Manny Deserves Better

Maybe its Manny’s fault, it’s not like he’s the most subtle person in the world. He’s done nothing to quell the grumblings and moans that have been omnipresent throughout his career due to his aloof nature on the field. Due to this, he’s managed to become a colossal figure; he’s one of those rare athletes with the magnitude to transcend the game. But not in the Mickey Mantle or Babe Ruth sense, no, the public perception about him lies more along the lines of Dumbo. In other words, within the media and living rooms, this man is viewed as a joke.

Is it fair? Absolutely not, Ramirez is arguably one of the most effective hitters alive today. But, is the diagnosis unwarranted? That’s where things get sticky. Ramirez almost plays into the persona, not by design, but more because he doesn’t care. Maybe we just don’t misunderstand the man, or want to. David Ortiz and various other Red Sox teammates have gone on the record numerous times to voice their admiration for his dedication to his craft.

So what if he goes out and has a little fun now and then, Ramirez’s relaxed nature is the very thing that makes him an effective hitter. We often lambast our hero’s for taking the game too serious and never having fun, yet, when we are presented with a figure that approaches each out with a child’s joy, we criticize him for being too loose. So how do you win?

Maybe Ramirez has gone over the line one too many times, like when he took a swipe at Kevin Youkilis in the dug-out after a bench clearing brawl with the Rays on June 5^th. The attack was certainly unwarranted, although the details are still murky about what instigated the ordeal. Nevertheless, attacking a teammate is never okay. The two have since patched things up, but this is the type of incident that can create division amongst the troops.

Though, that occurrence pales in comparison to his latest infraction which saw him push traveling secretary Jack McCormick to the ground while in Houston for failing to fulfill a request for 16-tickets for the night’s contest.

The team downplayed the incidents, as they typically do with Ramirez, which at times puts their PR people into overdrive to keep any possible flames extinguished, but it’s a small price to pay for his stick. Manny might be a problem at times, but he’s their problem, and boy can he hit.

So, when Ramirez went to the media to spout off about his current contract situation over the break, it wasn’t exactly shocking.

“I want no more [expletive] where they tell you one thing and behind your back they do another thing,” Ramirez vented to the Boston Herald. “I think I’ve earned that respect, for a team to sit down with me and tell me this is what we want, this is what we want to do.”

What was shocking is that Boston fired back, when in the past they’d work quickly to quiet things down before they spiraled out of control. In fact, owner John Henry took exception with Ramirez’s statement and went to the media to send a message to his slugger: we love you, but this will not be tolerated.

“I find remarks that we have been anything other than completely straightforward to be personally offensive,” Henry told the Herald via e-mail. “Manny has been a crucial part of two world championships. I do not believe we would have won either without him. He has never played a more important role than he has thus far this year.”

Ramirez has repeatedly stated that he wants to stay in Boston, but he wants to know if the team is at all interested in picking up his $20 million options for 2009 and ’10. If they don’t, he’ll be granted free agency at the end of the season.

In all actuality, at 36, Ramirez would be hard pressed to get $20 million out of any club, but the numbers suggest he might still be worth it, if not, close to it. He’s currently hitting .293/.389/.518, and with 18 homers and 60 RBI, he’s on pace to post his best totals since his monster 2005 season when he blasted 45 homers and drove in 144 runs. But, it should be noted that he’s already collected 82 strikeouts, which puts him on pace for the highest total of his career, so his demise is evident, but hardly forthcoming.

Though, he might have handled the situation poorly, I wouldn’t go so far as to suggest that his feelings towards the front office are unwarranted. Only five short years ago they showed their appreciation for this man by attempting to give him away. Yes, we’re talking about the same 2003 season in which Ramirez hit .325/.427/.587 with 37 homers and 104 RBI, and finished sixth in MVP voting. His reward: being placed on irrevocable waivers, meaning that any team willing to pay his salary could have had him.

I don’t know what’s crazier, that the Red Sox did something so bold, or that no one else tried to claim him. Either way, that’s no way to treat a legend. Not then, and not now. This is a man that has become the face of the franchise, a man that played a large part in turning around a culture that bred failure. Give him his due, he’s earned it. So what if he’s weird, and occasionally problematic. It’s not like the guy is Milton Bradley.