Aramis Ramirez: How Will He Be Received by Cubs Fans?

Aramis Ramirez returns to Wrigley tonight. Not since his days as a Pittsburgh Pirate has he held a view at Wrigley other than from the home dugout.

I think I'm looking forward to seeing what type of reception he receives from the home crowd, the fans who cheered him on for the last nine years.

Lamar Odom returned to Los Angeles in March only to hear the likes of many boos. Something he called confusing and hurtful. Why would Laker fans boo Lamar Odom? The guy was traded. He didn't ask to leave. He's married to a Kardashian, one of their demi-gods (Shouldn't all of us be booing Los Angeles?).

I sincerely believe that Cubs fans are not classless like that.

We aren't the type to boo a player who was traded or signed elsewhere out of necessity. Aramis didn't "take his talents" to Milwaukee on national television. He understood, after being told, that the Cubs were going in a youthful direction.

He went to a team with a great chance to win. He did it quietly, harboring no ill-will toward Chicago or the Cubs organization. And he did it for the relatively paltry sum of three years for $36 million. $12 million a year for a guy who has averaged 28 HRs and 97 RBIs over the last nine years is a bargain.

At 34 years old, he has another couple of very good years left.

Ramirez was a great player for the Cubs. He played hard and never played the prima donna role. He won a lot of games for us.

I'll be watching tonight and sincerely looking forward to the cheers that accompany his first plate appearance.

Please don't disappoint me Cubs fans. We're better than Los Angeles and New York. They may lay claim to whatever it is they like to lay claim to, but being good fans can't be one of them.

Fair weather at best—I don't want us to put in the same category.