As the saying goes, “Be careful what you wish for.”
It appears Red Sox Nation has had enough of Manny being Manny. For the past week, Boston sports talk-radio airwaves have been inundated with callers who appear to have had enough of the savant slugger, who recently pulled himself out of the Sox lineup twice. Manny stated it was due to a cranky knee, but MRIs came up negative on both knees.
It was one thing for Ramirez to pull himself out of the lineup against the lowly Seattle Mariners, but when he sat again in the first game of the most recent Yankees series at Fenway Park, all hell broke loose in New England. More important than fans and radio talk-show hosts, it also appears the Red Sox brass has had enough of Manny’s quirkiness. What appeared to be a no-brainer two weeks ago – that the Sox would pick up the team’s $20M 2009 option for Ramirez – now seems as likely as John McCain winning Massachusetts in November.
Manny quitting on loyal Sox fans and, more importantly, his teammates is deplorable. Letting teammates down is the mortal sin of an athlete. However, let’s not kid ourselves. Pro sports are all about winning. As a reminder, until 2004, Sox fans had not seen a World Championship since 1918. They’ve now witnessed two since 2004. Would they have done so without Ramirez? Probably not. Had they not won those two championships, would fans and Sox brass still want Manny to walk? My guess is no.
Manny Ramirez is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Does that forgive him for his recent actions? Not in real life, but this is not real life. It’s Major League Baseball. Lest we forget the indiscretions of Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Juan Marichal, Mickey Mantle, Barry Bonds, et al.
David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez are the best 3-4 hitters the game has seen since Ruth and Gehrig. So, be careful what you wish for Sox fans … and enjoy it while you can. Those days may be gone soon. And with it, championships.
Manny Being Money
When Scott Boras is around, it’s all about money – his money. When Ramirez hired Boras last winter as his new agent, trouble was only a matter of the warm weather coming. One doesn’t need a magnifying glass to see Scott Boras’ greedy fingerprints pressed into Manny’s latest antics.
Remember, if ultra-high maintenance Manny plays out his two option years with the Red Sox – or, if the Red Sox could manage to trade him with the option years still intact – Scott Boras makes bupkis, nada, zip. Boras’ mission was to make sure both scenarios did not happen. And he will succeed. Manny’s contract allows him to nix any trade deal, and he’s stated that he would not approve a trade with the option years still operative.
Do you think it was pure coincidence that another putrid Boras client – Alex Rodriguez – was needling Manny about those option years during the All Star Game? I think not.
Brinksmanship between players and front offices is as old as the game. But when Manny takes his team hostage, puts the success and well-being of two dozen other guys with families and kids in jeopardy – Scott Boras or not – that is enough.
Whatever the motives or methods of the disgraced lot of Bonds, Clemens, Giambi, et al, they shot their juice to play more – not less. Remember when Mickey Mantle was taped up like a mummy before every game, his knees held together courtesy of Johnson & Johnson.
Manny Ramirez and Scott Boras signed the devil’s pact last December. The hell in which that deal closed is only beginning.
Comment by Bostonian — July 29, 2008 @ 10:14 am
I guess Boston fans are indeed tired of Manny. Maybe he can take his act to the Dodgers….they could use some punch - and laughs.
Comment by Delmartian — July 29, 2008 @ 7:46 pm
Looking into my crystal ball, I see Manny is pinstripes someday soon.
Comment by Bostonian — July 30, 2008 @ 6:52 am
Manny will only be in pinstripes if he cuts his hair
Comment by HST — July 30, 2008 @ 5:19 pm
Bring on Jason Bay. Enough of Manny already…
Comment by GZG — July 31, 2008 @ 6:22 am
Hey DelMartian, you got your wish…Manny in Dodgers’ blue! But, will Joe have “big ones” and make him cut his hair?
Manny and Nomar back together again — two of the seven dwarfs reunited…Dopey and Grumpy!
Comment by D. Gilbert — August 1, 2008 @ 12:39 pm