Manny to The Giants? Only For The Desperate and Impatient

For the last three weeks I have been hearing non-stop demands for the Giants front office to do whatever is necessary to bring Manny Ramirez to the Giants. While I must admit that my personal bias and dislike for Manny will undoubtedly cloud this article—I believe Manny in orange and black clashes.

First and most important is Manny's character (or lack there of). While it is reported that Manny is a great teammate because of his childlike love of the game, it is also reported that he has the emotional maturity of a child. People seem to have forgotten that Manny didn't just stop playing and demand a trade last year, but he had been creating that recurring saga almost every year that he was with the Red Sox.

People believe that the Giants should sign Manny because he could come at a considerable discount for a hitter of his ilk. However, those people don't seem to understand that Manny left a city that loved him, a team that was darn close to another championship and oh yeah, $40 million. To think that Manny will sign, much less play, for anything less is sillier than him diving in front of the cut off man or making a catch and high fiving a fan.

The Giants' current payroll is already 30 percent larger than last years, so the notion that the they aren't spending any money is a little overstated. While I agree that adding Manny immediately makes the Giants front runners in the West, it doesn't exactly give them the same status in the National League. Winning the West is a little like winning a foot race against a bunch of five year olds.

One question I have for Giants fans is: What happened to rebuilding? I know that the Giants are in the midst of a streak of four straight losing seasons but only one of those included looking at the talent currently assembled.

Three of those years were lost to Barry Bonds' much maligned home run chase, lost by surrounding him with veterans in hopes he could be milked for one last career year and eke the team into the playoffs.

So one year of rebuilding, which included a better record than many would of thought, a Cy Young award and the emergence Brian Wison (41 saves,) and Pablo Sandovol (.345 avg. in 145 AB) and Giants fans are already impatient? Really?

Others are saying "Who better than the Giants to deal with a selfish, problem-laden left fielder." While funny, it's not sound reasoning to bring Manny into the fold, obviously. While I have true Giant hatred of the Dodgers, beating an L.A. team with Manny is much more appealing to me than beating them without Manny.

Lastly, with Bonds going to court and the steroid issue resurfacing with A-Rod, the Giants are in dire need of a new look. Because of BALCO and Bonds, the Giants are the poster team for the "do whatever it takes to win" attitude.

Adding a player who may not be guilty of steroids, but who is still a poster child for the greed that is ruining the game, would seem to be "doing whatever it takes to win" and it is time for that mantra to change. 

Perhaps what is most disturbing is the Giants willingness to take a look at Manny and make room for him in their outfield. Meanwhile Bobby Abreu, who was signable for a fraction of the money of Manny, goes overlooked. You can now pencil Abreu in for 100 RBIs and 20 HR for the Angels: two statistical numbers that no Giant reached last year, but that is a story for another time.