Green Monster and Manny

Each baseball season brings new books about the national pastime. Some are stats-driven, a la Bill James's sabermetric specials. Some go deep on hardball heroes and seasons past. A few take swings at the game itself -- none more mightily than ''Game of Shadows," which tackles Barry Bonds and the steroids scandal.

But what in the name of Bob Uecker would a book about Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez look like? Given Ramirez's endearingly childlike qualities and the way sports-talk hosts tread upon Planet Manny (lots of Legos and coloring-book jokes), one might hazard the following guess: a children's book.

Thus comes ''The Story of Manny Being Manny," a kids' book designed to work on a couple of levels, according to its author, Todd Balf.

''The ideal audience is a 6- or 7-year-old," says Balf, a magazine journalist from Beverly who has written two nonfiction books about high-risk expeditions. ''But there's also the dad or mom who might pick it up for a laugh." He adds, ''To me, 'Manny being Manny' is a state of mind as much as anything."

Illustrated by Balf's father, Oliver, a teacher and artist, the self-published book (contact jogapress@comcast.net for details) trades liberally on Manny's free-spirit, what-me-worry persona. There are references to Manny's frequent trade demands and his habit of taking days off at inopportune times. That game last season where Manny ducked inside the Green Monster and barely got back before play resumed? It's in here.

Writes Balf: ''He wasn't like other sluggers/Wanting this, worrying about that/Sometimes he used a teammate's bat/Often he misplaced his outfield hat."

Forget George Will or Leigh Montville. Biographically speaking, Manny has hooked up with Dr. Seuss.

''Is he aware of the book? Not as of yet, " admits Balf. ''I wasn't sure how I wanted to present this to Manny. But I hope he'll be amused."

More seriously, Balf says he wrote ''Manny Being Manny" to celebrate Ramirez -- not mock him -- as a beloved ballplayer who marches to his own iPod. If the book succeeds commercially, Balf offers to share proceeds with Manny's foundation, or donate copies to Red Sox Kids Nation, a fan club for young diehards. And if he ever gets to meet Manny in person?

''I'd say, 'Manny, this book was inspired by your example on and off the field,' " Balf says. '' 'Now, when can we do our first book-signing together?' "

JOSEPH P. KAHN