Manny Ramirez and the Boston Red Sox: Is the Marriage Finally Over?

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. 

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