Manny Ramirez: You Used To Tick Me Off, Now You've Made Me Hermatile

Manny, go ahead and tell me again. It’s just Manny being Manny. That phrase has turned out to be synonymous with “stupid is as stupid does.”

Instead, now we find maybe it’s nothing more than Manny being juiced.

As a Boston Red Sox fan, I was glad when the front office of the Sox organization finally said enough is enough. Despite the player’s production, management traded the prima donna away.

I was at the front of the line with my salutations: goodbye, good riddance, adios, au revoir, ciao, hasta la vista, sayonara. Watch the door on your way out.

Oops, that wasn’t the door—it was my boot.

I could have written an article about your hermatile tendencies throughout your career with the Red Sox. Instead, I get to applaud the fact that you are no longer part of Boston’s worries.

I’ve railed against drug use in sports, whether that were steroids or performance enhancers, and I’ve played devil's advocate on the subject to get a better understanding of the issue.

But this article isn’t about drug usage other than how your selfish nature has allowed you to use questionable or “banned substances” while in the employ of another Major League Baseball team, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The team who actually saved you from your own greed this offseason to bring you back to Los Angeles. But again, Manny being Manny, you have transcended the smaller stage of the individual teams that employ you.

The national stage spotlight is where you prefer to reside. In this day and age, with so much attention being focused on drugs being used by professional athletes, did you figure the MLB would give you a pass if you ever got caught?

I would say I hope you will learn a lesson, but your ego would never allow you to admit culpability and your 50-game suspension will only hurt your team and the fans.

Your excuse? The doctor gave me the medication that had banned substances in the chemistry.

If your millions cannot secure the services of an exemplary physician that can help you avoid the full list of banned substances, then I have no hope for a competent doctor at my local HMO.

Still, there are fans that will come to your defense and they will make convincing arguments that you are just being persecuted. Those same fans will stand by your side no matter what Manny says or does.

I’m not quite as blinded as that.

You have shown me once again that you are incapable of appreciation for your fan base. The sad fact is that you care not for those who are at the root of your salary, the fans.

It’s always been all about Mercenary Manny.

For that selfish act alone, you make me hermatile.

To Editors: Hermatile is not a real word yet. I figure if I use it often enough I'll get it in to Webster's Dictionary eventually. Hermatile: extreme and excessive bitchy behavior (not gender specific). Further definition can be found at the following link:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hermatile