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.

While opinions regarding whether of not Roger Clemens used performance enhancing drugs may not have been altered by the recent Congressional hearings…you must admit, it was great theatre. And even better politics.

Make no mistake about it, good ‘ole boy politics’ was at work. The Clemens – McNamee Congressional hearings had nothing to do with gaining the truth or protecting America’s youth from drugs. It was Democrats versus Republicans. It was time to call-in political favors. Clemens’ Texas roots were prevalent. How else can one explain this becoming a battle of political parties? Do you think it was a coincidence that most Republicans came to Clemens’ defense? Do you think it was coincidence that leading Republican Tom Davis rushed to Clemens side immediately after the hearing?

American politics is often behind-closed-door deals. Unfortunately, we saw it at its worst during this hearing. And politicians wonder why Americans question the integrity of its leaders? When lobbying is allowed during depositions and prior to Congressional hearings regarding the use of illegal drugs, it has gone too far.

My opinion as to whether Clemens used steroids or HGH is irrelevant. However, I find it difficult to believe that McNamee was telling the truth about Pettitte, Knoblauch, and Debbie Clemens, yet lying about Roger. Why? I also find it difficult to believe Debbie Clemens would get a shot of HGH from McNamee without her husband’s knowledge. Plus, if Roger wasn’t getting shot-up by McNamee – nor did he ever discuss drugs with him (as he claims), how did Debbie know to go to McNamee for the injection?

In every poll I’ve seen, most American’s believed McNamee. So what did the Republicans hear that the rest of us didn’t, which led them to support Clemens? Maybe they heard a Republican “voice” who was the former General Managing Partner of the Texas Rangers.

By the way, that former Managing Partner currently lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

According to reports out of New York, Joe Torre’s fate will be determined sometime within the next two weeks. GM Brian Cashman’s job is safe for at least another season - yet Torre is made accountable for the free agent signings that brought the Yankees busts like Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright and yes, even Mike Mussina.

The playoffs are about starting pitching, and while one might criticize Torre for not starting Andy Petitte in Game 1 against Cleveland, look at the starting staff Torre is stuck with. It was the worst of any team in the post season. Compare it to the Red Sox starters, or the Indians staff, or that of the Angels, or Diamondbacks.

Sure, Chien-Mien Wang can load up on W’s against the Devil Rays, Royals and Orioles while the vaunted Yankee line-up supports him with eight runs per game during the summer.

Come fall however, you don’t score eight runs a game, as the Yanks found out. You have to win 2-1 games in the playoffs, and the team Brian Cashman gave Joe Torre isn’t built that way.

Not right now anyway.

Finally seeing the error of his ways, Cashman has stockpiled young starting pitching that could make the envy of all baseball in two years. But at what cost, Torre’s job? If the Yankees let Torre go, they will increase the chances that Rodriguez, Posada and Duncan follow him out of the Bronx. And where will that leave the Yankees - back to the days of Horace Clark?

Torre took the Yankees to 12 straight playoffs and won four World Series - and he should have with the teams he had. Yet on closer inspection, to expect him to do more with the pitching staff he has been burdened with these last few years is unrealistic. Pitching rules the playoffs with a couple of big bats, which is why the Red Sox will win it all.

As for Torre, Angels skipper Mike Sciocia may have said it best today in LA. “I hope the Yankees do fire him. It’ll be one less team in the American league we need to worry about because no one can replace him.”

There is no doubt that the Yankees made Joe Torre. They probably even put him into the Hall of Fame. These days, however, the Yankees need Joe Torre more than Joe Torre needs the Yankees.

Whether you love them or hate them, many have considered the New York Yankees the class of Major League Baseball for years. The “classy” Yankees reappeared in 1995, when a 20-year-old shortstop named Derek Jeter quietly came on the MLB scene and transformed himself into one of the all-time great Yankees. The early Jeter years brought championships back to New York. However, more importantly to Yankee fans, it brought back Yankee pride. Jeter is a class act.

Aside from a few Mickey Rivers-types, since the days of Joe DiMaggio et al, wearing the Yankee pinstripes took on a special meaning to most professional baseball players - and garnered a special air of respect. After 26 World Series Championships, it’s well deserved.

However, as the 2007 season progresses, one gets the feeling that the pinstripe respect-card is waning. Playing below .500 certainly doesn’t help, nor does the Jason Giambi “stuff” fiasco. But the root of the demise of Yankee pride is the ongoing saga of Alex Rodriguez. Since he first put on the pinstripes, and despite his 1995 MVP Award, A-Rod’s life as a Yankee has been nothing short of a train-wreck.

Forget his recent off-field personal life problems. During the years, the Yankees had ample off-field antics. Just read former Yankee pitcher Jim Bouton’s book, Ball Four. No, it’s the on-field sportsmanship, or lack thereof, of Rodriguez that has the Yankees “class” and “pride” designation in jeopardy. His recent episode in Toronto regarding his successful attempt to verbally confuse a fielder is only one of many episodes not befitting any professional baseball player, let alone one in pinstripes. Let’s also recall when he slapped the ball from Bronson Arroyo’s glove in the 2004 American League Championship Series. He got nabbed for that one too.

While some Yankee fans may not agree, just ask yourself … would Jeter indulge in A-Rod antics? We all know the answer to that.

Fear not Yankee fans…Rodriguez will not be wearing pinstripes much longer.