Manny being Manny
February 22nd, 2007 by shtiny
Is there anything really wrong with Ramirez taking an extra week vactation to “take care of my mother”?
Today’s report: Despite not planning to report to Red Sox camp until March 1, Manny Ramirez is reportedly scheduled to appear at a car show in Atlantic City Saturday.
Now there clearly is a difference between Spring Training and training camp, but there are several players who miss the first couple weeks of training camp with contractual issues (see Walter Jones) Is it so bad to just say, I don’t feel like showing up until March 1st. I don’t have a reason other that I am not interested in learning about the fundamentals of the game. I mean does Manny Ramirez really need to work on his bunting skills, or hitting the correct cutoff man?
February 22nd, 2007 at 2:53 pm
In a town where guys like Williams, Yaz, and Rice were routinely roasted… it never ceases to amaze me how much of a free pass the fans (and some of the media) give this guy. This whole “Manny being Manny” BS is beyond aggravating - but the fact remains that he’s breakin no rules by staying out until March 1, regardless of whether he wants to offer a half-hearted excuse or just thumb his nose and say “cuz I don’t wanna”.
As long as he puts up his 40 HR, 125 RBI… he’ll continue to get a pass. But that’s the rub, the other three Sox LF I mentioned put up huge numbers… yet fans still found something to piss on them about. I just don’t get it.
February 22nd, 2007 at 3:03 pm
Not unlike the dichotomy in New York between the pagan idolatry of Derek Jeter and open hostility toward Alex Rodriguez. In 2005 the guy was the AL MVP. In 2006 he “only” puts up 35 HRs and 121 RBIs, with OPS a mere .915, and they’re ready to run him out of town on a rail. WTF?
February 22nd, 2007 at 4:08 pm
Whilst we’re on the Jeter-ARod dichotomy, here’s an example of how there’s “lies, damn lies, and statistics”. I think it was ESPN that showed the stat comparing select postseason stats for the past three years - and it showed how Jeter was better than ARod.
Now, interesting to note that ARod has better *career* postseason numbers (but why would you want a larger - i.e. more relevant - sample size, right?). ARod was blamed for the 2004 ALCS (yes, Tank, it was real - and it was spectacular) - yet it was Jeter who had the horrible overall series. Like most of the rest of his teammates, ARod did well in the first three games and then did poorly in the next four. (Captain) Saint Jeter does nothing *all* series, but it’s A-Rod’s fault that the Yankees became the first team in the history of MLB to blow a 3-0 postseason series lead.
If ARod has a better postseason this year than Jeter, then the kneepadders will figure a way to manipulate the stats to *still* show that Jeter is “clearly better”.
February 23rd, 2007 at 1:01 pm
“Jon Heyman of SI.com speculates that the latest batch of Manny Ramirez distractions could cause the Red Sox to once again look into trading him, perhaps to the Rockies.”
Jeez… what kind of numbers would Manny put up in Colorado?
February 23rd, 2007 at 1:35 pm
“Speculates” is the best way to describe this drivel. How exactly is this *any* different than the past six years? Last year alone, he didn’t show up until March 1 (per CBA) and was a legitimate MVP candidate through August. If he was gonna get traded, it would’ve been a month or two ago. It’s a non-story.
Regarding Colorado, I do think the Helton thing could resurface - and I’ll post separately about that later.
February 23rd, 2007 at 2:09 pm
Personally, I love the Manny being Manny thing.
I probably wouldn’t so much if he were on the Mets, but I love it…
February 27th, 2007 at 8:43 am
Well, Jackie MacMullan seems to want to pick up the media-haters for Manny torch. Apparently she’s pissed that he was rude to her when she was leaning in his locker when he arrived yesterday. (She, of course, was not expecting him.)
CHB is too busy hating on Schilling, so he’s off of Manny right now, but I seem to recall him ripping him pretty hard last season when Manny was mailing it in.
But I’m with you guys, as long as he produces I don’t much care what he does. And I realize that it’s wrong that he mails it in once the team is out of the race, but (a) at least it shows that he cares somewhat when they are in it, and (b) the best remedy for that is to stay in the mothereffing race.
February 28th, 2007 at 6:12 am
Regarding that last thought… word.
Regarding the first bit on MacMullan, (a) I’ve always liked her, so it disappoints me that she’d react that way, and (b) does this mean that Manny is actually “early” to camp (you know, by Manny standards)?