Manny media roundup
It's Aug. 1, 2008 A.M. (After Manny). Do you know who your left fielder is?
Jason Bay is heading to Boston and Manny Ramirez is expected to be suiting up for the Dodgers tonight at Chavez Ravine, where LA will take on the D-Backs. Here's a quick roundup of the local and national commentary on the big deadline deal that went down yesterday.
First up, WBZ-TV has video of Manny leaving Boston today for Los Angeles, where the former Sox slugger basically ignored reporters on his way to Logan airport.
In today's Providence Journal, Sean McAdam writes that Sox GM Theo Epstein met with veteran players on Wednesday night to discuss moving Manny:
General manager Theo Epstein was working with a mandate from within his own clubhouse. After his team’s dispiriting loss to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Wednesday night, Epstein met with a handful of Red Sox veterans, all of whom delivered the same message: Manny had to go.If his antics weren’t directly responsible for the team’s slide — the Sox have lost five of six on the current homestand, their worst stretch of play at Fenway all season — they were certainly serving as a distraction.
Worse, the players feared that if Ramirez remained with the Sox for the rest of the season, he couldn’t be counted upon in the middle of a pennant race. In their minds, there were no guarantees that Ramirez wouldn’t engage in further petulant displays that could sidetrack the team’s playoff push.
ESPN's Peter Gammons weighed in with a blog entry last night and says this was a deal that had to get done:
... They already had threatened him with an unpaid suspension, but in a world in which the union fights for those who don't work, the last two months were going to be a living hell of sit-down strikes, followed by suspensions. It would have been a half-season of what the past two weeks have been, namely a choke hold on the team's baseball culture.Ramirez tried to sit, citing his knee. Problem is, after Felix Hernandez and Joba Chamberlain had come and gone, the Red Sox ownership and medical staff ordered him to take an MRI. If Ramirez hadn't forgotten which knee was bothering him, he would have been more convincing, but he got mixed up. Massachusetts General Hospital performed MRIs on both knees and found nothing, and the next day, ownership served Ramirez with a written notice that if he did not play, he would be suspended without pay.
Someday, when we really understand the whole 1980-2005 steroids era of which one admitted user says, "The only guys who didn't do them after 1994 were either stupid or scared," we might ask the question: Was it worse to take performance-enhancing drugs to perform better and win, or to decline to play and steal money? ...
The way Boston looked at it was that, fine, Ramirez was gone, and Bay seemed the best replacement with his season averages of 32 homers and 102 RBIs. To get him at the end of the season would have cost more than Moss and Hansen, so they did the deal now. Their feeling was that if Bay adjusts to Boston right away, and they settle their bullpen, they will contend. They do not think they would have contended with their $20 million player on strike.
The Boston Herald's Gerry Callahan writes that Manny really was a bad man:
There was always something uneasy about the love and adoration that Red Sox fans showered on Ramirez. The hard-hitting half-wit was born with the ability to put a bat on ball better than most mortals, but that’s where his virtues end. He doesn’t play the game right. Too often he doesn’t play the game hard. He cares about his contract and his hair and not much else.He didn’t care about the wounded troops at Walter Reed Army Medical Center this past February. When most of his teammates, including all of the big stars, made the trip to Washington, he stayed behind. Probably no one on the team had the ability to make a down-on-his-luck Sox fan smile like Manny Ramirez did, but as usual, Ramirez couldn’t be bothered. As usual, teammates, fans and media made excuses for him. Again, the great hitter was allowed to be a rotten human being.
Also in the Herald, Tony Massarotti writes that Manny won this showdown with the Sox:
Make no mistake, Ramirez wore out his welcome here, and in some ways it is a miracle that the breakup took this long. Ramirez had lost virtually all support in the Boston clubhouse by the conclusion of Wednesday’s unsightly 9-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels, after which just about anyone in a Sox uniform seemed prepared to toss Ramirez from the right field roof deck.Said one Sox player when asked about such a level of frustration with Ramirez: “We’re way past that.”
And then this: “He just doesn’t care.”
Nonetheless, the Red Sox have had more than their share of chances to trade Ramirez over the years. Each time, the Sox came to the same conclusion: they couldn’t get anything remotely resembling equal value. ...
Now Manny gets it all - the get-out-of-jail-free card from Boston, another chance at the World Series, a two-month audition with a Dodgers team that was willing to bet that Ramirez will play August and September with dollar signs in his eyes.
In today's LA Times, Bill Shaikin has Nomar Garciaparra supporting Manny's contention that the Sox tried to paint him as the "bad guy" on his way out of town.:
"There's a lot of truth to what he said," Garciaparra said at his Dodger Stadium locker Thursday, two hours after the Dodgers acquired Ramirez. "I can definitely understand and relate. Maybe he'll be next to me [in an adjacent locker], and we can chat and laugh about it."The Red Sox rid themselves of a contract dispute by trading Garciaparra at the deadline four years ago, and they rid themselves of another one Thursday.
"Manny said he didn't want to leave there," Garciaparra said. "I didn't want to leave there. . . . Were we the only ones that have gone through it? There's a track record. I played with Mo [Vaughn]. I played with Roger [Clemens]."
Bill Plaschke of the LA Times checks in with a column on the Dodgers' big trade for Manny:
Three hours after the trade, Ned Colletti, Dodger general manager, was asked whether he had spoken to Ramirez."I left him a message," said Colletti.
Four hours after the trade, Dodger Manager Joe Torre was asked whether he had spoken to Ramirez.
"I left him a message," said Torre.
Days after the Angels grabbed the national sports spotlight by trading for quiet slugger Mark Teixeira, the Dodgers have thrown a massive counterpunch by acquiring a guy who is part Hollywood and part Dagwood.
A guy who occasionally swings like Babe Ruth and is consistently as nutty as a Baby Ruth.
The only thing that flops around more than his trademark dreadlocks are his moods.
Nobody in baseball history has hit more postseason homers -- 24 -- yet when the 2007 world champion Red Sox visited the White House, Ramirez didn't show up.
"I guess his grandmother died again," President Bush said at the time. "Just kidding."
LA Times columnist T.J. Simers checks in with a piece on the Manny trade and has some comments from Dodgers' Derek Lowe and Jeff Kent:
"He's a difference maker," pitcher Derek Lowe said, and with my apologies to Angel Berroa, the Dodgers don't have any of those.Lowe, who played with Ramirez in Boston, was almost giddy at the prospect of playing with him again, calling this the biggest move in his time with the Dodgers.
How soon he forgets the trade for Mark Hendrickson.
"This may be the best right-handed hitter I have ever seen," Lowe said. "It's like Barry Bonds coming up. There is a different intensity in the place -- very few people catch your attention like Manny can." ...
Some people might not know it, but Kent and Ramirez were teammates in Cleveland, "before he had the dreds," Kent said. "I see the dreds now and I feel I'm on vacation in Jamaica. We went there and my wife came home with dreds just like Manny has now."
The fact that Ramirez might remind Kent of his wife on vacation, along with his previous rocky relationship with Bonds, explains why so many people e-mailed wanting to know how Kent is going to get along with Ramirez.
"Barry Bonds and I went to the World Series together," Kent said. "Barry Bonds and I each won a MVP award playing together."
Bill Burt of the Eagle-Tribune writes in his blog today that the Jack McCormick incident was the beginning of the end of Manny in Boston:
“That was it for Manny in terms of 2009 and beyond,” said a source with ties to the Red Sox. “If there was any chance of him returning after this season, it ended there. (Ownership) had had enough.”But there was no suspension, which surprised several players.
According to one player, Ramirez’s incident with McCormick crossed the line.
“Jack is the nicest guy you’d ever meet,” said a Sox player who requested anonymity. “A lot of guys on this team were ticked about that.”
As for notion of trading Ramirez, in 2008, that occurred when the Yankees came to Boston last week and he said his knee was too sore to play.
“When you quit on your team, that’s the worst thing you can do,” said the Red Sox player. “He had to go after that.”
In today's New York Post, George King has Jason Giambi being thrilled that Manny is out of the Red Sox lineup, and some thoughts from former Ramirez teammate Johnny Damon:
"It's huge for us," Giambi said of the deal that sent Ramirez to the Dodgers and Jason Bay from the Pirates to the Red Sox. "He kills us every time we play him. Having him in their lineup makes every hitter around him better. With him and [David] Ortiz it was pick your poison. If you are a Yankee fan you have to be excited big time." ...Johnny Damon, a Red Sox teammate of Ramirez's, showered him with praise and took a poke at the Boston playing experience.
"We know we don't have to deal with Manny," Damon said. "Nothing surprises me about Boston. Not too many players leave there happy. It's very well documented going back to [Mike] Greenwell, [Roger] Clemens, Mo Vaughn and Nomar [Garciaparra].
The Post's Joel Sherman writes that a few teams complained about the lateness of the deal:
He was shipped to the Dodgers as part of a three-team blockbuster that was concluded so close to yesterday's 4 p.m. deadline that a few outside teams contacted the Commissioners Office with complaints that it had gone illegally beyond the allotted time.
Newsday's Ken Davidoff writes that the Yankees weren't celebrating as much as one might think at the reality that Manny won't be knocking in runs against the Bombers in the near future:
In general, however, you didn't sense celebration in the Yankees' corner as much as you inferred suspicion. A hesitancy to get too excited, fueled by respect for the people who run the historic rivals.
"They're pretty smart up there," one Yankees sympathizer said, after news broke that Manny was a Dodger and Jason Bay had joined the Red Sox as part of a three-team deal. "They know what they're doing."
Mike Lupica of the Daily News writes that Manny could wind up in pinstripes after all:
In the end, the Red Sox were willing to essentially pay the Dodgers to get Ramirez off their team and out of their clubhouse and out of town. He is replaced by Jason Bay, who has the same basic numbers this season that Manny does, but is now asked to deliver with the spotlight on him at Fenway Park.The Yankees are happy because Manny goes to play for their old manager now. Maybe it makes it easier for them to beat the Red Sox the rest of the way. Yankee addition by Red Sox subtraction. The Yankees still needed another starting pitcher and didn't get one. But then they've needed one since they passed on Johan Santana.
Manny? He gets out of Boston, which he wanted. Gets one more big stage. Next year he'll probably be DH-ing at an even bigger one: The new Yankee Stadium.
LA Daily News columnist Steve Dilbeck writes that Joe Torre is thrilled to have Manny:
Over the years I have never heard anything negative about him from his teammates," Torre said. "That's usually a particularly good sign."Ramirez is actually a rather likable guy. It figures he can be liked here just fine for a couple of months. If he leaves via free agency and the Dodgers offer arbitration, they get a team's No. 1 draft pick.
What's not to like?
He arrives with his 20 home runs and 68 RBIs. A true cleanup hitter. With one of the biggest bats and the longest hair in baseball.
A difference-maker has fallen into the Dodgers' laps, a gift from the baseball heavens.
Tony Jackson of the LA Daily News has more from Torre and Nomar on what a great teammate Manny is:
"My job is to find a way to make it work," Torre said. "If it's a challenge, it's a challenge. I look forward to it. ... When (Colletti) asked me if I would be interested in (Ramirez), I said, 'You bet.' He has done some things that have gotten a lot of attention, obviously. But to me, the big key to this whole thing is that I have never heard anything negative from his teammates."To me, that is a pretty good sign, because they are usually the first ones to know about something they don't want in the clubhouse, and that isn't the case with him." ...
"He is an awesome guy and an awesome teammate," said Dodgers infielder Nomar Garciaparra, who played with Ramirez in Boston from 2001-2004. "But he prefers to just go out there and play. He is a quiet guy, a shy guy. He doesn't talk much, and he doesn't like attention. He just wants to show up at the ballpark, play the game and go home to his family. There are a lot of guys like that."
It's absolutely idiotic to hear former players like Nomar and Damon rip the Sox management for their treatment of former players such as themselves, Pedro, and Mo Vaughn all of which who skills were diminishing in their final years either by injury or age...and also all of which who thought they should be paid more than they were worth. I'll won't even get into the situation with Clemens because by now everyone's figured that one out.
BYE MANNY......UNHAPPY ,OH WELL LEFT LOTS OF LOYAL FANS UNHAPPY ALSO B/ CARE...YEH U WILL W/ ON FIELD TONITE W/ NEW TEAM....I'LL SEE THOSE $$ SIGNS IN YOUR EYES W/ ON STAGE. PLAY HARD B/C AS KNOW ALL EYES ARE ON U........MAYBE WEAR YOUR PINSTRIPES AFTER ALL. WE ALL KNOW WHY U DIDN'T PLAY AGAINST YANKEES....THEY DO ALSO. "PEACE TRAIN" MANNY WE ALL MAKE OUR OWN WHY...."THIS IS YOURS"?????? I FIND U TO BE A BIT OF A FLAKE...BLESS W/ A GOD GIVEN TALENT. I DO BELIEVE WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND THOUGH MANNY & THATS SCARY. BEST OF LUCK & "GO BOSTON"!
Baseball historians Nomar and Damon didn't dip far enough back to make their players unhappy with Boston charge. Did they forget about Pudge? Oh, wait a minute, that was under Heywood. And Mo and The Firecracker were under Duquette. So maybe it's something in that famous dirty water?
"These might be the two dumbest quotes I have heard so far and it is no surprise that they came from Joe and Nomar. How can you say his teammates never have said anything bad about him?!?! Are you kidding me?!?! And Nomar saying he is quiet and doesn't like the spot light?!?! Are you f'in Kidding me?!?! Not sure if they are talking about a different Manny but the one we just got rid of is exactly this. I am LOVING all of this; It's like a weight has been lifted and we can finally get back to baseball, 'Business as usual' back in Boston!"
Read the article by Wolfe Coleman on bostondirtdogs, it's better than these idiots.
I didn't realize Nomar was still playing MLB. It's great to here Damon and Nomar weighing in. They were smart though. They got paid more than they could've gotten in Boston (well, not true for Nomar). I'm sure the Red Sox are upset they got rid of those 2 and Pedro. Just think...we could have all 4 of those guys and no World Series rings. The ownership drives everyone nuts time to time but I think we need to see how this plays out. Manny has plenty of Karma coming his way...watch out, clown.
The sox management does what they should do, whats best for the team, not whats best for the individual. I think they have showed real backbone in dealing with former boston greats who believed they were owed more then they were worth. We will never know what really goes on behind the scenes but i feel good about it when i look at the players that are leaving and the players who stay. I will always put my faith in the strong silent guys like Wakefield and Veritek before guys like Johnny "we just got punted from the postseason wheres my money" Damon or Manny "90 feet is to far to run" Ramirez.
What a tool. No parting comments to the WBZ reporter for the fans who supported him for the last 7-8 years. No nothing. Thanks for the home runs, the goofball antics, and helping the Sox win two WS but other than that thanks for nothing. You are nothing more than a mercenary and once the money well runs dry, you shut down. Hint: make sure you go overboard with your praise of Dodger fans at your press conference tonight. They'll love you for it.
Sure Nomar... Manny doesn't like attention. He just goes into the Monster to make a phone call to be re-run and re-run on Sportcenter every hour because he's "shy."
And yeah, Torre, not one player had anything bad to say about him. Just that he completely gives up on his team for his own selfishness. I guess that's nothing in LA.
I'm gonna miss Manny like crazy... but seriously? Are these guys talking about the right Manny??
What a joke!!! Gimme a break Nomar. Oh, I'm sorry, 4 years at $60 Mil was just an absolute insult huh? Looks like you made a mistake on that one. Mo, Nomar, Damon, Pedro, Clemens (without the roids) and now Manny were all in the midst of their decline and have proven so since leaving the Sox. Management obviously knows what they're doing. These bitches are the first ones to claim that "it's a business" but also the first to cry when they don't get their way. I am so sick of these whiny, overpaid, pampered douche bags acting like babies. See ya Manny! We will sure miss your bat but I won't miss you disgracing the uniform and the city and its fans. Now Manny can play in front of fans whose support is symbolic of his play. Maybe they'll show up, maybe not, most likely in the third inning if they do. They'll leave early, talk on their cell phones and wear their fancy clothes to the game while they discuss the place to be after the game. What a perfect match. Joe Torre hasn't heard anything negative from any of his teammates, huh? Maybe he should call up the Sox clubhouse. I'm sure they will finally speak their mind. I'll take 9 Dustin Pedroias any day over any of these prima donnas. Beat it Scrub!
Are you saying its been 2008 years since Manny was traded?
It's incredibly sad to see that sports writers had nothing better to do with their time this season so they chose to elevate this dilemma by playing with both Manny and the front office's emotions to try to rake in ratings with the reactions. With Bonds and Clemens out of the headlines, they preyed upon an initially quasi-innocent comment about picking up a salary option in 2009 and turned it into a situation that ended up with hurt feelings for Sox fans, Sox players, Sox management, and Sox ownership. Both Manny and the front office said a lot of ridiculous things that should have never been said. Yes, the incident with Jack needed to be addressed in a disciplinary manner, but the rest of the childishness on the part of Manny and the Sox front office could have been avoided if sports journalists would quit trying to turn their jobs into the sports division of The National Enquirer. A lot of sad things came out of this, and we may have to see another one of our most beloved players (remember the website we all flocked to in good faith to keep him here before) put on those awful NY pinstripes next year.
I love Manny's spirit and attitude and of course, his hitting.... when he feels like being great. But I believe that truly great players always try to be great 100% of the time, even if they're not great 100% of the time, which nobody is. It's sad to see such a talented player go after all these years and all of the good things he's done with the Red Sox, but it was obviously time for him to go. I can't stand a $20 million a year crybaby who acts like the Red Sox have done nothing for him. They gave him the 2nd biggest contract in the history of baseball (at that time). The fans adored him as long as he wasn't being lazy. He may be a future hall of famer, But his attitude needed to be more like Trot Nixon, Kevin Millar, or Johnny Damon, who was great all the way to the end of his contract. Crybaby Nomar should shut up.
The argument that Manny will be Manny and then turn it on in the post season is BS. Manny is getting older and his career has peaked. He may have on again off again streaks of being his old self (hitting wise) but he is over the hill, sliding downward, and he knows it. In June and July you got the feeling that when he got up to base with runners on base "it" just wasn't going to happen for him. You thank the Gods if he grounded one up the middle for a hit. I am sure pushing McCormack down, and all the idiocy spouting from his mouth, came from his internal frustration that he could not perform as well as he had in the past. That is what the downhill slope feels like Manny. The Sox (or anyone else) aren't going to pay you in the future for what you were in the past. They pay based on their notions of what you'll do for them in the future. Now that the world knows that rather than going out and giving it your best shot you'll simply fold, shut down and fein injury so you won't have to embarrass yourself who would want to give you a long term contract.
Nomar and Damon are idiots...
Clemens- a cheater whose skills were diminishing and needed steroids to keep up
Mo- old, fat, roided, AND stalking a stripper in Rhode Island
Nomar- Turns down 60 mil, gets mad because we don't give him more, and then proves us right by being injury prone
Pedro- greedy with the extra year, injuries
Damon- injury after injury...
the list goes on. these morons say that not many people leave boston happy...what is happy? getting what you don't deserve? is happy whats NOT best for the team just so you can get your money? so they should be throwing business out the window simply because you have a big head and think your "loyalty" should be rewarded? Loyalty isn't expecting something and then throwing a hissy fit and leaving when you dont get it. these guys who are talking trash are all selfish babies who don't REALLY understand the business of the game. The FO think with their heads not with their hearts. and look where all these players are now. they're just bitter because the front office was right about them.
Someone should list all the players that DID leave happy. think about it...there are plenty of them.
typical ignorant Red Sox fans, to diss the guy who helped you beat the Yankees and win your 1st World Series in god knows how long, well those days are gone, you have nothing left to scare anyone, the Angels showed us that, and the funny thing is, Manny is going to be in NY with the Yankees where he has wanted to be for a while, Manny has not been happy in Boston since they did not keep Pedro, it was only a matter of time, but to diss him and act like this team would have won without him is idiotic. We always expect that from Boston fans, but the good thing is you won't make the playoffs, so you guys can hang out with that loser Kurt S, and lick your wounds, your door is closed for good. You just lost playoff experience, big bat, and a superstar for a scrub who numbers look better this season, are you kidding me, well you go ahead a enjoy the short Bay, and by the way Ortiz will be next to go, so you can diss him next, smart A-rod not to go to Boston, Damon, Nomar and whoever else are better off out of that ridiculas place, and no loyal fans, the worse fans period, Manny is in Hollywood, money, superstars, celebs, Oh yes, he is where he needs to be the best two Markets L.A. and NY. You guys don't even come close. Rays and Yankees in the playoffs, no Red Sox, so you guys might as well say, (Wait until next year). LOSERS!!!!
the worst thing about the sports media is that, because it's their job, they have to bring us quoyes and "insight" from any players whatsoever.
personally, i'd rather never hear any players opinion. i don't care what you have to say. odds are, you are not intelligent. you are not bringing revelations. "i left a pitch up and he hit it." great.
i love the games, loved playing, like watching. but couldn't we all do without the two cents of these people? they are just (over) paid hired hands. shut up and play. entertain us, monkey!
Manny's behavior has confirmed that he really is the selfish, self-centered adolescent he always seemed to be. He's a 16-year-old in a 36-year-old body. It would've been an impossible situation for the Sox to have him around the rest of the season. He had to go & the team got as much as they could for him. But you know, if he showed up at Fenway next week in a Dodger uniform, the fans would still chant his name (and so would I). Like an adolescent, you can't hate him for long.
We have lost something unique and irreplaceable. It hurts.
We should have given him the 100m, 4-year deal that he wants and will get next year. We should have retired him in a Sox uniform. What would have been so hard about that? We should have loved every moment with him, weird or brilliant or maddening or all three. There will never be another like him in a Sox uniform.
One lost factor here is the decline of Manny's skills. He's still superior, but nowhere near what he was a few years ago. He strikes out more, and is more streaky. Dodger Statium won't help his stats. Bay's numbers are just as good. He also remains a terrible fielder when he's away from Fenway. If the Dodgers think that he will take them from .500 to a World Series they are nuts. And as for the Yankees, let them sign him for five years. Good. That's business as usual with those morons. Manny in 2012 will be awful, and he will not decline gracefully. And Yankee fans had better not count on him doing steroids to prop up his skills (ala Giambi). He's not competitive enough to bother. I'm not sure that this move helps the Sox this year, but it is smart and will help them down the road. Bay is a nice piece, either as a player (if he works out) or in a trade.
The problem is not that the Red Sox felt the need to get rid of players like Nomar and Manny and Mo and Lowe and Pedro etc.
The problem is the ownership team feels that in order to prevent a public relations backlash from the fans (angry about losing these guys) they need to wage a PR war and leak information to the media to paint these guys as bad human beings.
They should just be honest and up front with both the fans and the players.
After 7 1/2 years and two world titles, Manny deserved a straight answer -- are you gonna pick up my option or not.
The guy at the center of the PR hatchet job in nearly all these cases is Larry Lucchino. He and his flunkies leak info to many many media outlets.
The funny part is that Lucchino pulled the same media PR hatchet job on Theo Epstein when Eptein left the team a few years ago.
The bottom line is -- I don't care if players are nice guys or bad guys or treat team employees like garbage or talk to the media or don't.
Just win baby. Keep racking up those titles.
I wish none of you guys were at the Airport to not get quotes from Fanny.
He should have left alone with no security like a complete stranger.
Fanny is gone, if we keep talking and writing he will love it. Lets do some Jason Bay stories. Whats his favorite color? Does he like dogs or cats? Anything but Fanny stories.
What silly and self serving comments from Nomar and the others. Nomar is lost on the depth chart of the Dodgers, Damon is a part time player and Pedro can not string two starts together. Oh please it gets worse- Joe Torre said he has never heard anything bad about Manny from a teamate. These guys belong in the wacky Bush administration.
Boy, Does Joe Torre sure know how to say all the "right" things. I hope his tongue wasn't so far in his cheek that it's now permanently stuck there.
Gee, the Red Sox REALLY guessed wrong on Nomar, didn't they? Steroid boy has missed more games than Freddie Lynn EVER thought of missing. If your a gambler, the best "action" you can ever get is whether "steroid boy" Nomar is going to play on any given night. "The Juice" should be thanking Allah that ANYONE wants him on their team, and is actually signing a paycheck for him.
As a Dodger fan, sadly, Frank McCourts Boston connection is going to bring down the Dodgers just as every owner's stupidity has since the signing of Darryl Strawberry. Dodgers 51/2 out at the end.
This guy is baseball player. People shouldn't forget that. We're giving up one of the best bats in the history of the game. And for all his antics-- psychologically damning as people and pundits may find them to be-- he F'in delivered in the post-season. That said, I have faith in our management. The time had come. But we shouldn't be so fast to throw Manny under the bus. We didn't pay him to be a PR guru, we paid him to swing a damn bat.
Red Sox management did the right thing letting bitter old/injured players go. I was surprised to hear Nomar was playing again. They rode the horse big time and got paid. Now, we hardly hear about them. They are non-factors wherever they go. They have to support each other however, because they are the same. They see money and nothing else. When Manny plays well in LA he will prove that he was a jerk, giving up on his team and this entire region. I couldn't be more happy we got rid of all these prima donna players. They became celebrities wearing a Red Sox uniforms. At least, they should not lie and say that every player leaves the Red Sox unhappy.
"He (Manny Ramirez) doesn't talk much, and he doesn't like attention." - Nomar Garciaparra. Brilliant Nomar, brilliant. The California sun must have gotten to your brain. While you were off being injured or playing soccer; Manny was doin nothing but talking (just ask ESPNdeportes) and getting attention. Listen; someone who high fives a fan in the middle of a play (while great to watch) is not the shyest person in the world.
The truth is, the Sox shot themselves in the foot a long time ago by allowing his antics and attitude to be acceptable. They sacrificed team moral and game values for numbers and production. No different than any other corporation. Manny is a monster of their own creation and they just fed the monster too much. Good, bad, or otherwise; that's just the truth.
And Mr. Damon; you can't group Clemens, Nomar, Mo, & Gator, all in the same category. Each player left under separate circumstances and many under different ownership. Was I sad to see Nomar go; of course; but the truth is he was never goin to be the same player after his wrist injury. Am I sad to see Manny go? Of course; but the truth is that he was becoming a cancer in the dugout and had gone from an elite player to an above average player. Was I said to see you go? Of course; but the truth is you sold out for a bit more money and showed your true colors. This is a business and you can't play both sides. You can't say you have to do what’s best for you but then "poo-poo" an origination when they do what’s best for them.
We as fans owed Manny a great deal of gratitude; for joyous and often hilarious memories of a great player and for the belief that our Sox could be a winner. The Sox owed Manny the money in his contract. Manny owed the Sox and the fans his effort and dedication to fulfill that contract; hey 2 out of 3 ain't bad. Seems, after all, Manny was just out for Manny.
I have a call to the Boston sports press. NO MORE MANNY ARTICLES. He's gone, good riddance! Write about who IS playing for the Sox. No boxes showing his production with his new "team". There is no Manny in "team" so good luck to Dodgers.
On to the rest of the 2008 season without the soap opera. Just hard-nosed, well-played baseball!
Theo is a Dope. Every year GM's line up to take Theo to school. While at the same time the Yankees and Angles are stealing players.
Time for Theo and the owners to move on.
If anyone is out of line it's the Red Sox owners, for planting stories on everyone Red Sox player they want to trade. How do the fans buy the same stories over and over again, year after year?
Even if J. Bay is an All Star; Theo should step down. J. Bay would have to be an All Star outfielder, first round/overpaid/relief pitcher, High draft pick/4th outfielder, two sandwich draft picks and give Theo $7,000,000 just so the trade is push. Better yet give the season ticket holder the $7 mil, they are the ones who put the money up.
I been a Sox fan since birth and cannot think of any other avenue that the team could have taken than the one taken. Individuals can be great on their own but it is only the collection of team players with one determine goal that can bring success. Manny, was no longer part of that mix. He was selfishly thinking on his own advantage and not the team's. I can understand that management in all teams can play hardball especially when negotiations on big contracts are closing in, but what Manny did to force the hand was inexcusable. He could have finish the year with all the big numbers and if at the end the contract was no good, he could have done all the antics after the season was over. I don't judge comments from other players because everyone sees their reality from their own mirror, but regardless of management treatment of other players in the past, e.g. Nomar, Pedro and Mo Vaughn, this management team brought to Boston what no else did for almost a century. Let's support them in this one and let Jason Bey prove everyone wrong.
I been a Sox fan since birth and cannot think of any other avenue that the team could have taken than the one taken. Individuals can be great on their own but it is only the collection of team players with one determine goal that can bring success. Manny, was no longer part of that mix. He was selfishly thinking on his own advantage and not the team's. I can understand that management in all teams can play hardball especially when negotiations on big contracts are closing in, but what Manny did to force the hand was inexcusable. He could have finish the year with all the big numbers and if at the end the contract was no good, he could have done all the antics after the season was over. I don't judge comments from other players because everyone sees their reality from their own mirror, but regardless of management treatment of other players in the past, e.g. Nomar, Pedro and Mo Vaughn, this management team brought to Boston what no else did for almost a century. Let's support them in this one and let Jason Bey prove everyone wrong.
Hey Deelighted,
I think your mom is calling you out of the basement for bath time. While you're at it, your AARP magazine is on the kitchen table. Enjoy.
The Sox made a dumb move getting rid of Manny, and now all of the sudden the media is coming up with stories from Sox players that said he had to go???Don't believe everything you read, the Sox do have a history of painting departed players as bad guys, sure Nomar, Pedro and possibly Mo weren't worth keeping long term, but to be-little their accomplishments while in a Sox uniform is bull**it. Manny was money in the bank during the postseason, he should be remembered for helping this club win 2 world series, everything else is really not relevant.
Remember all those feelings after the 2004 season when the sox won, Manny was a god, pedro was a god and damon was the best idiot in the world, now that there gone their all bums......how do you call yourself a fan????????
I will say this: I think it is possible for Manny to be a jerk AND for the Sox to consistently bad mouth players who leave the team through Luccino's favorite media mouthpieces, Dan Shaugnessey and Peter Gammons. In each individual case, whether it is Nomar or Damon or Pedro, the individual criticisms broadcast through the press have been more or less accurate. But the Luccino strategy of using the media to continuously leak damaging information about a player is still pretty slimy, in part, because it baits players into making dumb statements of their own to the media without the protection of anonymity.
All that said, I think Manny's situation is pretty different from the more mundane money disputes of Pedro and Damon. If true, forgetting which knee you are pretending hurts is a pretty egregious act. (Of course, Gammons didn't actually attribute that accusation to a source, so who knows if it's true or a figment of Luccino's imagination.)
What a collection of tools you Manny a**wipes are. He 100% caused this situation, all of which could have been prevented if he merely did his job.
One of the most heartbreaking moments in sports was watching Willie Mays fall down rounding second base in his declining years. His heart was stronger than his legs. And then there's Manny dogging it to first base.
Hey Post #14, I HOPE you guys get Manny next year, as it'll be another aging Red Sox cast-off costing you more money and winning you nothing. How's that 7-year-W.S. drought going there, pal? Get ready for it to be 8 and counting. The Yankees ain't winning another W.S. for years. The Red Sox will win at least one or two more with this crew. New York is a cesspool. The Yankees are has-beens. Their fans are miserable inbreds. Boston is the City Of Champions. Six titles by three different pro-sports teams in the last seven years. Bite THAT apple, New York!
Number 24 always belonged to Dewey.
Good riddance. Isn't it about time professional athletes played hard and refrained from conduct detrimental to the team. Manny has always been a supremely talented, but childish savant. He was blessed with the ability to hit...and little else. His skill set is on the wane, and history has shown us that severing ties with this type of player is a good thing. By the way, Jason Bay can play...and he'll not only show up on time, it's highly unlikely he'll beat up the front office staff!
I love the dig Damon took at Boston.... He left unhappy because they didn't want overpay him, same thing with Pedro, Clemens and Vaugh. So really Johnny, why were you upset, you got your fat contract (and I might add you are grossly overpaid now) and you're in NY where you 're on the biggest stage? So where does your animosity come from???? And Mike Greenwell!!!! I haven't heard that name in over a decade. I loved him as a player but he was a jerk! Everyone remembers his incident with Mo in the batting cages, and has anyone ever tried to get an autograph from the guy? It was like asking him for blood.
And he's citing players who left the Red Sox and didn't perform well after they left, with the exception of Roger... but we all know now that was because when he left Boston he started juicing. So really, they were all sound decisions!
Of course they all can have their opinions... the simple fact is. He quit on his team and the fans. He gets paid a boat load of money to shut up and play baseball and even that wasn't getting done. So it was time for him to go.
I admit that I will miss the excitement and anticipation of Manny strolling to the plate in a tight game, but I will also remember the strolls to first on an infield grounder. Manny's nonchalant attitude toward the game of baseball made me want to wring his neck and strangle him with his dredlocks. I can see where his teammates would finally turn against him, then the fans, and media.
While Manny may appear to have gotten the whole package from the Baseball Gods, he was shorted on both the intelligence and integrity aspects of the game. In fact, there is an old saying ..."tis better to be thought stupid and remain silent than to open your mouth and remove all doubt." Manny has opened his mouth and now we can all see where his deficiencies lie. While his hitting abilities are unquestionable, his character issues remain in doubt. I would not invite him to share a foxhole with me or cover my back.
Thanks for the Championships. It was a wild ride. We wont ever forget all you have done. It is a shame that $20MIL was not enough for you to play out an entire year. Good luck on that 4 year 100MILL Contract you will be seeking.
As for all you Yankee fans insulting Sox fans here. Grow up. You are making yourself look like ignorant New Yorkers......Oh wait.........
P.S - Good job booing Pudge in his fist game at Yankee Stadium. Thanks for showing us how CLASSY fans act.
Gerry Callahan talking about not being a team player, quitting and being all about the money.... HA!.... isn't Callahan the guy who sat out all summer from his cushy radio job untilo he got the contract he wanted?
Yes Nomar, your opinion on what defines a good teammate should matter... lol. Citing Pedro, Roger, Mo, etc as examples of FO "mistakes" only proves how clueless you are. Hey pal, you own a WS ring and the players here voted you a share of the winnings, and the only contribution you made was to get traded. lol How's that 30 million dollar loss you took by declining the Red Sox offer doing these days? Eat much crow? lol Tool
Funny.. "it's a business" gets tossed around by players seeking ungodly paychecks. But "it's a business" doesn't apply when management makes a financial choice not to be held over the fire by some prima donna near has-been.
The Sox might be weaker (offensively) this season w/o Manny... providing he would play and try. That's fine with me. Lots of $$$ is opening up next year. Bay is coming, let's see how the kid does.
Well said, Sobel. Give Dewey his d(ew).
Nomar's comments have just reinforced my relief that Manny is gone. People will miss his persona for about a week, but will forget him easily. Nomar can feel free to put Manny in the corner with Vaughn, Clemens, Damon, and himself. It's a corner of bad behavior, drugs, womanizing, and pure selfishness. I'm actually excited about tonights game knowing there's a scrapper who balled in the Cape Cod league who would die to play for the BOSOX. Go Bay!!!
Bye Bye Little Chico
"thanks for the home runs, the goofballs, and for helping the red sox win two world series, but other than that thanks for nothing" ? you are a disgrace to the uniform?
LMAOF, sour grapes, the guy is 36 years old, this IS a business, his last opportunitty for a large pay check and he's trying to cash in, what wrong with that?
As though any of you hipocrites would do anything different if you had the chance.. Bunch of whiners, he helped you get to the promised land twice and now he wants to get paid, hell if Alex Rodriguez can ask and get the kind of money he got without EVER coming close to winning even one WS then why cant Manny?
And finally to the fool who I quoted above, disgrace the red sox uniform? before Manny came along, wearing that uniform was a disgrace, or have you already forgotten the many years (decades) without winning a championship? be thankful for what he gave you, now we'll see if "Big Pappy" can deliver without him.
I make my words the comment (17) posted by Jonah.
Good luky Manny , in L.A.
Fom Brasil
Luiza
What really concerns me is just how does Manny play for the Dodgers with those two horribly injured knees?? the ones that kept him out of the line-up against the Angels and Yankees? Is he going to be able to get some sort of treatment out there? Does Nomie have any special medicine that will make the pain manageable?
Where do I send the Get Well card?
Type your comment here...As a longtime and ardent Sox fan, i'm disappointed by the scapegoating of Manny. The front office has been out to move him for years;
knowing he's childlike and generally innocuous, he became an easy target. The
media piling on now is pretty ludicrous as well. Manny's occasional lapses were
far outweighed by his monstrous production; without him there would be no world
series wins. Shaugnessy has become a self-righteous and pretty mediocre writer; quoting Callahan is like quoting Karl Rove; the rest ought to be ashamed of themselves. But,
the media in this town has almost always been shills for management, aka, the
Patriots and certainly the Sox.
The veteran players said" trade him" including Big Papi. That speaks volumes. Can't understand the few people here with the attitude of "My Manny, right or wrong, my Manny". Where is your character, scruples?
They are not just baseball players and it not only about stats and WS rings. It about being a role model, being a good teammate, being a good employee, good citizen, having integrity, character, morality. Cal Ripkin had all of these and poor Manny had none.
Poor Nomaah, poor Johnny Demon, poor Mo "It's not about the Money" Vaughn and poor "Mister I never took steroids it was my wife"! Now the union of disgruntled former Sox players can add a new name to the list of members. They now have a new friend to agree with them about how mean Theo and his minions are. Why are they so upset. If Boston is such a terrible place to play why do they seem to miss it so much. A little home sick if you ask me. Hey Nomah ya think you might be able to play a whole season again or what. Johnny, hows the back, knees, elbow and I bet your finger hurts from the world series ring you won with the Yanks? Oh thats right it was the Sox, sorry. And one more thing, Mo and steroid boy left under different ownership. Theo was still in junior high. It goes to show ya it does'nt take alot of brains to run your mouth. Manny, I hope the door hits you in the ass on your way out. That's it, the door must have hit Clemens in the ass, that explains the infections. It wasn't B-12 it was the club house door. I'm sooo stupid. Oh, forgive me for rushing to judgement Mr. Clemens I have seen the light. Manny, we loved ya, but I love my team and it's integrity more than I will ever love watching you dog it in a Pennant race. Hope the injury curse misses you next year. Your new union can give you some pointers if it does. It's almost game time. I'm going to go watch the new guy. He seems nice.
Manny's gone and so are the Sox. Why the front office let the "pushing the Press Secretary" story leak was simply a prelude to not exercising his option years and making him look bad. This would help justify the fan backlash of releasing a player who had helped lead them to two World Series and a chance for a third. The team will never be the same again and in all probability, Manny will replace Giambi as Dh for the Yanks and torment Boston for four years. Lets see....2008 + 86 = 2094. Have a nice wait.
No queston Manny is a Great hitter.........lousy at everything else. He disrepected baseball, the Great Red Sox fans, and every baseball player at every level waiting there turn to get between the lines. Manny even commented on "going to Iraq" which I consider disrepecting to the American soldiers, shame on him. Perhaps he doesn't know any better........for which he should keep his mouth shut and count his blessings. If he was not the outstanding hitter he is, I am sure he would not amount to anything else. The Red Sox's teams in the past were always a blue collar team.....team being the key word. Play hard, rise above this nonsense the new kid will be fine.....Red Sox's and the lads from Bronx in September : )
Whew! The level of discourse here is so low and coarse it almost makes me glad for Manny that he's on to a new start. That being said, I think it's too bad for less rabid fans, such as myself, to be deprived of watching the kind of great baseball that could happen while Manny Ramirez was around. What's left reminds me of going to an amusement park when roller coaster isn't working. Yeah, it sounds like Manny acted spoiled and mean sometimes. Maybe it was the fans rubbing off on him! I hate to say it, being a Mets fan, too, but I'll be rooting for the Yankees the next time they face off with Boston.
The loss of Nomar cost Boston ... nothing, except they won a World Series without
him. Manny was a child and there is a reason they call Mass. the (Jason) BAY STATE.
Good work Theo.
Manny outsmarted Henry, Lucchino, Epstein. When the Sox wouldn't give him a respectable contract (given his contribution to the team) but wanted him to play at 110 percent to keep them in the race this season, Manny played the only card he had -- not contribute until he was traded. The owners look like the arrogant fools they are.
I'll miss Manny...the 500ft bombs...jacks to the opposite field..the occassional great catch... but Manny being Manny is just boring now. One plus though...no more "Manny Moments" from ESPN Crapzone
right on doug about that foreheaded fraud callahana and while we're at it his homo partner dennis is no better>They knocked manny for not visiting the wounded soldiers.perhaps manny might be the type of person who couldnt be at ease seeing other people in worse shape than him.D and C would criticize those who wouldnt go to a wake because they feel uneasy at funeral homes.And these two jerks havent goe to visit the soldiers either and when someone called thme on it there excuse was'We wernt invited/"So D and C you need a invite to go see the wounded soldiers?You two are not only racists for your daily manny bashing but you're hypocrites as well
I'm amazed at the number of comments from Damon, Nomar and Petey - all sour grapes - Nomar turned down $60M - "brilliant" - Damon's pissed because ownership wouldn't overpay for him...remind me again, how many WS rings has he won since he left Boston? Pedro - definitely worth the money the Mets paid him - nothing worse than aging superstars who don't realize they've passed their prime.
If NY wants Manny, take him, he'd fit right in - pushing down 64 year old dudes. will help him fit right into the Bronx - just another thug!
I think it says something about Manny when nobody wanted him even though Boston was willing to pay his salary for the rest of the year. The bottom line is everybody knows he QUIT on his team - he is absolutely a great hitter and you can argue the Sox wouldn't have won 2 WS without him but at the end of the day he Quit - his teammates know it, he knows it, we all know it...just like he did in 06, and just like he will again. He had a contract but wasn't man enough to fulfill it - say whatever you want about the Sox brass, but as far as I know, they paid him his $20M per year...even when he didn't earn it -
Manny's gone and so are the Sox. Why the front office let the "pushing the Press Secretary" story leak was simply a prelude to not exercising his option years and making him look bad. This would help justify the fan backlash of releasing a player who had helped lead them to two World Series and a chance for a third. The team will never be the same again and in all probability, Manny will replace Giambi as Dh for the Yanks and torment Boston for four years. Lets see....2008 + 86 = 2094. Have a nice wait.
Posted by Steve August 1, 08 07:14 PM
Not too smart there eh steve?? I'm a huge sox fan, and I can only HOPE that manny ends up in NY.. not only will he absolutely dismantle your "team" (best "team" money can buy) but he will also drain the yankees of tons of cash!! you'll be in the pennant race and, oops, his knee is acting up!! he won't feel like playing, but he'll still be getting paid!! HAVE FUN WITH THAT LA and probably New York!! Great move Boston!!
Manny is a selfish crybaby.He had nothing to do with anyone associated with the Jimmy Fund.I pray too god that his kids never get cancer.I hope Manny falls in a crack after the big earthquake.
Gerry Callahan calling anyone a nitwit would be totally hillarious if it weren't altogether sick...here's a real tough guy who was booted off the air for his racial diatribes involving black school-kids and chimps...he's lucky to have a job with the nitwit sportstalk radio station that poisons the airwaves with its morning drivel. What he and his morning associates do hardly qualifies as journalism so I'm surprised he's even quoted. I'm sure Callahan, if he were alive and broadcasting back then, would have wanted Theodore Samuel Williams to leave town in the 1950's...some in the Boston press are "Knights of the Keyboard" but Gerry just a pawn.
Seriously goodbye to ManRam... Over the years I tryed to ignore the antics. Yes He is a hall of fame hitter. However I have had enough... The last straw with me is what happened with the front office person that he got into the altercation with. Come on Manny!!!! WTF! And as far as the others we have let go?... lets look at what they have done... Pedro wanted big money and got it but what has he done for the mets? not a hole hell of a lot.... Mueller? who I actually really liked... Well he is retired... Bellhorn? need I say more? Millar? To be honest I am happy to see him doing well with the Birds.... Well I could go on and on... but the simple fact is that I have had enough with Manny being Manny. As far as Jason Bay... I hope this kid can really fit into the lineup with the other guys that really want to play ball... Bay has put up monster numbers for a really crappy team consistently... If he play hard and want to win then I think we will be just fine... Go Sox!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Agent called the Red Sox one hour before the trade saying that if the Red Sox would drop the two option years then there would be no problems the rest of the year. If that is true then if further shows the unethical and perhaps illegal behavior by this agent. I would hope that Major League Baseball would investigate this and take appropriate action. This manipulative behavior and counseling of Manny led to three very disruptive weeks for the Red Sox, the fans and ultimately baseball. It borders on tampering and Major League Baseball should investigate all of the circumstances of this behavior. The facts are there for all to see. The Agent stood to gain no money in 2009 if the Sox picked up the option and no money in 2010 if they again picked up the option. Promising a 36 year old player a four year deal for big money is a win for the Agent and cost the Red Sox the best clutch hitter in all of baseball. The behavior of Manny Ramirez cost the Red Sox in wins and losses over the last three weeks and there should be a public outcry for an investigation. I am not saying that Manny Ramirez is blameless here, as his behavior was wrong and not in the best interests of how the game is played. If this agent was any way involved in counseling Manny Ramirez into acting out and making him an unwanted commodity in Boston it certainly warrants an investigation. This compares with how steroids and gambling affects the outcomes of games. If this is true the fans should be outraged for what this may have cost us this year.
regarding comment #14...hey toolbox, in case you're not aware, this is a boston blog site. if you're such a spankees fan and sox hater, wtf are you doing hear dirtbag?? exactly...closet sox fan and closet homo as well. regarding your comment about :the angels just showed us that"...exactly what have the angels shown us the last 2 nights???YANKEES SUCK!!! YANKEES SUCK!!! so shut your pie hole, go back to your room in your mom's basement, and jerk off to your derek jeter posters. btw...who gives a $hit if you sign manny next year??? more overpayment for another washed up ex-sox. how's that damon contract looking these days??? we got everything out of manny that there was to get for the $$ we paid. go ahead and give another old age, washed up player a ton of money. how's 39 yr old posada and his $40mm contract doing these days. you guys are nothing but a geriatric mash unit...GOING NOWHERE THIS YEAR. hi to your mommy from me!!!
Hell yes post #24! Couldn't have said it better myself. I've checked out the Pecota projections for both Ramirez and Bay, and they project Manny to hit less than 10 home runs a year by 2011 (he'll almost be 40 for chrissakes), so let the Yankees carry on their tradition of busting their grandiose bullshit bank on rapidly declining free-agent has-beens. With all the insane prima-donna antics that Manny has pulled this time, he belongs on a team with a mega-media Douchmagnet like A-Rod. Hope Manny's feeling like lopping his Predator-style pooh dreds next year.
And screw LA and it's shallow, fake-ass fans. They show up in the 3rd and leave in the 7th, and only give a crap about what celebs show up to their luxury boxes that night. A great fit for Manny right now, they probably won't even notice his GOD AWFUL defense and baserunning. And Bay is an excellent all around ballplayer, sure he's been hidden away in the small-market wasteland of Pittsburgh, but he will help the Sox win in all kinds of ways, whereas Manny was nothing but a bat. Later Manny, and good riddance.
What a joke!!! Nomar talking about being mistreated? He was offered a 4 year, 60 million contract to stay here at one point! Turned it down!!! Good thing for the Sox! Manny was under contract for 20 million and was threatening not to play!!! Johnny Damon was offered 10 million dollars a year to stay. Pedro was offered a contract, but didn't like the length of the deal. Mo Vaughn was made an offer, but went to the highest bidder! Check out what all these guys did after they left! All these guys are spoiled millionare whiners!!! How about class acts like Tim Wakefield, Mike Timlin, Mike Lowell, David Ortiz, Jason Varitek, Josh Beckett. Lets talk to these guys about deals they were able to work out with the Red Sox. The true leaders of this team.
I agree wih #67. Boras called and said Manny would behave if they cut him loose of the last 2 years? What an admission of manipulation. It was all about Boras creating a situation where Manny would be free so Boras could get his commission. Boras who interrupted last year's world series with his A-Rod announcement. Someone should invesigate. Manny doesn't have the smarts or the ability to think things through with such a strategic impact. Manny was always quirky, but Boras orchestrated this and turned Manny into a cancer. Why aren't all these sports writers looking into this? Is everyone afraid of Boras? It's a sickening ending to a brilliant and amazing career.
I can understand Nomar's resentment towards the management in Boston. He didn't ask for it or push his way out, but what was the end result? They won the world series that year. It was a risk and Nomar was showing inability to stay healthy. Damon basically held out trying to get every last dollar he could until the Yankees blew every offer out of the water. He still choose to go. Pedro Martinez talked about his contract every chance he got and said how unappreciated he was...meanwhile when the season begins all negotiations shut down because players say "it destracts them" Roger Clemens was obviously a mistake steroids or not, he showed that he can pitch. However even he was overweight here and not training and got lazy for a lack of a better word. Manny is amazing with a bat, nobody can deny that, but just quitting on your team is nearly unforgivable. See what he has done the last 2 games....hustling like he should. He backstabbed the players on the Red Sox which is worse than complaining about the management. It makes me sick how these athletes can sign a contract and then cry and force their way out by slacking. That should be a automatic suspension without pay I think.
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