallied just 70.08 on the same dive, the Canadians knew they had pulled out the tricky event that was delayed by 35 minutes due to a technical glitch that forced judges to display scores using flip cards. "It was tough for everyone," said Filion. "I knew it was going to be close, but I didnt expect to win at all." The 27-year-old has partnered with Benfeito for more than a decade and said they werent affected by the late start. "We were prepared for all these kinds of problems," said Filion. "Our team manager said in a meeting You never know whats going to happen. Be prepared, be ready. "We could wait the amount of time it took. We were there to compete and dive annd thats what we did.dddddddddddd." Wednesday marked the first of four competition days at the cosy Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh, about a 75-kilometre drive from Glasgow. Later Wednesday, Lavals Jennifer Abel and Pamela Ware of Beloeil, Que., won silver in the three-metre springboard with a score of 295.65. Englands Alicia Blagg and Rebecca Gallantree won gold, and Australias Maddison Keeney and Anabelle Smith took bronze. The 22-year-old Abel was a bronze medallist in three-metre synchro at the 2012 Olympics with former partner Emilie Heymans, and again at last years world championships with the 21-year-old Ware. Abel won gold in the one- and three-metre individual events -- as well as a silver with Heymans in the three-metre synchro -- at the Commonwealth Games four years ago in New Delhi. Benfeito and Filions come-from-behind victory capped an impressive season for the pair, who finished 2014 with a podium appearance in each of their eight international events. But even with a gold medal hanging around her neck, Benfeito was still kicking herself for her miss on the fourth attempt. "Its a dive that causes me a lot of problems, but its usually good in synchro," she said. "I am disappointed that I missed because we could have won by a lot more, but it happens. "Its in the past. Youve got to move on, youve got to do another really good dive and thats what we did." Benfeito and Filion won silver in 10-metre syncho at last years world championships, and will compete in the individual 10-metre event here as veterans on a young Canadian team that has seen a number of retirements in recent years, including Alexandre Despatie. "Its so weird because we used to be the babies on the team," said Filion. "Its interesting for me because I get to give a little bit of advice, when I used to get all the advice." Added Benfeito: "The transition has been really easy so I think that makes the team even stronger." What the young Canadian divers here in Scotland learned on Wednesday from their now-veteran teammates was simple. "Anything can happen and its definitely not over until the last dive," said Benfeito. "You have to give everything you can until the end." ' ' '