Oakland A's: Why They Must Keep Manny Ramirez Away from Yoenis Cespedes

"Thank God, I already made my money. I'm here, like I said, because I love the game, I love to compete. It doesn't matter how much money you make. If you love the game, it doesn't matter. What you want is a chance to prove to people that you still can do it. So for me, it was not about the money, I could have gone someplace else."  - Manny Ramirez, 2011

Ramirez made that statement shortly after signing with the Tampa Bay Rays last offseason. This year, after arriving at Oakland A's camp last week, Ramirez said, "I'm happy I got a job. Just got to go and compete and prove to people I can still play. With God's help, I'm going to make the team."

Manny Ramirez has said he found God. "If you don't have God in your heart," he said, "it doesn't mean anything. So now I appreciate my family more, my kids, the game."

That's great. I have nothing against God; but that doesn't absolve Ramirez of his actions and the kind of player he's been since his debut with the Cleveland Indians in 1993. When he arrived last year in Tampa Bay, he said the same ideas, mentioning God, saying that money wasn't a factor, ultimately wanting to just prove his worth. Not even a full month into the season, he disappeared. He did show his worth, but it barely added up to anything.

There are so many reasons why a team like Oakland wouldn't want a notoriously bad character like Ramirez in their young locker room. If his failed drug test in 2003 with the Red Sox wasn't enough, Oakland could look at his suspension in 2009 due to another failed drug test with the Dodgers. If those two reasons weren't enough, they could look at his completely diminished performance with the White Sox in which he hit only a single home run in 24 games.  

After his disastrous and brief stay in Chicago, they could also look at his even shorter five-game stint with the Tampa Bay Rays, in which he went 1-for-17 before abruptly retiring due to yet another failed drug test. What's more concerning, however, and speaks more about his character, is that Ramirez didn't even have the decency to tell the team himself. The Rays found out through the MLB commissioner's office. And if all of that wasn't enough to scare a team away, back in September, Ramirez was arrested on a domestic battery charge.  

Now enter Yoenis Cespedes, a young outfielder already with a reputation of being flashy, who the A's recently signed to an expensive $36 million contract. No doubt Cespedes will be drawn to the Latin American star Ramirez. But is it wise to have a guy like Ramirez come walking through that door midway through Cespedes' first season in America?

Cespedes will already have enough adjusting to do as it is, going up against a completely new and more talented set of pitchers he'll have to learn, and quite possibly a corner outfield position that he's not used to. It's going to require a lot of time and effort, and when in his career has Ramirez been a model example of hard work? In a Sports Illustrated article, a former coach of Ramirez revealed that Ramirez only focuses on one aspect of his game.

"Everyone always said what a hard worker Manny is. That is true, but only on his hitting,'' the former coach said. "Do you think he worked on his defense? No. His base running? No. He didn't work on anything but hitting.''

Though Ramirez will only be asked to DH and nothing else, it speaks volume as to the kind of player Ramirez is. He's willing to work, but only when he feels like it. Since his days in Boston, he has given up on every team he has been with. It's obvious he didn't care about any possible consequences, which is probably the reason why he's the only player to have failed two drug tests since they became mandatory in 2005. For some time, people have let "Manny be Manny," because the other half of the player was a legitimate superstar, capable of changing the game with one swing. Unfortunately for the A's, the last time Ramirez has put up over 20 home runs in a season was back in 2008. So, if you're not getting the superstar Ramirez, who are you left with?

It's possible that Ramirez is sincere when he says he's only interested in playing the game, and he's going to be a positive example. But would it surprise anyone if midway through his comeback he returns to just going through the motions? What does he have to lose? It's certainly a dangerous situation: Ramirez has no incentive whatsoever to perform and play at a high level. There's no money he's trying to earn and, probably being with the A's, there's no World Series he's trying to win.  

All you have to go off of if you're Billy Beane and the A's is the word of a player whose broken all the rules and would rather quit the game than own up to a contract and commitment in Tampa Bay. Well, Ramirez is back now, but there's just no way of knowing whether or not it's possible for him to change after 19 years of just being Manny.