Manny fires back at Boston
Former Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez, who has tempered his comments on Boston and the Red Sox since being traded to the Dodgers in mid-season, had plenty to say to T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times in a column published yesterday.
Ramirez told Simers that he was unhappy during his entire eight-season tenure with the Red Sox. "The first time I stepped foot in Boston, I said to myself, 'Whoa.' I told Pedro Martinez, 'Damn, man, I just want to get traded and get out of here; this place is not me.' I was unhappy for eight years in Boston but still put up great numbers."
More interesting tidbits from Simers' conversation with Manny:
 Manny Ramirez celebrating at Dodger Stadium |
- Ramirez told Simers the fans in Boston supported him, but the media made his life difficult.
"Baseball in Boston is like a Sunday football game, but played every day," Ramirez said. "We lose in LA, I go to breakfast and people say, 'Well, you'll get them tomorrow.' In Boston, it's 'Hey, what's going on, the Yankees are coming.' It's just a different atmosphere. The fans in Boston got your back no matter what, but I'm talking about the people who write all this bull because it means so much to them. If your happiness depends on Boston winning or losing, you have to get a life."
- More from Ramirez on the differences he perceives between Boston and LA.
"I would bring my kids to the park [in Boston] and I want my kids to be kids, but there'd be people trying to interview them. That's so stupid," Ramirez said. "I'd go to the parking lot after the game and 20 people I didn't know would be offering food, CDs and things -- then wanting something in return.
"[In LA], the game ends, I go to the elevator, my car and no one bothers me."
- In a roundabout way, Manny seemed to admit to Simers that he did not always give a full effort running to first base while in Boston:
"I love to hit, to compete and would never do that; that's just people looking for stuff," he says, while admitting he now runs everything out in L.A., "and I don't even have to think about it."
That suggests he wasn't running everything out in Boston, and while he tries to explain, he's interrupted. There's no explanation for such behavior after signing a contract and being paid $20 million a year to give his all.
"You're right," he says. "You're right."
- While Manny didn't challenge Curt Schilling's accusations that Ramirez was an ongoing problem in the Red Sox clubhouse, he responded to the charges:
"I don't wish him anything bad, although it did make me madder and play harder to show everyone who I am," Ramirez said. "I don't disrespect or takes shots at anyone. I don't want someone going to one of my sons and saying your dad is a punk and talks bad about people behind their backs."
- It sounds like Manny just wants to move on, and hopes Red Sox fans can do the same:
"Just let me be happy someplace else," Ramirez said. "I'm against the clock."
- He also appears to be loving life in Los Angeles. "It's just great here; I don't feel like I'm in a cage. The fans in L.A. are unbelievable -- never in my 16 years have I received such a reception."
We’re sure some folks who frequented Fenway Park for the last eight years would take umbrage with that last statement.
- In today's Simers column, Ramirez shed some light on the shoving incident between him and Red Sox traveling secretary Jack McCormick in June:
As for the incident that had him knocking down a Red Sox executive, "I was wrong," Ramirez said.
He said the relationship with the executive had been deteriorating for some time, and a day earlier the guy had said some nasty things to Ramirez in front of Ramirez's teammates.
Ramirez went home troubled, returned and asked for a meeting with the executive. "I told him, 'I can't have you disrespecting me in front of my teammates.' "
When he didn't get the response he liked, it escalated into a shove.
"I didn't handle it the right way," he said.
- Manny, who is a free agent at the end of the season, on his future with the Dodgers: "I think I can play four or five more years. And the way the division is, the Dodgers can win it the next four or five years, but they have big decisions to make. It just depends on how badly they want to win."
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yeah, nobody better be disrespecting manny in front of his teammates.
by not hustling, not giving his all, and by just plain quitting on them, manny could handle that just fine by himself.
Way to make a mountain out of a molehill. Clearly, if you look at the interview in its entirety you'd know that he didn't "fire back" at Boston but simply expressed that he wasn't enamored with the small-town feel of it.. which I'd say is pretty valid given that he was raised in NY.
What a jackass!
I just got back from LA where I attended a Dodgers game. The reception Manny gets out there is FAR beyond anything I've seen him get at any game I went to at Fenway. It seemed like there were more 99 T-shirts and Jerseys then 34 and 24 combined. But the real difference, like Manny tells Simers, is not in the stands, it's in the media box. Maybe it's the nice weather, but the guys in LA don't let a baseball game define their day. In the end, it's a much better environment for the players.
How is this considered firing back? There is always more to a story than what the media spews after being spoonfed by the Red Sox. I always knew that the Boston media would be in a large part responsible for his leaving and this just confirms that. The Red Sox are not better off without him, sorry. Any dealings with Manny should have been left to LL and Mr.Henry. Manny is not Theo's type of player believe he was mismanaged by Theo in the end. I wish the best for both Manny and the Sox.
Yeah Boston fans sure wanted something in return alright - You to care about them as much as they cared about you through all your ridiculous antics. Shame on us for having seen good in you and shame on us for having put up with you for so long. This is just disgraceful.
Ramirez is a money grabbing quitter. He should have done his homework on the Boston sports scene before he was so quick to take the cash. And he's the one who disrespected his teammates and the game by quitting on them and giving less than 100% numerous times. Have fun in LA, we don't miss the drama.
What a dork.
It's now the perfect time for the Red sox to retire #24. Long over due. WHEN ARE WE GOING TO HAVE DWIGHT EVANS DAY IN FENWAY??? Lets go back and associate #24 with some much needed class. Dewey was a man. Manny is nothing more than an over grown child who wasn't raised with any sense of responsibility or class. This guy had a free pass here and he stabs us in the back. Make it clear to this bum that he's never going to be welcomed back!!!
He's a jack***. But man can he hit the ball!!
Thats just Manny being Mannywood.
Its like seeing an ex-girlfriend arround town with a new guy, your happy its over but you still miss the good times. Still I'm happy with my new girl, I mean, JBAY.
Thanks for all the good yeas of baseball. Happy to hear your happy somewhere else. But we'll miss you. Tear.
Manny, if life was so tough and unbearable here, give back the $160 mil you sucked from us the past 8 years; we'll say "I'm sorry for all the hard times", and we'll call it even. Everybody goes away happy.
Hey Manny,
Just go away....................save the dribble.........and just fade into the sunset. Your a dog and your not worth the dirt you stand on.
Manny is lying %^^&**((()(@##! He wants the big money, but then he is "shocked" to find out that a big city team is really passionate about it's team, this is a total garbage article!
All I have to say is this: Let's go Cubbies!
20 million dollars can buy you a lot of kleenex. try not to drown in your tears, manny.
Can we let this go already?
Hmm...it's intersesting for everything Manny said~
He hate Boston all his days here and his life, I believe, BUT... why he announced LOUDLY before we traded him out that he'd definitely like to retire with the Red Sox uniform?????
If the man felt suffocated, he had a right to. We cannot begin to assume what any other individual on the face of this earth feels on a day to day basis. To each his/her own.
End of story...
Manny: "If your happiness depends on Boston winning or losing, you have to get a life."
I'd probably feel that way too if I had $20 million a year dropped into my bank account. All us fans have is bragging rights and we don't have that if our team loses.
As for his Yankees comments - players just don't understand what being a Red Sox fan is like, tormented by gloating Yankees fans whose team wins all the time because they spend TONS of money. The only reason the Yankees don't win these days is because they've been buying has-beens who are too old to play. Try player development sometime.
I don't agree with everything Theo and the owners do, but parting ways with Nomar and the other cry-baby Ramirez were the two best deals they ever made. All either of them ever do is complain about future contracts and how much money they deserve.
RE: Number retiring. PLEASE, NEVER - EVER retire #5 or #24. That honor should be reserved for former players who respect the Red Sox and their fans.
What a clown!!! You know what Manny, you are in the right place, a city filled with frauds and pawns and you are king of the castle
Hopefully this will quiet down some of the "Manny Can Do No Wrong" crowd. The guy could hit, but anyone who dogs it while making $20M/year needs to hit the road. The guy was toxic to the clubhouse and unfortunately, there was no room for that kind of crap. Glad to hear he's enjoying himself in LA where nobody cares. Sounds like a blast.
Thanks for everything Manny, but good riddance.
The man (and I use that term VERY loosely) is a self-absorbed, narcisitic, sociopathic miscreant. Let's let him go - he'll do/say what he will, whatever he's told and whatever suits him at that moment. As with any sociopath - there is no right and wrong, there's only HIM. I live in LA and he's right - no one really cares much about baseball - not like Boston. He fits right in and let's move on...
The fact of the matter is this:
Manny, you made 20 million a year...shut up and play! Without baseball, where would you be in life?
Remember your place in the grand scheme of things buddy.
Once again I blame the Boston Media for driving a star out of town. You writers are the most insidious bunch of jack ass hacks to come down the pike in a long while. Nothing Manny said has anything to do with Boston and everything to do with the snake pit culture that globe and herald writers make this town out to be. This isn't to say that Manny didn't have issues but I think there's more than enough history on his side to prove that Boston sports media can vile, poisonous and at times blatantly racist... Why did Curt Schilling get a free pass on all the bull shit he said and did but Pedro and Manny are lazy primadonnas?
Manny is firing back at the media not the Boston fans. He has stated many times that he loved the fans in Boston. He didn't like the management or Boston media. How can that be made any clearer??
Boston media is still sweating Manny! MOVE ON!
I live in the LA area and love to read TJ Simers (or "Page 2" as he calls himself) but he is starting to drink the Manny Kool-Aid.
Whatever. There's still no excuse for a guy being paid that much to tank it like he so obviously did (and force the hand of management like that for a trade). Everything was done so the Sox would not pick up his option years, and he could care less if the team got someone in return. He has not played to the level he's playing now in years, he knows that and everyone knows that. Glad he's happy in LA. they're gonna get crushed by the Cubs, and he's not gonna make $20 mil next year (like he really needs it anyway). Besides, he's 3 years older then he claims (a fact), so let the bum enjoy his twilight years.
Every player that leaves Boston talks about how they were "disrespected" in one way or another. Damon did it, Pedro did it, Shea Hillenbrand, Manny etc. These players say this stuff because nobody wants to say its about the money, because it makes them look shallow if they do say that. Anytime someone says its not about the money, I can guaratee its about the money.
Manny Who?
Boston media is a joke.
For 20 Million a year what did he expect?
Best right handed hitter in Red Sox history
Manny ever do any PR for Sox? NO. Did Manny support the Jimmy Fund? NO. Did Manny ever give back anything to the community? NO. Manny Ramriez is the worst example of the out of whack money being thrown around.
Of course he likes it out there in LA. They are clueless fans. Wait until Manny quits on them...because he will....we all know it. No excuse for a dude like him. Even the big, bad, Boston media. What a joke!!
Manny's right. If your entire happiness rides on whether the Red Sox win or lose you need to get a life. That applies to the fans as much as to the media. Manny's also right about the Boston media.
They are self-absorbed hacks. Manny was, is and will always be one of my favorite players. I wish he was still in a Boston uniform but he's not. He seems to be happy, the Red Sox seem to be happy so the rest of you bashers need to get over your whining...and get a life.
Nobody complained about his antics or salary when he won two world titles here. It wasn't until Boras got a hold of him, the front office made the decision to start pushing him out, and the Boston media turned on Manny that everyone jumped all over him. Just let him be. He's the second-best hitter to ever wear a Red Sox uniform, but at the end of the day he's just a baseball player. You shouldn't expect him to be a statesman or a media-wizard or anything else. Just a hitter. The fact is, nobody on this comment board knows a damn thing about him, the clubhouse, or the situation that preceded his trade. If Joe Torre, the definition of class, can accept Manny, then we should all be able to wave good-bye to him with quiet dignity and grace. I say good luck to the Dodgers, and I hope to see them in the fall classic.
Everyone knows the media here in boston is terrible! They're all little geeks with something to prove because they were picked on in highschool by the same athletes they write about. The only thing I care about is if the team I root for won or lost. Who cares what they say or do after they leave the field? They're all people too and sometimes we hold them to different standards than most just because of the money they make and that's not fair. I'm sure Manny is much happier now than he ever was in boston and I'm glad he's playing well. He produced while he was here and he gave us many fond memories and for that I am grateful for. Good luck Manny!
Ok so the he can play ball. That is not the question here. The question is what kind of a rome model is he setting for our children? He is so concerned for his children and that is fine but one thing Manny, I am a child of pro ball player and just like I did your children will realize all on their own that all you are is a pompous A**.
Manny is certainly more gifted with his bat than with his speech. He is a boy whose body grew up to be that of a powerful man, but his brain stayed where it was when he was about eleven. We really enjoyed the Manny who hit the long ball to all fields, but were disappointed all too often by his immature rantings and lack of hustle. Perhaps the Boston "knights of the keyboard" were difficult for his ego, but the $20 million a year would be enough to soothe my ego and then some!
Ken Anderson
All I know is that in September 2004, I was a Red Sox fan for 36 years and all my WS memories ended with Game 7 (and one particular Game 6) nightmares . Now, thanks in large part to Manny Ramirez, I'm a 40 years Red Sox fan with two, count 'em two, WS victories. That's what counts the most to me. Yes, I had issues with Ramirez and I'm not sorry that he's gone (especially with the way he left and Boras conspiracy) but he put up incredible numbers while he was here. I know he could have done better in clutch situations had his attitude been better but IMO we wouldn't have two WS victories now without him.
I have a friend, an attorney, who was born/raised in Fall River--Die Hard SOX Fan, and supporter for his whole life. He wrote a very eloquent reply to TJ Simer's about his article, on how he could be fooled by him after what we've seen (And most of MLB and it's writers' one would assume) for the last 8 years. The antics, the Numbers, the sometimes laziness, giving up on his team/teammates, at times, etc.
He actually received a Reply from Mr. Simers. Here is what it said, word for word: "i dont care about boston" -- and yes, that is how it was worded, no capital for "I" or Boston. I saw the reply and just had to laugh. he's prob. annoyed at maybe having had 100's of like-minded emails in his inbox this morning or over the weekend.
I say we keep sending them and make him go off the deep end!!
What a moronic jerk...
Steve, RI
First, why are we re-printing the fiction and lies he's peddling to Simers as he's working on his next contract. I especially find it troubling that he's allowed to outright lie about what happened with the RS Travel Secretary and Simers prints it without checking the facts. Just remember this great guy who is such a great team mate is on tape physically assaulting Youkilis in the dugout. As far as race is concerned, I don't think that has a doggone thing to do with people's attitudes toward Ramirez.
"He said the relationship with the executive had been deteriorating for some time, and a day earlier the guy had said some nasty things to Ramirez in front of Ramirez's teammates"
It's time for somebody to investigate & report this from both sides, because this sounds like BS to me. Maybe the old guy called him out on dogging it?
Certain athletes can handle playing in Boston, Manny is not one of them. All he is doing is voicing that the media got to him (pretty much right away). Let him go to a west coast team or a team that has deep pockets but not the attention. We'll just all know he's full of crap if he goes to New York next yr. Then we'll truly know it was all about the money, as it usually it.
Give me Dustin Pedroia over this flaky p.o.s. any day of the week. Manny says he wanted to be traded as soon as he arrived - the media was in a love-fest with him at that point. Face it, Manny is a jerk.
Can we cut the umbilical cord now, please?
The comment he made about had badly does LA want to win, sums it up. Pay me $100,000,000 for the next four years or I will leave and LA will not win. It is all about him. It doesn't matter anyway. He will be a Yankee next year. That's what this is all about. It is just PR in LA as he waits for the Yankees to come calling.
If by "firing back" you actually mean "calmly and reasonably explain why he wasn't happy here while also absorbing some blame and admitting he made some mistakes" then yes, Manny came out guns a-blazin'.
The Manny-Boston marriage was a bad one from the start, but like some of the worst marriages, it still produced two beautiful children (2004 & 2007).
Manny quit on the Red Sox - the fans and his team mates. How can anyone do that, whether they are making $20 million a year of playing high school sports.
If the Sox and Dodgers are fortunate to make it to the World Series, and I am fortunate to get a ticket to Fenway, I will throw a tomatoe at Manny Ramirez.
What a piece of garbage you are Manny. I hope you sign there in L A and those phonies on the left coast get to see you for real.
Manny I'm glad you left the Red Sox. Every person has the right to live their life to the fullest. If Manny was unhappy, then moved on to a better situation. The Red Sox like all Pro-clubs, threat their players like....As a fan when I go to the games all I see is people who look like Mccain supporter. I hope the Sox and Manny are in the championship. Nothing would make me any prouder, is seeing Manny sending one over the Green Monster and Jason Bay striking out like aways. Good for you Manny. At least Manny earned his money and didn't steal it like Fat boy Curt. Go Blue
he is obviously an uneducated, selfish man who thinks he's king poop because he can swing a bat and society idolizes and lavishes him with tons of money for doing nothing really worthwhile. he pushes people around because he CAN and thinks he's the greatest thing since sliced bread. someone needs to put this guy in HIS PLACE. his actions and words show what kind of a man he really is.
I've said this before and I'll try it again...
Can't the Sox sue him for breach of contract? Has that ever been done before? Is there a clause preventing that from happening?
Questions...
By and Large this is old news. He's gone. We had our good times and our bad. We'll all get over it. He does make a valid point about the media though. A bit hyperactive, and always wanting to stir the pot. He was one of their favorites because he always paid off with a good soundbite etc. so hopefully he learned from that. I am sure he will be more comfortable in a city where the press has eccentric movie stars to chase instead of just ball players. Maybe if he got arrested a few times and ran over some camera people, he could compete for media attention in LA.
I don't see anything here that is bad at all. The headline is incredibly misleading. Hey Boston media: GROW UP. You criticized Manny for 8 years, and now he criticizes you in one interview and you try and ruin his legacy with this headline. It makes me sick.
Manny is in LA now. We don't need daily updates on him.
"Manny and Pedro" do we need to hear more? Two of Baseballs biggest idiots. Oblivious to anyone or anything else besides their wallets. Baseball league officials should step in when we get these types of comments. It tarnishes the good names of all the other legitimate players who truely respect and want to play the game hard.
The Dodgers will get a big spoonful of the real Manny eventually. It's only a matter of time.
In the meantime Go sit under the mango tree together and tell eachother how much Boston did you wrong as we kissed your behinds the whole time you were hear.
Adios Slackers.
P.S the reason people leave you alone in LA after the Game will be the same reason you'll want out of there too.
Boston is the sports capital of the world. We don't want people like you giving us a bad name.
"Manny and Pedro" do we need to hear more? Two of Baseballs biggest idiots. Oblivious to anyone or anything else besides their wallets. Baseball league officials should step in when we get these types of comments. It tarnishes the good names of all the other legitimate players who truely respect and want to play the game hard.
The Dodgers will get a big spoonful of the real Manny eventually. It's only a matter of time.
In the meantime Go sit under the mango tree together and tell eachother how much Boston did you wrong as we kissed your behinds the whole time you were hear.
Adios Slackers.
P.S the reason people leave you alone in LA after the Game will be the same reason you'll want out of there too.
Boston is the sports capital of the world. We don't want people like you giving us a bad name.
Maybe Manny doesn't realize that he is now a small fish in a very large pond out in LaLa Land. The reason no one bothers him is because no one cares out there. There are far bigger stars to chase than Manny Ramirez in Los Angeles.
I loved Manny when he was here, but as the stories get told about him the more disgusting he becomes. I am truly sorry if non stop applause, excusing his absurd behaviors, and millions of dollars to play a game that everyone loves in this town was not enough for him. So...good riddence and good luck
Manny being suffocated is not new. Manny not running out ground balls is not new. Manny having issues with the media and management is not new. The sun will rise, the sun will set and Manny will hit with the best of them. Manny has always been a little goofy and aloof. We as fans accepted this. And Manny managed to survive nearly eight years here.
Therefore, DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE Scott Boras' insidious and underhanded role in Manny's July departure.
Finally some truth - he's right about everything esp. that ALL Boston sportswriters are flaming homers - it's a disgrace. Boston fans are the nation's laughing stock.
Manny will be missed. he was a huge success in Boston. Thanks for the great memories Manny and for killing the Yanks every chance you got. All these creeps who call Manny a jerk were the same that rooted for him in the past. Like Manny said "These people need to get a life"!
Manny Ramirez unfortunately has "quit" before and he will no doubt "quit" again. It's what quitters do........LA fans haven't seen it yet, but they no doubt will when and if they sign him......Good Luck and best wishes....
He's gone, quit crying and get on with your lives. Enough of the Manny talk!!! Why are you wasting your time crying over spilt milk.
He's moved on with his life. WE have a great team, even without the distracted Hall of Famer.
Manny was here to play ball and he did a beautiful job.
It is a tough environment in Boston and that is true, but you give up some of your privacy when you become a public figure, i.e. when you choose the money. I didn't see other teams rushing to bail him out when he was unconditionally released.
Manny got a real break from the chemistry in Boston: Tito, the guys and the fans made it easy for him to be himself, even forgave him when he quit in 2005.
Now are good times in LA: he is in shape, acting mature, and performing on the field. He won't get a measure of the environment there until he reverts to being the true Manny. But LA is a little desperate too, they have lower expectations and accepted our trash bin in Lowe and Nomar, so they are going to be more accepting now.
It's the right time for Manny to move to an easier place to play, he can have it all, that and the bucks this winter. But he won't have the success and the expectations that come with it from Boston. Good for Manny, he's not up to our expectations and JB has helped us get over him.
True Bostonians and die hard life long loyal Sox fans hate quitters. So the rest of you, proudly wear that pink hat of yours
"Can we let this go already?"
Ah, the usual drivel from the sycophants. Sadly no, we can't put it aside, because Manny keeps bringing it up.
Go talk to your boy, and tell him to stop being an ass. See if that does any good.
Narcissism. It's all about Manny. You give 100%, you have no issues.
Look at 'Tek. The smart writers know what he brings to the team, even with a .220 batting average. Manny--a bit more hustle and you WOULD have had no issues. Sorry, the poor, misguided Boston sportswriters expect you to work hard every day for your money.
Youk and Pedroia hustle both behind the scenes and in the game. You forgot to do it in the game.
I'm so Happy! I knew Manny would quit on the Sox! Now I get commision from his new contract! Manny good job obeying my every command! You have made me more $$$$$$!
Way to prove his point. He clearly admits that he loved the fans but hated the media and this article clearly tries to turn even more fans against him.
Bitter?
There are two issues that I’m having a problem with and the more I hear them the more stupid they sound.
Fist: “blaming the media for Manny leaving,” now before everyone goes on a frenzy, I’m not saying that sometimes the Boston media does not go over board, however, it’s a job, as a reporter, you report what you see and observe, if we were in their place we would report it just like they did.
Two: “Manny won the Sox two World Series” Manny did not WIN the two World Series, THE TEAM DID, correct me if I’m wrong, but Manny did not pitch, Manny was not the only hitter, Manny did not catch a pitcher, call a game, Manny was not the only player in the field. Am I correct or not?
I’m not saying that he (or any other athlete) should not be able to take his family out or his kids to the park and actually be left alone and most fans understand that, I personally have seen a couple and they were with their families, I didn’t approach. But you know what; it’s what it is, if fans showing up at the ball park, and approaching you if they see you, it’s a way of people showing their appreciation.
Someone blamed Theo; please……..think before you speak, part of Theo’s job is to think of a TEAM and his employer, and not an individual, all I’ll say is if you don’t give full effort and you want to leave, be careful for what you wish for, it may be granted.
There is nothing in professional team sports like playing in Boston...the highs are higher and the lows are lower...because of the media, the fan base and the general passion of the Northeast part of the country...we take this stuff serious even though it's "just a game"...some of the athletes embrace it while others want nothing to do with it...Manny rode that passion roller coaster his entire career in Boston...he was a great hitter that was instrumental in bringing two World Series Championships to New England...let's be greatful and move on...the guy that we ended up with (Jason Bay) is a solid/sound baseball player...everything worked out for everybody...Mr. Henry, LL, Theo, Tito et all managed it well...
Hate to break it to you Manny, but the media in Boston (while it can be harsh at times) is much harsher to those who lack respect for the fans, the city and the team. When you are a member of the team and it seems as though you are standing there watching the ball hoping it will become a homer only to have it land in the outfield and then barely make it to first base (when anyone else would have at least made it a double) you can hardly claim to be the victim. When there is a team full of guys like Papelbon, Varitek, Youk and the like who not only are kind to fans but are seen in local bars hanging out and being kind to those who have been the Boston Faithful since conception, you can hardly claim to be unloved because there are jerseys bearing their numbers in the stands as well.
Face in Manny, after 8 years, all of which you were apparently miserable despite the fact that fans adored you, we all just got tired of shrugging off your "antics" by claiming it was "Manny being Manny". No other player got that treatment. But we let you slide. After 8 years, no matter how beloved a person is, one can only take so much.
Manny is a complete jackass a**hole, but I love him, always will, as I suspect many of my fellow Sox fans feel the same.
he is obviously an uneducated, selfish man who thinks he's king poop because he can swing a bat and society idolizes and lavishes him with tons of money for doing nothing really worthwhile. he pushes people around because he is "allowed to" and thinks he's the greatest thing since sliced bread. someone needs to put this guy in HIS PLACE. but no, society will bow down to him because again he can bat .400? ridiculous. his actions and words show what kind of a man he really is. I would be ashamed to cheer on this bozo.
What Manny didn't realize that he revealed in his statements is that Boston fans care a great deal more about sports than LA fans do. I'm a Boston fan living in LA and this is really not that much of a sports town. Too much other celebrity stimulus out here.
And frankly, that "no big deal" attitude that Manny appreciates so much from the LA fans is actually the attitude that he himself brings to the ballpark. He'll put in the work, but when it comes to winning and losing, "no big deal." (refer to last year's ALCS comments...)
Boston fans want to win. They care about every detail along the way. That's not Manny's style. He just wants people to stroke his ego for his hitting talents and that's about it.
The reality is that Boston fans and media cared more about the team and winning than Manny did, and he couldn't take it anymore. So he separated himself from the team and got kicked out.
People don't change that much. Manny is the same. It's the town of LA that is more indifferent to sports in general and Manny prefers it that way.
But watch. This year is the honeymoon. Next year, the Dodgers will give up some things to shell out a 4-year, $126 million dollar contract to Manny, and then the pressure will be on him to carry the team. The winning expectations will rise, the honeymoon will be over and Manny will become the face of all things good and bad happening to the Dodgers. He'll then start to dog it. Because Manny just wants to play baseball like a kid, with no expectations. No one expected LA to win that much this year so the success he's brought them is like free dessert. Next year they'll expect Manny to cook them dinner and you'll see the same old Manny all over again.
Prediction -- Manny spends the last year of his career on the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Have a great life Manny. You're the most gifted pain in the ass I've ever seen in sports.
he is obviously an uneducated, selfish man who thinks he's king poop because he can swing a bat and society idolizes and lavishes him with tons of money for doing nothing really worthwhile. he pushes people around because he is "allowed to" and thinks he's the greatest thing since sliced bread. someone needs to put this guy in HIS PLACE. but no, society will bow down to him because again he can bat .400? ridiculous. his actions and words show what kind of a man he really is. I would be ashamed to cheer on this bozo.
The reason the Dodger fans love Manny so much is he's playing to his full ability. Why did he stop doing that in Boston? The fans treated Manny like a God until he started to disrupt the team. He faked injuries,stopped hustling,and pretty much quit on everyone including his team. If your going to play in a baseball crazy town like Boston and make the kind of money Manny made you have to be accountable for your actions. Manny is a great hitter. No question. But does he work on any other aspect of his game? The only reason Manny is playing so well in La LA Land is because he's up for free agency . He will go to the highest bidder and never look back. That my friends is Manny being Manny
I don't know if anyone gets this point but here it is, winning doesn't matter to the fans in L.A. This works great for Manny cause he don't care about winning and it's all about the Benjamins!
Everyone who lover the Sox knows what kind of cheap moron Manny was a quiter on his teamates and who only thinks of $$. You wait, he already has made the comment we'll see how bad the Dodgers want to win! If LA is smart they will let his but go somewhere else. Retire 24 for Dewy like said earlier for a real baseball player who played everyday!!!
he is obviously an uneducated, selfish man who thinks he's king poop because he can swing a bat and society idolizes and lavishes him with tons of money for doing nothing really worthwhile. he pushes people around because he is "allowed to" and thinks he's the greatest thing since sliced bread. someone needs to put this guy in HIS PLACE. but no, society will bow down to him because again he can bat .400? ridiculous. his actions and words show what kind of a man he really is. I would be ashamed to cheer on this bozo.
Manny did not say anything wrong in that piece - Boston's media stinks & most people know that!!! He has no problems with the fans. This viewpoint is consistent with that of many other of our heroes!!!!
Regarding the Boston media treatment of Ramirez: Why wouldn't Manny expect reporters and columnists to approach their jobs and compete at their positions as Manny does at his profession? Athletes, in general, tend to feel superior to others. They have been treated with kid gloves their whole lives. Perhaps it hasn’t occurred to them, but a guy like Bob Ryan is much more accomplished at his profession than most athletes are at their particular sport. It’s really a matter of arrogance…which can go both ways. I’m sure many writers look down their noses at less literate athletes.
Don't understand why people give the media such a hard time. Its simple supply and demand. We want boston.com to have 15 new stories everyday and that requires the media to be a bit, um, aggressive.
"Maybe it's the nice weather, but the guys in LA don't let a baseball game define their day. In the end, it's a much better environment for the players"....
....and that's why the Dodgers will never win anything. Taking a shot at Boston fans "defining" their lives by Red Sox wins and losses is a HUGE generalization. Where as it may be true for some, I know people that live in L.A. and they LIVE & DIE by baseball , and Dodgers winning and losing. In the end, it's the passion of the best fans on Earth that propels the Sox to such new heights that they seem to achieve every year now. Manny's just lucky he's not in Florida with their 10 fans.
Am I the only one praying for a Sox/Dodgers Series?!
I think it’s interesting that:
1) Manny said "I was wrong," when asked about his incident with traveling secretary Jack McCormick
2) He gave a reson for why it happened in the first place.
It’s too bad that the Boston media didn’t have an opportunity to hear him say “I was wrong” and report on what Manny’s side of the story was. Manny was vilified and was made out to be nothing short of an axe murderer here for the above. I believe the Boston media was directly responsible for this. It should have been handled in house. The media got their wish and ran him out of town, and in turn, proselytized the Boston fan base against Manny.I believe the whole Manny behavior could have been managed from within, and the Sox could have concentrated their efforts on getting more relief pitching, and enjoying Manny’s post season production rather than trading Manny away.
Any comments about how much Manny (or Pedro) was paid in Boston have no real place in the discussion, so lets leave the money out of it. Anyone who has followed Boston sports for any amount of time can tell you that there is a certain intensity to the fans and the media that one is unlikely to see in LA, so thats no surprise. What is significant is his admission that he did not play up to his potential at times, which we all witnessed, and which any team interested in signing him should be keenly aware of.
I am sorry to lose him in our lineup and for Papi's sake particularly, but we'll be just fine without him. If he loves being in LA so much then its a foregone conclusion that he will sign to play there next year. Here's the rub; if he signs with the Yankees, whose fans and media most closely resemble Boston's, then it is about the money and he is a fraud. The better part of me hopes he stays in LA.
If the Dodgers and the REd Sox square off in the World Series I ask everyone attending games at Fenway to do something a little different when Manny comes up bat: do nothing, make not a peep, no matter what (great play, great hit, KO, etc.). Just dead silence.
CALL HIM A MORON, A QUITER, A BUM, AN AS.S. HOLE, WHAT EVER YOU WANT TO CALL HIM.... BUT DONT FORGET TO CALL HIM A ...2 TIME WORLD SERIES CHAMPION... THE BEST POST SEASON HOME RUN HITTER EVER (24).... A VETERAN WITH 15 YEARS UNDER HIS BELT WITH A .300 CAREER AVG.... 550 CAREER HOME RUNS.... THE BADDEST RIGHT HANDED HITTER IN RED SOX HISTORY AND MAYBE OF HIS GENERATION.... OH, AND DONT FORGET TO CALL HIM A ...HALL OF FAMER... LOL. GO L.A. DODGERS!!!!
Manny you were my favorite can't believe it all those years we Red Sox fans just said ohhhhh thats Manny being Manny ........well you know what your a selfish little pig who doesn't deserve half a penny. I hope you get beaned ...really damn hard...you pig!!!!
It's time for us to build a bridge and get over it. Let's just move on.
Listen, everyone can say what they want about MANNY, but YOUR HEADLINE IS ridiculous! Manny is right ! Why is the media so freaking obsessed with Manny, the Sox, and all the Boston sports professionals in this town for that matter. You guys are the ones that ruin it for all the players. It's not like that in other towns! I've lived there, trust me. Journalism in Boston has become borderline unethical. Report the news and let people be!
Manny =Terrell Owens...extremely gifted superstars who think the world revolves around their momentary thought of the day. As long as Manny gets his money, or at least perceives he will, the world is beautiful. When things slip, it' never his fault. A true first ballot HOF who will be remembered as a true HOF self centered jerk. The Red Sox would never have won without him, but the Sox would never win with him again. Any player, especially one making 20 Mill ayear, who can't run hard to first....well, that says it all. Don't worry, Manny...if the Dodgers don't pony up, the Mets will. Can't wait to hear Mets fans when he jogs down to first !!!
manny has dredlock of the brain.What a jerk he is.I hope he tears his achillies tendon in the playoffs.He won't see a pitch in the playoffs.Whos behind him Loney? Kemp? lol
No hard feelings towards Manny at all...just against Scott Boras who coached him well to get physically abusive. That is really the man who was not brought up well and unfortunately people like Manny actually listen to him. The money clouds their heads, like it does a lot of people. Sad end of a great Red Sox player who is still loved and missed by a lot of fans.
I just must add some words & applaud writer who suggested we retire #24, just make sure plaque says "Dewey: He knew how to hustle & never quit on his team like Clueless did. We all loved Mannie for results he brought when he wasn't faking injury & i think we're all cool with with just moving on. As much as i detest The Evil Empire i really hope they aren't fools enough to offer up the kind of $ being bandied about next year. Even the Steinbrenners aren't that "mad." If he thinks there's going to be a huge bidding war for his "services" I really think he's smoking odd-cigarettes. Let him enjoy Lalaland to his pitiful little heart's delight. How can one not love HUSTLERS who remain in Fenway, win or lose this year? I'd love love to see the LA folks here in Oct, but really prefer it be the Cubbies. have suffered even longer than we did.... Isn't it nice to have the EE folks sitting at home this year in Oct? Mannie //// Mannie.... who?????
Manny won two rings for this city with his bat (alone, on many clutch October nights...)
Sox are going to get spanked and it's this own city's fault. Let's see how well the media swallows the lack of clutch hitting that's about to take place this next week. They drove him away and can now reap the "rewards". This lineup is completely unprotected and doomed in the playoffs.
Just sit back and enjoy what the playoffs look like without the best hitter in the game protecting everyone (and driving in clutch late-inning runs...)
Jacka$$es.
If you are familiar with TJ Simers then you would aware that Manny probably isn't piling it on. Simers has a knack for cornering players. This could just be another case of an intelligent man taking advantage of a idiot savant (i.e. Jeff Moorad, Scott Boras...). So Manny is happy. I also hope the Dodgers get swept by the Cubs because living out here in Dodgerland is quite annoying.
He was well paid for what he did here in Boston. He's not my kind of baseball player. He's a cry baby. Any MLB player would be proud to play left field for the Boston Red Sox in Fenway Park where Ted Williams, Carl Yaztremski, and Jim Rice played....not to mention $20+ million a year. I'm glad he is gone and I'll take a good hard-nose ball player like Jason Bay over him any day. Forget him, it's time to move on.
Bosox fans. We'll see how much Manny likes LA when they offer him far less than he thinks he's worth after the season. My money is on the disrespect word flowing from his lips come November.
If you can't take the heat then stay out of the kitchen. It is no secret that it is tough to be a ball player in Boston. The media covereage is intense to say the least. That is just the way it is, and it is not going to change. We have seen this before, where a player comes into Boston and can not handle the media pressure. The Red Sox did a prety good job in keeping the media away from Manny. (allowing him to hide out in the restricted areas of the club house, plus he was never required to address the media). The sad part is how this all ended. Manny giving up on the team and his teammates so he could force them to move him.
I smelled something fishy the minute the McCormick thing happened. McComick is an ex Boston cop - probably been 'disrespecting' minorities all his life. Now he's gonna swallow Ramirez' guff? The type of guy he probably beat up at will as a cop?
How did this ex cop get on the Sox gravy train anyway? Classic Southie patronage.
Somebody pull his file and check how much McCcrmick cost the taxpayers of Boston in brutality cases over the years - then check how many cases were Latino.
Police brutality never dies, it just collects a different payoff.
Pike
"I just got back from LA where I attended a Dodgers game. The reception Manny gets out there is FAR beyond anything I've seen him get at any game I went to at Fenway. It seemed like there were more 99 T-shirts and Jerseys then 34 and 24 combined. But the real difference, like Manny tells Simers, is not in the stands, it's in the media box. Maybe it's the nice weather, but the guys in LA don't let a baseball game define their day. In the end, it's a much better environment for the players."
Hey comment # 4, yeah, if I were a player I'd love to play in front of dispassionate fans and sportswriters who couldn't write their way out of a paperbag. As a resident of LA, I am amazed to see how much love they give manny and none of the other players...the saddest thing being that he is stealing their love for 2 months and bolting to the mets.
I can't blame Manny for feeling how he feels about the ASSHOLES we have for media. Boston has the WORST media I have ever seen. They report lies and stretch stories. To all you sox fans out there(by the way im a fan too), GROW UP AND FACE THE FACTS!!! Manny was unhappy for 8 years and STILL put up hall of fame numbers not to mention one of the greatest hitters ALL TIME!!!!!
Manny, I couldn't be happier for you. As for the media and reporters...........
UP YOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Get over yourselves. I have been a die hard Red Sox fans for 50 years. I am no what you call "pink hatter". I love Manny for who he was. The good and the bad. And all you people who think athletes should be role models for your children...you are moronic imbeciles. Period!
He loves LA because the pay him and don't expect much in return. Boston you are expect to play 100% all the time. What a cry baby. 20 million dollar crybaby.
The fans here are much samter than the ones in LA . We know when we are being bullsh*ted and we'll call you out on it.. Some people just dont like that. WAH!
THE MAN SAID THAT HE NEVER LIKED BOSTON FROM THE FIRST TIME HIS FOOT HIT IT'S SOIL SO THERE IT IS. AT LEAST HE WON YALL A CHAMPIONSHIP. BE HAPPY, HELL.
Manny doesn't get bothered by the fans after the games in LA because the Dodger fans leave after the 7th inning!
Great hitter. Complete knucklehead. So simple he doesn't fathom why people think he should "earn" his money. He appears to think it is given to him just because, well, he is who he is. He takes the money but doesn't a clue how it is possible that he makes such unfathomable sums by hitting small, fast-moving ball.
Manny was good but he is a crybaby. One of the worst mistakes the Red Sox did was letting go of Orlando Cabrara. Since then we've had @?$% for shortstops. Julio Lugo? Renteria? seriously the red sox would be so much better if they had a consistent ss
Some days I go to work and quite honestly, I suck. Some days I go to work and I'm indifferent. Some days I go to work, drink too much coffee, and say stuff I don't mean or even remember. Some days I go to work and don't hustle. Some days I go to work and yell at my coworkers. Yet other days I'm a star. But I never ever ever, no matter what, have to read about myself on the front page of the Globe, or have to be talked about incessantly for 18 hours on WEEI, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. When Manny returns to Fenway some day old and grey, trust me, mark my words, you will stand up and cheer.
Boston fans are whiners. Dude CARRIED that team to two championships...and now they want to blame Manny for not doing more. You know what the difference between a Dodger fan and a Red Sox fan is?
LIPSTICK!
OK... I'll say this... I do have a problem with Manny....
Yes, I loved his bat in our lineup... and it will be missed... BUT and heres the big BUT...What kind of "Role Model" does Manny set for our youth.....and the future of the game...
I certainly don't want my son thinking its ok to play at less than 100% all of the time, I don't want my son to think its ok to quit on your team, or bad mouth them, to blame others for his shortcomings... or too expect every thing to be given to him on a silver platter....I.
I think most everyone is like me in that they put up with anything Manny did because he put up ungodly numbers for most of the time he was here in Boston. 2 WS titles in 4 years will go a long way towards forgiveness. i think the straw that broke the camels back this year was the addition of Scott Boras. Boras' influence on the enigmatic Manny being Manny filled his head with greed and an unwavering desire to escape his contract options with the Sox. With no direct knowledge, i would have to believe, considering that the Sox placed him on wavers a couple of years ago, that Theo would have been happy to let him out of his option years, no questions asked. To Manny's point, Boston is, as we all know, an intense sports town... the fans, the media, all of it. LA is very laid back, like Manny, to the point where it appears they don't care, like Manny, and obviously this appeals to him. Of course he isn't mobbed after the game, most of the fans in LA have left the game by the 7th inning. To me, the most damning thing Manny did was quit on the team this year. He was unhappy... okay, I can accept that. But to quit on your team mates, your fans, especially when you're receiving $20 mil/yr.? The level of disrespect is unfathomable.
I don't know how many times I stuck up for Manny..... but I will never stick up for him again. Because it seems as though he can't stick up for Boston. And to the guy who said he carried us to 2 rings, your wrong, without him we wouldn't have won but in no way was he the go to guy throughout (Ortiz 04, Beckett 07). What a horrible role model this man is.
Blame it on the liberal media . . . . Republicans
Blame it on the Boston media . . . Manny Ramirez fans
Comment #114...No-one is going to read all the way down to here...At any rate, enough with the resentment about his salary! Do you get mad when your favorite multi-million dollar movie star takes a role in a different movie?! Baseball is part of the entertainment business folks. I watch every single game--I have no life!--but at the end of the day, I have enough perspective to recognize that this guy is being paid to entertain. He's the DeNiro of baseball, so why wouldn't we want to see him play wherever he goes? Just like Bonds--I fully support the freak, do what it takes to keep smashing that ball. I can't wait to see Manny in a Yankees uniform next season--that way he'll be on TV more!
Face it, we all knew what we had 5 years ago but we didn't care because he hit a ton. Say what we want, but he DID help us (a lot) win 2 WS titles. We helped create the problem - even gave it a nickname. We don't have to apologize for wanting him gone - he did quit on his team and it was definitely time to go, but it would be a lie to say we didn't enjoy looking the other way a little, too.
Having Manny on our side was like dating a stripper - you know it's not going to last, that it will end badly, and that you'll feel a little sleazy during and after. But you also know that everyone will be jealous for a while, it was fun while it lasted, and you'll always have some good stories to share with your buddies afterwards.
It's almost painful to read the comments of people pitying Manny as a "victim" of the media when we are facing a deep recession and many of our citizens are, and soon will be, struggling to pay their heating, gas, and medical bills. I believe that Manny is a fundamentally decent person and has certainly earned what he has with his combination of innate ability and the hard work to refine his skills, but to speak of pain and suffering for 8 years earning $160 million, at this or ANY time, is the height of hubris.
There are billions of people who wouldn't mind having Manny's "problems" in Boston.
Looking back, I'd say that getting two world championships out of the Manny Era was worth all the crap. If he was a model citizen and we had no championships, I know I wouldn't be happy. Manny's gone, he's not our problem anymore. He'll probably not get what he's looking for financially next year and we, as Red Sox fans can just sit back and enjoy some other team(s) twisting in the wind this winter. Let's see what the post season brings before passing judgement. Focus on the present and future, screw the past!
I've been a Boston fan since '75, but I think Manny's got a point. Manny loafed sometimes and that disgusted me as it did others. But he's right that this town--and not just the media--cares way too much about how the Sox do. And our treatment of the players and their families--Manny shares some specifics in this interview--reflects those distorted priorities. I remain a Boston Red Sox fan, but I think Boston could learn a lot from folks in St. Louis and Minnesota and, yes, even Los Angeles. They all have very successful franchises with fans who don't abuse themselves or others when their team has an off day.
He used us, we used him. We got our 2 World Series for his contract. Not a bad deal, right? Good luck man, hope you get your money so you can walk to first base again.
"In the end, it's the passion of the best fans on Earth that propels the Sox to such new heights that they seem to achieve every year now."
seriously? Are you saying that Boston went 86 years without enough passionate fans? give me a break.