The genius of Manny Ramirez

[threzd]

Interesting article.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/joe_posnanski/09/17/posnanski.manny/index.html?eref=si_topstories

[ManUp]

Wow! Hitting .401, and a homer every 11 at bat.

Manny is really spitting in the Red Sox collective faces.

[Mr October]

I miss Manny as a red sox player..... but at least the dodgers are my second favorite baseball team. 

[CelticsWhat35]

Wow! Hitting .401, and a homer every 11 at bat.

Manny is really spitting in the Red Sox collective faces.

The only face he's spitting in is his own.  No one should be surprised by this.  He's one of the greatest hitters of all time...when he wants to be.  This just shows what kind of person he is, when he doesn't give 100% to an organization paying him $20 mil/year, or for teammates that covered for him throughout the years.

[Donoghus]

As a Red Sox fan, he needed the change of scenery.  I really don't expect those numbers if he had stayed. 

So far, things have worked out alright for both the Dodgers and Red Sox.  (Pirates, well I'm not sure you can gauge things quite yet.

Look, I rooted for Manny and loved him as a fan for almost 8 years.  Still, I can't say that i'm exactly enthusiastic about what he's doing now.  Just a part of me that feels like he gave up on Boston. 

[TrueGreen]

Manny got two team option years of $20 mill each removed from his contract. I don't respect how he did it, but it sure was smart.   

[Donoghus]

Manny got two team option years of $20 mill each removed from his contract. I don't respect how he did it, but it sure was smart.   

That, I think, is still up in the air. 

For the sake of illustration, say he gets a 4 year offer at $60 million.  He's losing $5 million a year for the next two years. I'm not sure how happy he'd be about that.   However, he's getting some security with the final two years.  But, who's to say that he would've have got $15 million a year once his two option years were up?

It's a gamble on his part from a financial standpoint. 

[Steve Weinman]

Still, I can't say that i'm exactly enthusiastic about what he's doing now. 

Don't worry, Dons - that's what we Dodger fans are here for - I'm lovin' every second of the Manny Experience so far 

We're certainly still in the honeymoon phase on this end...only questions right now are how far it can continue into the autumn - and what the plans for 2009 are.

-sw

[Donoghus]

Still, I can't say that i'm exactly enthusiastic about what he's doing now. 

Don't worry, Dons - that's what we Dodger fans are here for - I'm lovin' every second of the Manny Experience so far 

We're certainly still in the honeymoon phase on this end...only questions right now are how far it can continue into the autumn - and what the plans for 2009 are.

-sw

With the exception of Sox-Cubs, Sox-Dodgers would be the most appealing World Series matchup for me.

[Steve Weinman]

Still, I can't say that i'm exactly enthusiastic about what he's doing now. 

Don't worry, Dons - that's what we Dodger fans are here for - I'm lovin' every second of the Manny Experience so far 

We're certainly still in the honeymoon phase on this end...only questions right now are how far it can continue into the autumn - and what the plans for 2009 are.

-sw

With the exception of Sox-Cubs, Sox-Dodgers would be the most appealing World Series matchup for me.

From an ease-of-matchup point of view or general series appeal?

-sw

[Donoghus]

Still, I can't say that i'm exactly enthusiastic about what he's doing now. 

Don't worry, Dons - that's what we Dodger fans are here for - I'm lovin' every second of the Manny Experience so far 

We're certainly still in the honeymoon phase on this end...only questions right now are how far it can continue into the autumn - and what the plans for 2009 are.

-sw

With the exception of Sox-Cubs, Sox-Dodgers would be the most appealing World Series matchup for me.

From an ease-of-matchup point of view or general series appeal?

-sw

General series appeal.  Good storylines.

-Manny comes back to Boston
-Two of the more storied franchises facing off in the World Series
-Nomar returns to Boston
-McCourt has Boston roots

[Donoghus]

Also, city gets to use the "Beat LA" chant all over again.   

[OriginalODb]

I honestly am not that mad at Manny for what he did the last month or so in Boston. I'm a very private person and it seems that Manny is too and I think after awhile not being able to go out of the house without being mobbed must have drove hime crazy. Think about it, he couldn't go anywhere without 50 people asking for autographs or pictures or what have you. I wish he had handled it differently and he probably should have done some more research before he signed here (even though he signed here before the "pink hats" came along) but it would eventually drive me crazy.

A couple of the comments I have read from him since he was traded seem to back this up. I have heard him talking about how nice it is to go out for sushi and have no one bother you.

I know thats the price you pay for being a professional athlete and for 20 million a year it should be worth it but I empathize with the guy a little bit. The Red Sox and local media are trying to make it out to be purely a money thing but I don't buy that. Unless of course he signs with the Yanks in the offseason, then my whole opinion will change

[Steve Weinman]

Still, I can't say that i'm exactly enthusiastic about what he's doing now. 

Don't worry, Dons - that's what we Dodger fans are here for - I'm lovin' every second of the Manny Experience so far 

We're certainly still in the honeymoon phase on this end...only questions right now are how far it can continue into the autumn - and what the plans for 2009 are.

-sw

With the exception of Sox-Cubs, Sox-Dodgers would be the most appealing World Series matchup for me.

From an ease-of-matchup point of view or general series appeal?

-sw

General series appeal.  Good storylines.

-Manny comes back to Boston
-Two of the more storied franchises facing off in the World Series
-Nomar returns to Boston
-McCourt has Boston roots

Fair enough - and count me in for any series that involves my beloved team that has won exactly one playoff game since '88 (and of all the people to have pitched that one...).

Of course, as wonderful as the last few weeks in particular have been, perhaps we shouldn't be having any World Series talks tonight - the Pirates have put three homers up, knocked out our ace Chad Billingsley in the 5th and lead 9-7 in the 7th.  Bah.

-sw