Manny being Manny, give me a break
The Red Sox have been getting some credit this week for ridding themselves of a problem - Manny Ramirez.
I give them zero credit. They created the problem in the first place. I'm not saying Manny was a saint before he got there. But the Red Sox are the ones who let Manny dog it running to first base, who watched him constantly jog toward fly balls in the outfield and even recently, watched him push a Sox employee with no repercussions.
Manny being Manny. That's what they said it was. I wonder if they explained it that way to the traveling secretary after Manny got in his face. 'Hey, pick yourself up off the ground, your OK, that's just Manny being Manny.'
Yet when he came to the plate all was overlooked. 'Hit a homer Manny' Red Sox nation exclaimed, 'You're our man.'
Make no mistake. Ramirez is still a feared hitter and his production over the years has been amazing. But each time he opened his mouth the past few weeks, the real Manny took over.
He'll probably bash many homers for the Dodgers, but without the DH to hide behind his awful outfield play, he may cost them a few games as well.
Manny being Manny. No. Manny being a jerk. Yes.
Manny being Manny goes directly to the NY-STYLE of the REDSOX NATION becoming classless.
Very good observations, Steve. I appreciate your putting the finger on the Red Sox organization too. It is disgusting how way too many organizations put up with disgraceful players for the sake of winning at all cost. The NFL, for instance, had long put up with the antics of Terrell Owens, Chad Johnson, and even Pac Man Jones until he be came a criminal.
Professional sports needs to have a code of conduct that is applied uniformly and consistently through out each sport.
Manny's refusing to hussle, running out ground balls and going all out to pull in flyballs reflects on the manager. the message has to be for all twenty five players, "All out, or get out!!" What delivers a message to a narcissistic player than being pulled from the game during an inning in the field. I guess nobody wants to get the backlash that Billy Martin received when he pulled Reggie Jackson and inserted Paul Blair after Martin perceived Reggie was dogging it letting a fly ball drop in front of him.
Manny Ramirez is one of the true jerks in the sport. That he is so widely celebrated while acting in an uncivil, boorish manner only helps incubate the next generation of self-centered thugs.
Thankfully going to the National League on the West Coast, we won't see much of the guy with the dread(ful) locks. (Another thing most teams won't tolerate.)
"you're our man."