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:: Thursday, July 31, 2008 ::

:: Manny being Manny ::
Fans of baseball know that Boston outfielder Manny Ramirez is always good for some interesting drama a few times a season. But I found his latest quotes interesting:

"The Red Sox don't deserve a player like me," Ramirez told ESPNdeportes.com Wednesday. "During my years here, I've seen how they [the Red Sox] have mistreated other great players when they didn't want them to try to turn the fans against them.

"The Red Sox did the same with guys like Nomar Garciaparra and Pedro Martinez, and now they do the same with me. Their goal is to paint me as the bad guy. I love Boston fans, but the Red Sox don't deserve me. I'm not talking about money. Mental peace has no price, and I don't have peace here."

I'll try to break this down so we can figure out what the fuck he's talking about:

"The Red Sox don't deserve a player like me..."
No, they do not for reasons I'll get into later. But this is about the only truthful thing he says.

"During my years here..."
I'm willing to bet good money that he couldn't tell how many years that is. In fact, I'm convinced that last year during the playoff run against the Indians, he probably thought he was still playing for Cleveland.

"...I've seen how they [the Red Sox] have mistreated other great players when they didn't want them to try to turn the fans against them."
Teams as well-run and dedicated to its fanbase as Boston have no need to turn fans against its players. The fans are knowledgeable and capable enough to do it on their own. Just ask Bill Buckner.

"The Red Sox did the same with guys like Nomar Garciaparra and Pedro Martinez, and now they do the same with me..."
Garciaparra went from being an injury-prone perennial MVP candidate to injury prone clubhouse cancer and defensive liability. He only productive season since that 2004 trade was in 2006 where he had a solid .505 slugging percentage but managed to stay healthy for only 122 games. He's currently on the DL, where he and his husband Mia Hamm have built a second home.

Boston decided against re-signing Pedro in 2004 because of concerns about the health of his shoulder. They were willing to go two years but he got four from the Mets. He pitched effectively in 2005 but underwent major reconstructive surgery for his shoulder in 2006 and has been a non-factor since, something they predicted might happen. When Pedro returned to Fenway with the Mets during an Interleague series, Boston played a tribute video for Pedro on their Jumbotron and the fans gave him a standing ovation even though he never played an inning.

These two examples don't shout "mistreatment." It was merely the moves done by a shrewd organization that doesn't feel the pressure to spend money for the sake of spending money. Also, Boston shelled out over $130 MILLION in salary for their collective services. I'm having trouble seeing any mistreatment.


"Their goal is to paint me as the bad guy."
He did this to himself, and again the fans don't need encouragement. (A few beers usually does the trick.)

"I love Boston fans..."
He loves himself. And money.

"Mental peace has no price, and I don't have peace here."
He's right about the "mental" part.

"...the Red Sox don't deserve me."
No they don't. The Red Sox are the envy of many organizations for their ability to develop and sign talent, and their commitment to winning and to their fans are one of the reasons why Sox fans are so obnoxious loyal and attract so many bandwagon fans outside of New England.

They certainly aren't afraid to spend money on players that embody that gritty Red Sox persona (Mike Lowell, Jason Varitek, Josh Beckett) and those players hold each other accountable during the long season.

So you're right. They don't deserve a player who loafs to first base during a no-hitter, someone who's widely regarded as the worst defensive left fielders currently playing or someone constantly makes trade demands every season because he's not happy with something, or something who's determined to sabotage his own season and by extension that of his team just because he's bickering with management.

They deserve better. They deserve someone who gives a shit.

Of course, as I was writing this post, THIS happens. So forget everything I just wrote. Manny's going to kick some major ass and my Dodgers are going all the way!

(This is what I've been telling myself so I won't self-immolate.)

(Seriously though, haven't we Dodgers fans been through this already?)

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:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 5:46 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
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