The speculation continues to swirl around the future of the Red Sox's All-Star left fielder, Manny Ramirez, and whether the Red Sox will pick up the $20 million option on the slugger for 2009.
Picking up the option gives the Red Sox a pretty dependable 30 HR, 100 RBI performance, which they love. But they also would have to continue to endure his often child-like behavior, which they don’t love.
The 15-year veteran’s frequent annoying and embarrassing antics resemble that of a poorly parented eight-year old that doesn’t know how to behave in public.
The truth about Manny Ramirez is that he's like the Mike Tyson of baseball. He may say and do a lot of entertaining things, both in and out of the ring—but you never know what personally-crafted disaster may be around the corner.
Manny Ramirez is as feared by opponents on the baseball diamond as Tyson was in the ring (until Buster Douglas showed up). The difference is that Manny is surrounded by a very tight, stable, network of family, agents, and team officials who manage his personal negatives and keep both him and us protected.
Tyson was surrounded only by the protective arms of...ummm...Don King.
“Manny being Manny” has evolved into the perfect phrase for the left fielder because no matter what he does, both good and bad, the phrase fits. It’s the fans' way of expressing pride in the good things he does with his bat, and it is also their comfort food during his embarrassing episodes, which are otherwise hard to stomach.
The good is Manny catching a flyball and high-fiving a fan in the stands before bouncing off the wall and turning two. The bad is Manny calling out Sox ownership in front of the world at the All-Star Game or knocking down a senior citizen and team employee because he can’t get his way.
So what will GM Theo Epstein recommend to the Henry-Werner-Lucchino ownership team in terms of exercising Ramirez’s option at the end of the season?
In the world of paying $20 million to an outfielder, there is no doubt that home runs, RBI, slugging, and on-base percentage all talk much louder than any level of goofy or unpredictable personal conduct.
14 comments Last one added 11 months ago — Leave a Comment
Bo Edlund 11 months ago
So Manny shoves a guy and now he's the Mike Tyson of baseball? Wow, what a comparison..That's about where I stopped reading your article. Stop wasting my time
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Kyle Meadows 11 months ago
I agree, Manny is not a bad guy, he is just different from your normal major league player who just plays the game. Manny plays a game while playing the game, which you can't find with any other player on any other team right now.
Also, it isn't like Manny is costing the Red Sox any games from his actions, he is productive and has fun with what he does. Smart Red Sox fans know that the production that they get from Manny is completely worth enjoying his antics compared to seeing him go to another team and have Manny beat up on them.
I know lots of Red Sox fans and they enjoy Manny because they are the only team that has such an original player, and they take pride in that.
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Eddie Jackman 11 months ago
Well Bo I am sorry you missed a good article.
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Eddie Jackman 11 months ago
Kyle - I agree with your point about fans and the organization enduring Manny's antics as a tradeoff for hsi offensive production. But I also know a lot of Red Sox fans and although many of his antics are amusing - but I know no one that takes PRIDE in Manny solely because he is such an original goof. No one runs around saying "hey we got a goofball that hides in the green monster and cuts off throws from the center fielder...whadda you got?"
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Kyle Meadows 11 months ago
Actually I know a 7 year old boy who knows more about the red sox than anyone on this website, including the tour guides at Fenway. His favorite player on the team and in the league overall is Manny. He wears his dreads and dew rag just like Manny, and Ortiz took a picture of him and sent it to Manny at an autograph session. These are the fans I know and they love Manny becuase of what fun he brings to the game. They allow this fun because he is one of the best natural hitters in the game and he doesn't disappoint when it counts.
Why send him to another team where he will play against you when you control his destiny for another year? We can talk about this if his career goes south or when he gets ready to become a free agent.
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Eddie Jackman 11 months ago
Kyle - I agree with your sentiment and appreciate your personal story about Manny and Ortiz. But my point is that Manny is an 8-yr old goof who most of Red Sox nation may love having on our team but we don;t take pride in him for his unique goofiness...offensive production yes...goofiness is entertaining and funny sometimes...but doesn't actually make us PROUD as fans.
Your response to me was that you know a 7-yr old who is proud of Manny? OK well Manny is 8 and your friend is a baseball smart 7 yr old - their peers...of course he loves him...that's not really a sound argument.
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MannysHammys 11 months ago
In the end the Red Sox want a championship caliber team and that includes Manny.
Yes, Manny seems a bit off the hook at the moment, but he does this every year. Theo and company know that even though Manny is their problem child he's also their star. Can you imagine the uproar in Boston if they didn't pick him up? Manny is a fan favorite. People spend millions and millions on Manny gear and tickets to see a future Hall of Famer. Manny doesn't operate like most ball players. The Red Sox know this and they deal with it. Manny couldn't go anywhere else and do as he does now. Manny needs to realize that too. He has stated many times that he wants to retire in Boston and I'm confident that he will.
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Aaron Baral 11 months ago
The Red Sox don't exactly have to get a 30 HR - 100 RBI outfielder. They could always move Youkilis to LF and sign a 30+ HR, 100+ RBI first baseman (Mark Teixeria). However, I hope that the Sox keep Ramirez (pick up his options) and that Manny retires with the Sox with a few more rings
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ROSEMARY CHUMO 11 months ago
It is so unfortunate that when manny asks about his future it turn out to be an offensive act.however we need to see how much he puts to his team as a player they all struggle to win a game as a team.Manny still has a long way to put up more HRs its only july please lets give him peace of mind and try not to overlook just because he is manny.Thank God he has a humble heart to come back and say am sorry.Everybody goes through the same experience in lifetime once in a while he is not supernatural.Redsox fans loves to see manny back next season and Manny we want to see you bring redsox to another world champs.
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Eddie Jackman 11 months ago
Manny is that you? What's up man...No hard feeling about the article right?
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Shawn Owens 11 months ago
You keep Manny for the numbers that he puts up and he wins.
He doesn't win on his own but he does win.
As for all the crap that goes on with him during the season, it never has gotten in the way during the playoffs or the championships.
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Eddie Jackman 11 months ago
I agree with your top line - that is and has been the Red Sox strategy - and as long as he continues to put up elite offensive numbers then that strategy probably will continue.
But I disagree with your last point - OK so 2004 and 2007 ended well and your comment is sound - but what about when Manny publically quit on his teammates in 2006? What if he had not and the Sox turned the tables and scratched into the wild card slot at the very end of the season. We'll never know but Manny quitting on his team and taking September off is not what champions do - it's not what adults do.
The Sox have done pretty much nothing but win since Manny came on board - but when they don't win like in 2006 or when things aren't going Manny's way he shows signs that things could get ugly real fast. Mannys recent conduct reinforce that. I think if the Red Sox had not played deep into the playoffs and/or World Series in 2003, 2004 and 2007, etc the Manny situation may have turned out to be much uglier than it has been.
Everyone in Red Sox nation wants to close their eyes and play "see no evil" with Manny as long as the Sox are winning...I am just reflecting that enough has now transpired that the Red Sox have a big decision to make with Manny and although conventional wisdom says they will pick up the 1 year option on him - I am just saying that mayeb they won't and we all need to think about what are the factors that will affect that decision.
Manny doesn't believe the Sox have any options other than paying him which is why he cried about wanting to know what they are going to do at the All-Satr break - even though every adult MLB player knows team management waits until the end of the season to worry about such items. Giving him the 1-year option is not the only course of action and my article just looked at all sides of the complex issue that is Manny Ramirez these days.
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Ray Glennon 11 months ago
How much did Theo Epstein pay you to write the article? Or perhaps you just happen to have a personal grudge against Manny, that would seem more plausible. Comparing Manny to Mike Tyson is ridiculous. Tyson is a thug with an IQ approaching an imbecile while Manny is generally just a harmless child (as you implied). I never found Tyson to be entertaining, but perhaps you thought biting off earlobes to be in fashion a few years ago. Yes he did go overboard with McCormick, but likewise the ticket request could have easily been granted (I don't recall the Astros having many sellouts this season).
I suppose it's a sacrilege to call out the Red Sox management at the time of the All-Star game? Personally I think he got exactly what he wanted, management doesn't seem to want to commit to anything and he said let's do something or get of the potty! OK boy wonder, are you up to the task?
Management has to make decisions every day and the numbers generally dictate the outcome. You entirely missed the message however, this is Manny versus Theo! Manny will be Manny, he'll put up offense and play sloppy defense and always have the silly grin. How about Theo? What will Theo do, that is the question! The fans need to know what Theo being Theo translates to.
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Eddie Jackman 11 months ago
Ray - In the late 80's and early 90's when Tyson was the undisputed champion of the world he was at the top of his game, hadn't been accused of rape, hadn't bitten anyones ear off, and most thought he was the best thing to happen to Heavyeweight boxing since Ali...or Rocky...who wasn't even real.
We knew from hsi interviews and from out of the ring conduct that he was mentally just a bizarre child but he had yet do do the crazy things that accompanied his downfall. Manny is at the same stage right now - he's at the top of his game and perhaps as last years numbers showed - he has begun his descent. He is looking for another long term deal giving him $18-20 Million a year and is not happy as it looks like he won't get both. The Sox may pick up his extension and give him the $20 Mil or another team may sign him to a long term deal but it wont be for $20 Mil a year.
When Ramirez lost his temper over being told he couldn't get what he wanted in tickets he temporarily lost his mind and knocked down a senior citizen. People that want to bruch off that incident think Jack McCormick is some team attendant - he is almost 70. What Manny did was crazy and its not the good crazy that describes the rest of the wacky stuff he has done to this point. This incident may be the first of others that accompany the end of the line with Manny and the Sox.
I hope not - I am a huge Red Sox fan and love offensively what he has done for the team. But he is not irreplaceable - his offensive numbers in the past year are not top 5 numbers anymore - barely Top 50 from some reports I have read from professional sources.
I posed your very question about Theo and what he will do in my article - its the premise of the whole thing. Re-look questions 3-4-5 at the bottom of the column. they are all about what will Red Sox management do with the situation they currently have on their hands.
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