MANNY RAMIREZ: BEST PLAYER

I don't get the Greinke and Randa ones! It's too saucy for my imagination.

Also, WHAT IS KOREA SAYING ABOUT DAVID ORTIZ!??!

Also - please note the accurate depicition of Ms. Lima Time (over here). If someone can translate that running gag, I will give you a Wet Willie.

But Jeff Can't...!

Ahem.

The Batista one - WTF?

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/?qid=20071005204742AA54OE8

dwmatty19 disaproves!

i want to write choi hoon a fan letter. do you think he would understand me?????????

Choon Hoi Ranks the 2008 NL Rotations

Look==>Mark Prior died and went to Bud Balk heaven. Felipe Alou is crying because his "ace" is Barry Zito.

I so need to learn Korean.

You also should look into learning who the manager of the Giants is.

I wish I had the discipline to spend one season receiving all my baseball info from that site.

You actually read a post of mine that didn't have statistics in it?

</error rate +/- 0%

The moustache confused me. But now I know he is from France.

Rigolez aux Géants de St.-Francisque.

Manny Ramirez is my favorite player in Major League Baseball.

I wish he'd gotten thrown out at second on that last play.

You watch your mouth (tho it's nice to see Manny in mid-season form).

I think Ortiz (scuse me, whoever pinch-ran for Ortiz) had already crossed the plate, so it wouldn't have mattered score-wise. I'd just like to see something slightly bad happen to him for standing there and staring at his glorious handiwork.

He's gotten plenty of comeuppance for his Mannyness -- I think he was thrown out @ the plate during the playoffs last year for doing that whole stupid toss-my-helmet-it-slow-me trick. Never mind that majestic single he hit off the top of the Jacobs Field RCF wall during the ALCS.

Ramirez was presented with an oversized check for 1,000,000 yen (about $10,000) for being MVP of the game. He also gets a color laser printer.

ah damn i didnt see it posted on the sox thread

He told a postgame interviewer that he would use that yen as "gas money". No word on what he would use the printer for.

No word on what he would use the printer for.

-a quick buck on ebay?

-print more yen?

-admire it

-try photocopying his butt

i'm sure he'll just put it on display in his trophy case.

as someone who has spent all week trying to get color laser printers shipped to a remote island for too much money i am v v jealous of manny today u_u

has everyone seen this?
http://images.overthemonster.com/images/admin/MannyNuts.jpg

Just love this guy.

Everybody is invited to his house tonight for drinks . . .

. . . but if he dies while having drinks with you, he dies as a champion.

The Wave.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v134/tracerhand/manny.jpg

“After all this is over, all I want is for my kids to go to college and to be their best friend,” Ramírez said. “That’s all I want. I don’t care about home runs or whatever.”

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

I like Manny a lot

Aw, cankles brought us this quality thread. More like this.

http://imgnews.naver.com/image/sports/cartoon/2004/20041203_seqNo_65_inner_img_1_1102036244.gif

NOT LITERALLY

If someone posts the Barry Zito one I will post my mom's translation of what he is saying to Alyssa Milano.

Sometimes when he has a night like this, I wonder if we haven't abruptly switched places with a discrete parallel version of MLB taking place inside Manny's snow globe.

This is probably the best he's looked in 2+ years. His numbers are always so consistent by the end of the season that you forget that he's a pretty serious streak hitter, and that his good streaks are beyond ridiculous.

I can't recall him having this sort of streak last year (unless that run of post-season ridiculosity counts, and, hey, maybe it does).

contraaaaact yeeeeeeaaaarrrrr

BLASPHEME

Ramírez has 160 runs batted in against the Yankees, the most for any active player against any club. He has 29 homers at Yankee Stadium, three behind the Hall of Famer Goose Goslin for the most by a visiting player. Will he miss the old park when it’s gone?

“I don’t care,” Ramírez said. “I don’t play here.”

just manny being uncanny.

so much to love about this man

i really wished the Indians could have kept him (and Thome).

Manny warming to the press is the best thing to happen to MLB in the past 10 years.

“I don’t care,” Ramírez said. “I don’t play here.”

ZEN FUCKING MASTER.

http://news.naver.com/sports/index.nhn?category=mlb&ctg=cartoon&mod=read&id=280&office_id=223&type=mlb&article_id=0000000211

my mind...

http://imgnews.naver.com/image/223/2008/03/10/ga_01.jpg

http://imgnews.naver.com/image/223/2008/03/10/ga_01.jpg

MADNESS

Many – including Ramirez himself – believe Farnsworth’s message pitch to Ramirez might have been retaliation for Alex Rodriguez getting drilled by David Aardsma the previous night, just a few innings after launching a long home run against Clay Buchholz.

“You know, we hit one of their best players last night, and I guess they want to send a message,” Ramirez said after Thursday’s game. “They need to back up their players, and they did.”

"Manny gave me a big hug when I got in here, but he hugs me everyday so I don't know what that means," Pedroia said with a smile in the clubhouse.

haha

Manny Ramírez, meanwhile, spent a couple of minutes in the clubhouse trying to convince reporters the Sox should trade Tavarez for one of Milwaukee's sausages, the stars of the race that occurs prior to every seventh inning in Miller Park. That was after he announced that Tavarez should be traded to Tampa Bay.

Awesome.

I like how "traded to tampa bay" comes across like "eaten by wolves."

its amazing that this thread title just gets more and more accurate

hahahahahah god

from today: amazing catch...hi five...double play
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KD7uFYoVzDY

he really did hi-five that dude right? i couldn't really tell

lol

that high-five was the best fucking thing that i have ever seen

THERE ARE NO WORDS.

the video is gone FUCK

omg there was only one out??????????????????????????????? HAHAHAHAHAHA

http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200805142699480

they don't show it in that video, but the best part is when manny and a bunch of dudes are rewatching the catch through one of the camera operator's camera, and you see them staring into it and then they pull back and manny mimes high-fiving someone and they all start doubling over

actually the best part is when he high-fives a fan in the middle of the play

this is my favorite play in the history of sports

so awesome

This one has the high-five, but the quality is pretty bad:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=uddwmyiYxuk

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=280514101&action=playvideo&hcmp=motion

Just between this and the Tavares trade proposal, Manny = a god

whatever dude. such a double standard. this guy gets away with everything.

there could be a youtube leak of Haley Joel Osment being forcibly sodomized by Ramirez with a "we're #1" foam finger on one hand and holding a giant bag of AIDS in the other -- office workers would just watch it and go "LOL, Manny's just being Manny".

link?

whatever dude. such a double standard. this guy gets away with everything.

why, who got raked over the coals for hi-fiving a fan in the middle of a 7-5-3 double play?

he gets away with it BECAUSE HE'S FUCKING AWESOME! see thread title for more info.

sanskrit = ferris bueller's sister

ha hahahha!

"whatever duuuuuuuuuude"

http://www.bradblog.com/Images/siren.gif asshurt yankees fan in thread http://www.bradblog.com/Images/siren.gif

sanskrit = ferris bueller's sister

-- polyphonic, Thursday, May 15, 2008 10:23 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Link

^THIS

btw i wuz there and couldn't see any high 5'in but it was a great play. def. ridic that its overshadowing the fact that motherfuckers then got swept with a fucking grand slam.. by the orioles LOLZ!

btw i wuz there and couldn't see any high 5'in but it was a great play. def. ridic that its overshadowing the fact that motherfuckers then got swept with a fucking grand slam.. by the orioles LOLZ!

-a JAY PAYTON grand slam!

using "swept" in a 2 game series, c or d?

c

500

great hr/lol montage on sportscenter tonight

I got a partial translation of the comic in the original post, courtesy of my Korean mom:

Manny Ramirez square:
Manny is saying "Hey" and "Yo" to everyone and they are responding in kind.

Curt Shilling:

Randy and Clemens are (something, possibly "gone"), Pedro has no energy left, heh heh, the American League is mine this season!
(Santana looks bemused in the background)

The Ortiz as Shrek square:

Ortiz: Heh heh
Mills: This is so ridiculous, I'm having a fart.

The Derek Lowe section:

Lowe: (Sarcastically) Run like hell. They're not my legs.

She had trouble with the Keith Foulke and Pedro Martinez ones. Foulke's had something to do with being a "slow closer" and how was he going to explain that to people, with Wakefield saying "Forget about it, it's not your problem."

MLB officials were asking Pedro where he's from, and my mom didn't understand his answer.

Excellent. Valuable new Mom.

My mom cracks up a lot when she's trying to translate Hoon Choi. She found it hilarious that he spelled out "field" phonetically so it looked like "pilt."

Our moms should unionize. Seriously, I'd pay $5 for a 1-year subscription to translate those.

ya i asked some of my chong friends to help me out with these a while back

[15:41] me: what's manny saying in that first panel
[15:48] dianne: yae :(
[15:48] me: yae?
[15:49] dianne: white guy is gou=ing EH, EH
[15:49] me: so basically it doesnt make sense in korean either
[15:50] dianne: he's getting the white guy to copy what he'sa sying but the white guy isn't doing it exactly like he is?
[15:50] me: oh
[15:50] dianne: i think he's trying to say YEAH U HOT
[15:50] dianne: :(
[15:51] me: lmbo
[15:51] me: ok what's curt schilling saying
[15:51] dianne: int he first panel?
[15:51] dianne: oh
[15:51] dianne: it saays
[15:51] dianne: uhhh
[15:51] dianne: randy,
[15:53] dianne: randy, clements(?) are all gone, right?!! and pedro lost his strength...heh heh...this season i will eat [not literally eat] AL!
[15:53] dianne: black guy in back going "..."
[15:53] me: oh lol

and then

http://imgnews.naver.com/image/223/2007/05/02/1178088448.jpg

[16:41] some other broad: haha so any panel in particular or are ou curious about what the whole thing's saying?
[16:41] me: the whole thing
[16:43] some other broad: alright, skipping the title panel and oging straight to panel 1: Isn't staying the best harder than becoming the best?
death looking guy: (it's written in Korean, but it's actually in english) "Welcome to the Hell!~!!"
baseball player guy: huh?
[16:47] some other broad: panel 2: You don't have to look further than Dwight Gooden for an example. Being top all school was piece of cake, but after going to highschool you can just see from his friends from middle school who dropped perpendicularly (that makes no sense to me but I know nothing about dwight gooden)
[16:47] some other broad: guy with glasses: It's your fault we're dropping
guy in red jacket: Haha, hey friend!!
[16:48] some other broad: panel 3: When looking at the situation from that point of view, chipper jones is the best of the best. Since high school he's kept the same position for 20 years
[16:48] some other broad: baseball cap guy 1: Where's chipper?
[16:48] some other broad: baseball cap guy 2: He's always there
[16:49] some other broad: Panel 4: Chipper comes from the phrase, "Chip off old block," and he got that nickname because he's just like his father.
[16:51] some other broad: guy supposed to be chipper: Man good thing I wasn't born in Korea, or I would've been called "bbong uh bbang Jones" (boong uh bbang is "fish cake" it's a snack thing shaped like gold fish, but they make it with a mold so each cake comes out the same shape so in korea if you're just like your dad or mom ou're not a chip off the old block they say you're a fish cake.)
[16:51] some other broad: guy in read jacket: If you were born in Korea, you wouldn't be "Jones"
[16:52] some other broad: Panel 5: It's a weird way of putting it, but Jones is one of the few superstars to come out first pick in the first round...
[16:52] some other broad: guy in cleveland jersey: hey if you're first pick in the first round, doesn't that make you automatically a superstar?
[16:52] some other broad: abseball cap guy: It's different from your neighborhood
[16:53] some other broad: panel 6: Jones is a three in one balance of sense, technique, and power, so he always brings a standard grade of performance
[16:53] some other broad: jones dude: I'm confident when it comes to sense, technique and power
[16:53] some other broad: girl: "oh wow!" (under her breath) just the things I like...
[16:54] some other broad: panel 7: Even the past three years when he was wrestling with an injurty, he was able to show a continuous level of performance
[16:54] some other broad: jones guy: Even with my hamstrings ripped to shreds, 20 homeruns are no problem at all!
[16:55] some other broad: coach: you think you're Jack Bauer?
[16:56] some other broad: panel 8: Also, along with Berkman, he's the current greatest switch hitter; and whether from the left or right, he comes up with a consistent performance
[16:57] some other broad: jones guy: hey right hand, you're one really scary guy...and you are too left hand!
[16:57] some other broad: guy in baseball cap: You're the one talking to your bats, you're scarier...
[16:57] some other broad: panel 9: On top of that, Jones is a recognized crutch [NOTE from cankles: lollll] hitter, and is also well-known as a team leader
[16:58] some other broad: Jones guy: Alright! Let's go!!
[17:00] some other broad: other team members: Older brother~ (Korean style way of talking to someone older, but I think they're also pointing out that he's respected...ok the following's hard for me to translate because it uses military slang...a lot of Korean guys do that because they go to the army, but instead of explain all the intricacies of that I'm just going to give a general translation:) can't I just fall behind?
[17:02] me: is service mandatory in SK?
[17:02] some other broad: yea, two years
[17:02] me: kk
[17:02] some other broad: Panel 10: Any team he goes to, without trouble at all, he's the super elite
[17:03] some other broad: guy in suit: Well....money is a bit of a problem...money
[17:03] some other broad: jones guy: Why? I even come with a lowered yearly salary!
[17:04] some other broad: panel 11: However, this is all just on the outside, to be able to maintain that top spot, only he knows how much hard work was necessary
[17:04] some other broad: I think it's jones' dad: Don't just swing with your hands...
[17:05] some other broad: Jones guy: humph! (I don't know, just general noise for when you're really trying hard type of thing)

OMG RORRING ON THE FROOR RAFFING

"Welcome to the Hell!~!!"
"crutch"

<3 cankres

superb!!

manny ramirez does his best shawn chacon impersonation...

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Water-is-wet-Manny-Ramirez-involved-in-clubhous?urn=mlb,91013

http://bostondirtdogs.boston.com/BDD_MR_lost_7.9.08_bgjd.jpg

I WAS JUST COMING HERE TO POST THAT.

fucking manny taking a call during a pitching change!

...and he's back

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/mannydrink.jpg

anyone who hates on manny hates on fun.

Or is a Yankee fan.

there's a difference?

http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?videoId=3484016&categoryId=2521705&n8pe6c=3

And Good Manny appears to be back: 1.400 OPS over the last week. He's so fucking streaky.

Wow, the curly-haired boyfriend is fucking PISSED.

just don't let him become Best Phillie

Phillips thinks it should be a Manny-for-Burrell straight-up deal.

Dunno why the Phillies would want to do that, especially if the trade hinges on Manny being released from the 2 team options left on his contract.

I'm just glad (relatively speaking) that the latest Manny kerfuffle is about his knee, and not about that stupid flushing-washcloths bullshit.

As for Daniel's little temper tantrum, I think he's just excited to have something negative to write about Sox-wise, after all the terrible success the team's realized over the past 4 years.

Sixtyish officemate's half-hour rant first thing this morning about how, in a just world, Manny would be "a bum in Scollay Square," self-derailed by angry sidebar about Bill Lee throwing the eephus = the absolute highlight of my first year at this job.

Part of me kinda hopes the Sox dump him and sign Bonds, just to see Shaughnessy evolve into a Thunderdome-style warlord leading a militia comprised entirely of pissed-off dudes of a certain age who remember how much better baseball was when they had the reserve clause.

How can someone be angry about Bill Lee throwing the eephus? Old folks be cranky and head-fucked!

I'm thinking this iteration of MannyGate is actually some sort of smokescreen to make people forget Lugo's under contract for another 2+ years and $18 million.

How can someone be angry about Bill Lee throwing the eephus?

because tony perez hit one onto lansdowne st in game 6 of the '75 world series?

also, shaughnessy is the worst type of columnist, the failed jock who has nothing but disdain for the athletes he covers. for christ's sake, he was the guy who was continually slagging on larry bird during his mvp years.

I guess the eephus rage means folks are still holding a grudge against Wakefield for 2003?

there's a difference between getting your best pitch slugged out of the park and getting a gimmick pitch that you toyed with slugged out of the park.

DaveR otm about relative outrage vs Lugo. I still think the Sox should pick up his option. Not my money, I know.

How To Fix The Manny Problem:

1) Persuade Globe to persuade Cincy paper to take on CHB and other Around The Horny fucksticks
1a) Eradicate all sports / Gawker Media blogs
2) Upgrade Fenway plumbing to allow for occasional facetowel disposal
3) Accept his well-established eccentricities / shortcomings
3a) realize there wouldn't be 2 World Series banners in Boston without his contributions
4) Give Manny $$$ for his 20-30 HRs, 80-100 BBs, and .280-.300 average
5) STFU and enjoy

is CHB on around the horny these days??

can someone explain to me Manny's beef with Boston mgmt?

ASK MANNY

Best guess is that Manny's pissed about not knowing what he's going to be doing next year. Probably catching a lot of will they/won't they static about his option years and Manny seems to do better with stability than no stability. I think he's rightly figured out that his options aren't getting picked up and he's trying to get out one way or another. I don't even know what to think anymore except why couldn't we have had a nice peaceful final year, given him the "it's been a good run" speech, and had an offseason mourning period?

6) Shut down WEEI.

That'd probably be 0.5), actually.

Randy Johnson recently reintroduced his eephus.

That's what she said ... ?

Yeah, I think the other things besides the contract with Manny are that he feels mgmt doesn't take him at his word re: minor injuries (rightly or wrongly), that his rep for dogging it precedes him no matter what he actually does, and that the Sox PR guys basically let him twist in the wind whenever his well-established eccentricities/shortcomings come to light.

I'm not saying he should get a pass for spin-kicking traveling secretaries, but honestly he kinda has a point about everything else.

Also non-local types should always keep an eye on bostonsportsmedia.com whenever Red Sox shit goes DEFCON 2; there's an entire galaxy of sub-CHB hacks at the Lawrence Eagle-Tribune and Lynn Daily Item, &c. who basically just drop everything to see who can yell "HURRR BROWN PEOPLE" the loudest whenever it gets juicy.

Free of its racist intent, I'd love to run around yelling "HURRR BROWN PEOPLE," just because. Or maybe I want to just yell "HURRR" a whole lot.

See if wickedlocal.com needs a stringer, maybe?

FUCKING DID IT
I KNOW YOU DID IT
HURRR

(work in progress)

The anti-Manny obsession always has a undercurrent of playa-hatin Puritanism running through it.

govern yourself accordingly, you are my poster of the month

FUCKING DID IT
I KNOW YOU DID IT
HURRR

OT: apparently one of those kids is taking classes at the college where I work. If I could touch the hem of his garment.

posting the above @ 4:20 = perfect synergy

I'd never read the traveling sec'y story til today.

Lawrence Eagle-Tribune

it's just the eagle-tribune. they took the "lawrence" off the masthead almost a decade ago.

Gammons issues a brutal takedown of Manny on ESPN:

- Has habitually asked out against tough righties this year (Joba, King Felix, Verlander, etc.)
- All his teammates are sick of standing there and holding the bag for him
- Thinks he can get a 4 contract/$100 million as a free agent this offseason
- His teammates watched NYY dickheads Abreu, A-Rod, Damon take BP and longed for their professionalism.

Fuck, I just want to enjoy my regular-season baseball but the Sox never make it easy. There's little reason to watch this team these days unless Lester is pitching.

What the shit -- they're two games out of 1st place, and not even a year removed from winning the World Series! Fart in a cup and get over it!

Tonight they seemed absolutely listless. There's something missing, dunno what it is.

Wait, I'm retarded, THEY ARE ONLY .5 GAMES BACK, so plz chalk up any purported listlessness to this being late July and stow the sadsackery GAMMO in the overhead baggage compartment.

I would post the Manny-as-Van-Damme anigif, but I can't find it.

where is .gif of falling on his ass at Anaheim last week?

There are some real hall of fame diva acts going on these days.

WIN A FREE IPHONE 3G! Earl Nash is really:

a) Goose Gossage
b) Bob Feller
c) Thom Brennemann
d) Ann Coulter

CLICK HERE TO WIN!!!

he's only leading the team in home runs and just barely out of the lead for ops but yeah, his teammates get misty over the sight of a .240 bobby abreu taking bp.

whatfuckingever gammons. i hope watching manny win another ring give you another aneurysm your crotchety old fuck.

ohboy, I thought only Yankee fans used "rings" like that

yeah, them and "football" fans lol?

Might be glue by now, but your semantical beefs are slightly eccentric, Morbs.

ohboy, I thought only Yankee fans used "rings" like that

-- Dr Morbius, Tuesday, July 29, 2008 12:21 PM (Tuesday, July 29, 2008 12:21 PM) Bookmark Link

on this and so many other topics, morbs is wrong.

sorry, I'm still impressed by Luis Sojo's rings.

Happily I hardly ever hear what football fans say anymore.

oh kev, I remembered what you were gettin at last week... yeah, PITCHERS' win totals don't mean shit!

the globe had a list of potential replacements for manny and among them was johnny damon. that's when i stopped reading so i don't know who else they had listed.

ha ha hahahaha!

Armless in for Headless

I can only imagine the rest of the list:

- Raul Ibanez
- Fernando Tatis
- Gabe Kapler
- Jay Payton
- Kevin Romine
- maybe Barry Bonds (if only to shit on him)

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/gallery/07_28_08_manny_replacement/

apparently it was HILARIOUS KOMEDY SLIDESHOW DAY at the globe yesterday

I want a Willie Mays Hayes '88 Donruss!

brent favre = token?

Steve Shasta = tokin'?

http://www.outincenterfield.com/images2/manny-brett.jpg

Globe quotes Jerry Crasnick on "the most likely course of action":

The Red Sox keep Ramirez, hope he's gripped by a sudden fit of maturity over the next two months and realizes it's in his best interests to play hard and produce. Then the Sox decline his option and: a) funnel some of that $20 million into Pat Burrell, Jermaine Dye or another free agent; or b) dig into their deep well of prospects and make a trade. We always hear how ''creative'' Theo Epstein and his front office team are. This is a great opportunity to prove it.

I think the Sox signing Pat Burrell or Jermain Dye is about as likely as them signing Ricky Henderson.

MANNY HAVE YOU CONSIDERED PRODUCING FOR ONCE?!?! Because you should do that.

nah,i think his beats would suck.

Manny: Omar-S

Varitek: Bob Clearmountain

"You can not copy Manny-R style. You can only copy a song that has already been produced by Manny-R."

Pedroia: Brendan O'Brien?

how many of manny's teammates have come forward to stick up for him again, after this recent debacle? how many of his coaches? who in the front office? ownership? beat writers?

at some point, don't you have to say, shit, we appreciate your production & what you've done for us, but you've totally alienated yourself here, no one around you wants you here anymore, you haven't wanted to be here for several years & have in fact specifically asked our for several years, so we're going to trade you/let you go?

the (internet) fan reaction to the backlash against manny seems pretty preposterous & narrow-minded to me

Yes, I'm sure that Manny would rather be playing anywhere other than a hitter's park in front of the most devoted fan base in the country. And I'm sure that he'd rather have been playing elsewhere and relieved himself of the burden of winning two world championships. And I'm sure that everyone on the Red Sox would have much happier lives now if they'd been golfing in October 2007 and 2004, which is quite possibly what they'd have been doing if Manny hadn't been there.

Who was it who wrote in a recent BP chat that basketcase players (Milton Bradley, Manny, Bonds, etc.) are the newest undervalued quantities in baseball? Whoever it was, they were OTM.

Rapozer, the mail linked to yr ILX account doesn't work. email me about Shea outing.

dunno if any of his teammates have come forward but even if they had do you think any of the beat writers are going to print it? manny doesn't talk to them and they have delighted in taking shots at him for the past five years.

they were more appreciative of a "dirt dog" like trot nixon who would get a (juice assisted) homer every third series and hit .260 but gosh darn it, his uniform was dirty and he was always good for a quote when you're on deadline.

fwiw if i had to live in boston and spend my time around boston assholes, youd be lucky if i only shoved one person to the ground

Morbz, I ILX-mailed you w/ my "real" e-mail.

Oh sorry that was off-topic.

Boston please don't trade Manny unless you get something like Juan Rivera++ in return

http://www.artcyclopedia.com/images/durer-rhinoceros.jpg

these seem to be proliferating.

dunno if any of his teammates have come forward but even if they had do you think any of the beat writers are going to print it? manny doesn't talk to them and they have delighted in taking shots at him for the past five years.

OTM. Clearly Pedroia was too busy crushing brews with Manny at TC's Lounge to defend him to the Herald.

OK, clearly I parsed that sentence wrong, but the sentiment stands. Yes, Manny's an asshole and most of his teammates hate him. Do we need Gammons telling us that? Does it matter?

Also like not to restate the obvious but the Sox have the most laughably terrible PR people when it comes to defusing any minor controversy that would probably be better served internally - say what you will about Spygate, but look at what's been going on w/various Patriots players in the last two years and imagine the Sox dealing with it in the same way.

http://sonsofsamhorn.net/index.php?showtopic=34552

There's a fascinating thread going on SOSH right now regarding the way every single Sox superstar since Fisk gets mercilessly turfed out of town - this isn't unique to Manny, but the current ownership's really made a point of exacerbating these kinds of situations.

Manny's not an asshole, he just doesn't take baseball that seriously. He also happens to be really, really good at it. I think that gets under the skin of "baseball people".

esp. failed jocks like the chb.

what do you mean by not take it seriously?

as in, it's not an all-consuming thing in his life. it's a job.

Like late last year, when he didn't sweat it if the Red Sox didn't finish in 1st (I think that's what it was), and the BSM (& maybe the MSM too?) went into crisis mode.

o
m
g
http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/tools/med/2008/07/ipt/1217477867.jpg

^^screenplay idea

"The Red Sox don't deserve a player like me," Ramirez said. "During my years here I've seen how they have mistreated other great players when they didn't want them to try to turn the fans against them.

"The Red Sox did the same with guys like Nomar Garciaparra and Pedro Martinez, and now they do the same with me. Their goal is to paint me as the bad guy. I love Boston fans, but the Red Sox don't deserve me. I'm not talking about money. Mental peace has no price and I don't have peace here."

If this deal goes down, some of my blame goes to Tito for initially casting doubt on Manny's knee injury to reporters.

I WOULD LIKE THE RED SOX TO STOP LOSING, THX

http://i37.tinypic.com/ri9sed.jpg

http://i38.tinypic.com/w1dvk4.jpg

u can make your own

http://i36.tinypic.com/2vj68mf.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v622/dysign/ilx/manny_being.jpg

what's the original sign say

don't trade manny

Fuck fuck fuck if this entire day goes down and Manny is not traded and the Sox make no other deals I'm going to be furious.

deja vu

gammons says:

"A source close to the three-way negotiations involving Manny Ramirez says the deal is close to dead. Florida has reportedly asked Boston for a cash outlay beyond the $7M to cover Ramirez's contract, in addition to two prospects. That essentially would add up to the Red Sox trading Ramirez, $9M and two prospects for Jason Bay."

Loria, you old cheap-as-fuck so and so!

Dear rumor mongerers: please do not tease me w/ the thoughts of the Dodgers being dumb enough to cut bait on Matt Kemp for Manny being 36 years old. They can't be THAT dumb.

Loria, you old cheap-as-fuck so and so!

Them Leroy Neiman lithographs aren't going to buy themselves.

I don't understand why the Sox would even trade Manny right now. declining to pick up his 09 option, sure, but you're a team with a great shot at the World Series in a divison where a single win could be the difference between the playoffs and staying home. it'd be nice to get value for Manny before he leaves, but there's no question that the 2008 red sox are worse off without him, right?

^^^

at a certain point a guy becomes too big of a distraction to the team. look at nomar in '04. most popular red sox of the last 40 years and they wouldn't have won with him.

who's the last great player to leave the Sox on good terms? Yaz?

Jody Reed

apparently to approve a trade, Manny will get the Sox to drop the two option years so he'll definitely be a free agent after the season.

Damn you G00b it was Ellis Burks and you know it

the d-bag on the distraction:

Rehabbing Red Sox righthander Curt Schilling this morning said he thought the Manny Ramirez situation has affected the team and keeping him in Boston for the stretch run could present a problem.

"At the end of the day you're taking the field with a guy who doesn't want to play with you, doesn't want to be there, doesn't want to ... obviously effort-wise is just not there and that's disheartening and disappointing," Schilling said during his weekly appearance on Boston sports radio WEEI's Dennis and Callahan program.

Does he think it's time for Manny to go?

"Would I be the only guy in the New England area that said no if I did?" Schilling replied to the question. "I think I'm probably with the consensus. It's very obvious from anything you see or hear he doesn't want to be here. And anytime that there's a piece of the equation you have a problem, and then not trading and leaving him here is a problem because you don't know what you're going to get."

Schilling was asked if he was insulted by Manny's "the Red Sox don't deserve a player like me" comment.

"I was here for the end of both Pedro (Martinez) and Nomar's (Garciaparra} situation and I'm not sure how there's any parallels there," Schilling said. "... I've always felt the organization extended a lot of courtesy Manny's way and I know Terry (Francona) as a manager, like with everybody else he went that extra mile for Manny. It's disappointing to see that not get recognized, but that happens.

"The hard part for me was this (situation with Manny) derailed into a train wreck so quick, so fast, and so oddly. You had the Buddah Zen Master guy in spring training, reading and 'life is good, don't worry be happy' and it just looked like he was poised to have a monster season. Physically he worked his butt off. Obviously he wants to play longer. Anytime a guy like that is motivated, you get excited. You get a chance to see some stuff...

"We had a conversation a little while back, talking about what he should do and how things are gonna go and there's just really not a reason from a business standpoint for the Red Sox to do anything right now. There really wouldn't... Why would they? Given your age and the contract situations. Why would they not just kind of wait and see how things played out. I think there was, maybe there's some feeling on his part that if he did what he did last winter and he came out and had a monster first couple of months that they'd sit down and say 'OK we want to keep you here the next four years, let's get something done,' and it felt like to me that the second he realized that that was not an option, this just went straight downhill."

Could this situation have caused the Red Sox, losers of 4 of their last 5 on this homestand, to lose its focus?

"Absolutely, absolutely," Schilling said. "This is one of those things ... the trading deadline is always a weird time for everybody, no matter what team you play for but this ... when things are going on with Manny, the fact that Manny's locker was in the back, and not with the rest of the guys, ended up being a thing that worked because media wasn't hovering, there wasn't stuff going on, but it appears to me that he's moved out into the clubhouse now to try and make sure he gets his message broadcast and that's ... it's not fun.

"I would absolutely agree that it's affected this team. I don't question it. I've been around when it did before in '06. These are your teammates and it just makes it hard when every question, you're struggling in a 1-for-14 and grinding your (expletive) off at the plate and every question is about something that you have absolutely no control over..."

Schilling also said would give Jason Bay his No. 38 (and Bay's number with the Pirates) if Bay ends up joining the Red Sox in exchange for someone to give a five-figure donation to his charity, Curt's Pitch. "It pretty much can be had right now... yeah ...we'll work something out," Schilling said.

More quotes of note from Schilling:

# Will Manny be traded by 4 p.m. today?

“I don’t know… there’s always a part of some people that you want to see somebody not get what they want. You know?... Oh sure, (he’s going to win this showdown). Manny’s going to be a free agent no matter what next year. It doesn’t matter where you play… It’s unfortunate that someone who’s going to be considered one of the greatest hitters that ever lived, is going to just be one of the greatest hitters that ever lived.”

# Did Manny lose support of teammates after Jack McCormick incident?

“I don’t know. I don’t know how much support really is there. You’re talking about a very different man. Manny is, as we all know, one of the most talented right-handed hitters that’s ever played but I’m not sure it goes beyond that for a lot of us… the guy can hit and hit like nobody else ever could hit. I don’t know that there are a lot of guys… he has his moments when you sit and talk to him and he walks away and you go ‘wow, who is that guy?’ He’s got a soft heart at times but I never invested a whole lot there when the issues that I… the times that I had questions… problems, I talked to Manny, and we had our run-ins and there was a couple of times when I thought I was going to have a run-in and was told not to, but I don’t know about that losing [support from the] team. I don’t think there’s a lot invested there.”

# Have any teammates told Manny to knock it off?

“Recently I don’t know… I don’t know, I can’t answer that… I’ve had my moments, and that was both smiled upon and frowned upon when they happened in different times… the club is struggling enough where everyone is worrying about themselves. … This is not the first time a situation’s come up like this with Manny. There have questions in the past about things. So it’s not a Youkilis or a Pedroia thing (to sit down with Manny), neither one of those guys is that person. Mike Lowell, yeah I could absolutely see it. Jason (Varitek), yeah., but not a lot of guys are suited to be that person, or in a position to do that.”

# Does he wish that Terry Francona would do what Jimi Williams did to Pedro Martinez when the former Sox manager told Martinez he wouldn’t be starting when Pedro showed up late to the ballpark?

“I’m not so sure, well… I would tell you that something to that affect at different times has happened already. You guys didn’t know about it, but it’s happened. He’s already had a couple of times when I think (Francona’s) said, ‘That’s enough.” I think early on he did it a couple of times and was called on the carpet by other people for it, and then finally people understood what he was dealing with and came to his side a little bit more.”

# On Manny’s effort running up the first-base line on a ground ball behind third base during John Lackey’s no-hit bid on Tuesday night.

“I laugh at the fact that people are like, ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe that… on this night he didn’t…,” like that night was any different than any other night for him. .. It’s stunning to me that it just was OK I guess, the other day for things to go the way they went. It’s gonna be funny to watch all the people jump if Manny does get traded and things happen, how many people in the media area going to come out of the woodwork and say, ‘you players are idiots, you let him be like this for so long,’ and the media’s given him, for the mos part, every bit the free ride everybody else has... I thought it was telling the other night when someone asked about Manny's run down to first and I thought Terry's answer was something like, 'well, he does that a lot.' Think about that. That's someone saying, 'what do you think about this guy half-assing down the line and the manager saying, 'yeah, that happens a lot.' Again, things you kind of look at and go, 'What, we just move on?' Why is that the breaking point for people. Why after all this stuff in all the years, why is that like the breaking point?"

# Is Manny quirky or a distraction?

“..I’ve always wondered how we came to be OK with ‘… he’s just not gonna play hard today,’ and that was OK. We’ve come a long way, especially in this city as devoted and as much as the Red Sox mean to people, the fact that you could have a Dustin Pedroia, a Jason Varitek, someone who would bleed and literally play his nine breaths to make an out or get a hit or win a game, and have somebody at the other end of the spectrum from a committed standpoint, you know these players love the uniform, love the fans, and believe in Red Sox and what it means to be a part of this and then you have guys who really don’t give a (expletive).”

# Is there a better place for Manny to play than Boston?

“No, no… when you think about the history and think about the kid gloves that these fans have had through all of it, he’s always come out a hero and he’s got a chance… this is because he doesn’t have a four-year contract. That’s it… it really is. That’s his prerogative but that’s the only reason this has happened.”

# On Scott Boras’s involvement:

“I think absolutely he’s absolutely had a hand in this … I think he absolutely has a piece of this. Scott Boras stands to make zero dollars if the Red Sox pick up Manny’s options the next two years. Manny’s not 1- years from retirement, he’s maybe four obviously, that’s where he’s at. So does Scott Boras want to get a two year-deal for Manny or a four-year deal for Manny? At the end of the day it falls on the player because Manny’s an adult… I can’t fathom Scott hasn’t had some… you read his comments, he just has no ability to answer a question short, tactfully, and straightforward. It’s a 12 paragraph way to say 19 syllable words that you just can’t figure out what the hell he’s saying.”

# Schilling on Pedro Martinez:

“I enjoyed pitching with Pedro, but I watched Pedro for a year come and go as he pleased, and do whatever he pleased, from a schedule standpoint and to a point, All-Star break heading home and no one ever said a word… The things that Pedro said going out of town about Terry (Francona), that crushed me because of what I saw Tito do for him. Manny's the same way..."

no, burks couldn't wait to leave. probably mike greenwell who couldn't wait to start racing stock cars in florida.

I don't understand why the Marlins would even want Manny.

I don't get that either since they're a pretty smart team in their own way. But fuck, to get this far down the path and then derail it? Are they getting kickbacks from the Yanks and Rays for stalling the Red Sox?

Well the team that gets really screwed here is the Pirates. They go from getting Hermida and three prospects to basically nothing.

I mean they get to keep Jason Bay, but chances are the next time the Pirates are good Jason Bay won't be or he'll be gone.

Pirates lose again shocker

slightly OT, but has will carroll ever been right about ANYTHING?

Have you?

ive never been wrong about will carroll being wrong, thats for sure

WC's got the same hit / miss ratio as most rumor guys, with (unfortunately for him) the addition stigma of that Pete Rose fiasco. Hate him for his occasional lapse into Larry King speak, not for his spotty sources.

the problem is that he constantly takes obvious (spotty) hearsay & then regurgitates it as fact so he can make news, with consistently embarrassing results. not to be read or trusted.

Which makes him different from sportwriter X or Y how?

"Will Carroll (12:15:23 PM PT): Still confirming, but looks like Jason Bay to Tampa for Reid Brignac and Jeff Niemann."

A little slow on this rumor since it was posted on ESPN an hour or so ago.

im not sure what david means by 'larry king speak', but the routine arrogance with which he says what he says is whats so off-putting - sure thats common among sportswriters but theres a big difference between stating personal opinions with authority & stating other peoples opinions/speculation as solid fact, which is carroll's completely laughable schtick

hasnt Bay been about as productive as Manny this year?

Just about, yeah. And as pathetic defensively according to DTs too.

Kevin Goldstein (12:30:50 PM PT): LeverettB24 (Boston, MA): If you were the Red Sox, wouldn't you take Kemp for Manny?

We have about 129 variations of this question in the que. This deal is not available. I repeat. This deal is not available.

COME ON NED

Ahhhh why am I sticking around for this when I could go get beers.

yeah, that's a good question dude.

considering also that 4pm may come and go without news of last-minute deals

Truth....take it easy bros. I'll be back for hand-wringing and tears I'm sure.

boston.com web site crashed, did something happen?!?!?

never mind, after two attempts and getting "service temporarily unavailable" it's back.

Yeah, no news so far, and SOSH is obviously getting hammered. Rob Neyer's just babbling about "Kavalier and Clay" in his ESPN chat.

It's happening.

Edes on NESN: "I'm being told that a trade has gone down with Manny Ramirez. No details yet, but something is in the commissioner's office."

Jason Bay coming back, sounds like.

why would the pirates want manny?

Carroll says to the dodgers

I don't know why the Red Sox just didn't take Kemp? Obviously there are more players involved than these three.

http://radio.goldseek.com/Siren_animated.gifMANNY TO IRAQ... DEVELOPINGhttp://radio.goldseek.com/Siren_animated.gif

Kemp almost certainly wasn't offered.

Jason Bay is headed to Boston as part of the deal, SI.com has learned. The Pirates will get four minor leaguers in the three-way trade.

Whuh-oh.

RACIALISM

actually, I have no idea, aside from Kemp still being wet behind the ears, and Bay having a solid track record of Manny-lite production

(xpost)

The 4 MLers:

Dylan
Dylan
Dylan
Charlie Zink

because he throws HOT FIYAH

In the comments of Foxsports: The Pirates will receive Andy LaRoche and right-hander Bryan Morris from the Dodgers and outfielder Damien Moss and releiver Craig Hansen from the Red Sox.

Jonathon is fuck. 3:30pm Comment

Jonathon is WELCOME TO ST. PETE JASON BAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......maybe? 3:16pm Comment

Jonathon is WELCOME TO ST. PETE JASON BAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2:29pm Comment

Brandon Moss. I still like Hansen, but he definitely isn't ML-ready.

Ha -- if only it was Damian Moss!

i think i might cry

RIP MANNY ;_;

Eagerly anticipating the Plaschke reaction.

srsly xpost

Oh shit, I'm gonna have to call and break the news to my mom.

that's a pretty good haul for the pirates imo!

Breaking news: Red Sox 4% whiter, less interesting.

4% whiter, 40% less interesting

I'm happy for Andy LaRoche.

The Dodgers sure have a lot of outfielders.

f-k it, 80% less interesting

A lot of those outfielders are shitty though.

Yeah -- frees LaRoche from that retarded purgatory he was thrust into because of Torre's luv affair w/ Blake DeWitt, gives them a good-to-go cheaper Nady clone in Moss, a 21-year-old high-ceiling pitching prosect in Morris, and, um, a young reliever (w/ potential, obv) that's been beyond awful in MLB to this point.

Dodgers, meanwhile, are probably going to use Manny to cockblock Matt Kemp s'more, which is just awesome for the rest of the West.

xpost to cank's GO RATS post, btw

& as much as I'm going to miss Manny, if it shuts up all the fucking moronic beat writers (and maybe Schilling) for more than 5 minutes, I'm all for Bay coming into town.

yeah but how do i break it to my kids?

FUCK

SERIOUSLY, FUCK

FUCK THIS BULLSHIT

Tell them Manny's going to a really big farm out in the country where there's plenty of room to roam and a to-die-for play-by-play man calling his games.

(don't mention Simers & Plaschke unless you want them to really get upset, tho)

FUCK YOU RED SOX

(yes I am stealing my material from Andy K)

WHY DON'T YOU JUST TEAR DOWN THE GREEN MONSTER NOW?

yeah but how do i break it to my kids?

-- collardio gelatinous, Thursday, July 31, 2008 4:57 PM (4 minutes ago) Bookmark Link
just point them towards alyssa milano's blog

WHY DON'T YOU JUST TEAR DOWN THE GREEN MONSTER NOW?

BECAUSE WHERE WOULD THEY FILM SOX APPEAL?

ok, i think they can dig the free-range manny concept.

but srsly i've tried to prepare them for this by telling them it was very likely he'd be traded today. they were on verge of tears with just the thought. (7 and 8 yrs old by the way).

well that just makes me sadder

(couldn't get my mom on the phone, btw; she was *really* sad at Ellis Burks's departure)

Adios Manuel. Cojelo suave.

Aw man, now I'm starting to actually get a little misty. You bastards.

"Tell them Manny's going to a really big farm out in the country where there's plenty of room to roam and a to-die-for play-by-play man calling his games."

Three innings of and only west of the Rockies.

Aww, man, that sucks, collardio.

multiple xpost

You want to tell them about Santa while you're @ it, Steve?

I can't wait to watch Joe Torre manage Manny Ramirez.

Dudes -- Manny and JEFF KENT

That shit's like Office / 30 Rock level sitcom material.

wow, pirates cleaned up. Jason Bay not so secretly sucks btw.

see this is one good thing about having kids. you can play "grown up" in situations where you're feeling childlike emotions yourself.

all i can say as a yankees fan is lol

FUCK

6. Now they can bat Kent third and Manny fourth and hope that no one hits the ball to them in the field.
Submitted by: Paul Brass
2:11 PM PDT, July 31, 2008

I lol'd

all i can say as a yankees fan is lol

-- max, Thursday, July 31, 2008 9:20 PM (25 seconds ago) Bookmark Link

yeah, this is a highly looooooooooooool situation here

dumb fucking trade by boston imo. the dude has been manny in this manner time and again and he's helped them win 2 WS titles in the process and sure he's been a little worse offensively this year but jason bay?

now batting for the Boston Red Sox. . . .

would it be surprising if bay was better than manfred 2 years down the line?

no

how close did some of you guys come to hari-kari when nomar got traded for orlando cabrera in 2004?? or was that ok because beat writers didnt have a problem with him

I actually think it's probably a good baseball trade, all-told, for the sox. But that doesn't stop me from being seriously seriously bummed ;_;

Manny Ramirez is my favorite player in Major League Baseball.

-- G00blar, Tuesday, March 25, 2008 1:30 PM (4 months ago) Bookmark Link

also, definitely liked Garciapopup but never looooved him like Manny.

Um Manny v2008 isn't Manny v2001-2006 guys. It's entirely conceivable that Jason Bay is better this year and next year than what Manny is and he's a lot cheaper.

thats an understandable reaction - the facts of the matter are the dude, the dudes manager, & the dudes teammates all wanted him out of boston. boston got younger & cheaper & more or less replaced his production (considering age + ability - mannys obviously a better hitter, but he's in decline) in return for a talented but so-far shitty reliever & a 4th OF

good trade xp to g00b

Jason Bay better bring some gold-plated chemistry with him

Yeah I would watch out for batteries if I was him. Those things hurt like a motherfucker.

from what i can tell he makes jd drew look like david ortiz in the charisma department but i could be wrong

I find that hard to believe.

JD Drew has been since snubbing the Phillies one of the most universally reviled (possibly unfairly so) players outside of Barry Bonds at virtually every junction in his playing career. Also Jason Bay is from Canada.

boston loves jd drew now, right?

That's my evidence. What's yours?

That Jason Bay is a jerk that is, not that Boston luvs Drew now.

i never said bay was a jerk, i said he was charisma free.

"do keep up"

Yeah I'm not following the arguments here at all.

the post gabbneb era on ILB

Anyway Boston loves Drew because he's playing well. They'll love Bay if he does as well. They will throw batteries at either (or both) if they don't.

how close did some of you guys come to hari-kari when nomar got traded for orlando cabrera in 2004?? or was that ok because beat writers didnt have a problem with him

-- deeznuts, Thursday, 31 July 2008 21:45 (1 hour ago) Link

can't believe this loser has the most insightful perspective on ilb. sox will suffer a short term loss and a long term gain.

yankees check the gums and teeth like they're shopping for thoroughbreds.
sox USE NUMBERZ AND METRICS AND SHIT. you know i would too in that strata of salaries.

Also Jason Bay is from Canada.

-- Alex in SF, Thursday, July 31, 2008 9:59 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Link

^^compelling evidence for the "bay is a dick" argument imo

He was born in British Columbia though! It's not like he's from Alberta!

stoners dont go over nearly as well as boozers in boston

Yeah, Boston beat writers + Nomar sure had a lovey-dovey relationship in 2004.

I love when ILBB YANKEE TRU WARIERS get frisky on threads like this. Anybody wanna play pin the tail on the Dahlem rereg?

ITP: Some real armchair analysis using SABR stats

Looking at the very last table of data on the bottom of the page:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?playerId=2974

AB/HR: from 1998 to 2006 = around 12-13. 2007-8 = 18+. Power is starting to go.
BB/PA: 2008 is the lowest since 1997. bordering on career low. Losing selectiveness.
BB/SO: 2008 is lowest since 2001, 2nd lowest since 1994. Confirms above.
IsoP: 2007-2008 are lowest since 1997. Pretty huge drop here.
SecA: 2007-2008 are about 100 points lower than career average

If Manny were 30 or 32, I'd think he'd have some chance to counter these downswings but........ he's 36.

xp: never speaketh that name again!

I miss JD :(

I guess the NYC spin is that Yankee Killer Manny is gone yayayayayayay

Also had the pleasure to hear someone's grandfather on a CT-area call-in show (not ESPN Radio) make the same stink most folks will make regarding Jason Bay's who-dat status

OT: Someone, somewhere, is writing a blog post calling Ivan Rodrigues "the Derek Jeter of catchers."

ezzzzzzzzzzz

Here's something that you all were waiting for:

Bonds 2007 vs. Manny 2008:
BA: .276 : .299
OBP: .480 : .398
SLG: .565 : .529
AB/HR: 12.1 : 18.3
BB/PA: .277 : .122
BB/SO: 2.44 : 0.61
IsoP: .288 : .230
SecA: .691 : .375

One guy wants $20M, one guy wants $0.375M

One's a total diva drama queen clubhouse cancer and the other one is sitting out the 2008 season.

It's just such a sad way to end it.

I love when ILBB YANKEE TRU WARIERS get frisky on threads like this. Anybody wanna play pin the tail on the Dahlem rereg?

-- govern yourself accordingly, Thursday, July 31, 2008 7:30 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Link

ay bro all i said was 'lol' and i stand by that statement

yeah. manny /= yankee killer

ortiz = yanqui killer

I don't even know when it's going to hit that he's gone...I'm pretty much in baseball shock. Manny was there for pretty much every relevant moment of my generation's Red Sox fandom. Now we'll get to see his first at-bat in Dodger blue and wonder what sucker team overpays him this offseason.

When you add in Moss and Hansen, the money, and the fact that the team didn't have time to address its other, more pressing needs, it isn't even that great of a trade. Or even a good one. But there's two months of baseball left to soldier through. So welcome, Jason Bay, and any grudges we hold are no knock on you. I guess it was crazy to hope that this story was ever going to end well.

The Epstein/Henry Red Sox have been completely unsentimental when it comes to dealing admired stars who have helped them win in the past (or simply letting them walk), so I'm surprised by some of the "how could they??" reactions from Red Sox fans who should be used to this by now. They should also be used to seeing these guys make smart decisions -- they brought in the top OF on the trading market, he's locked up for 2009 and far below his free market value (for Boston this trade was as much about securing someone for next year as anything else -- you won't find an OF this good and cheap during the offseason), and kept him away from their direct competition (who also wanted him). It's a brilliant trade.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-plaschke1-2008aug01,0,4821970.column

They are counting on him to carry them into October and beyond.

Just as soon as they can find him.

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.

IT BEGINS

I actually think it's probably a good baseball trade, all-told, for the sox. But that doesn't stop me from being seriously seriously bummed ;_;

Manny Ramirez is my favorite player in Major League Baseball.

-- G00blar, Tuesday, March 25, 2008 1:30 PM (4 months ago) Bookmark Link

-- G00blar, Thursday, July 31, 2008 4:46 PM (Thursday, July 31, 2008 4:46 PM) Bookmark Link

manny was my favorite player on the team i've been following since i went to my first game in 1978. and while i'm sad to see him go i understand that it's probably for the best that he left. and i also understand that management is taking a HUGE risk by dealing their most reliable and productive bat. but it seems like it had to happen, for everyone involved. that doesn't make it fun though.

if bay is the second coming of danny cater though there ought to be riots on lansdowne.

lol, awesome. to celebrate the ilb era on the gabbneb show, i should get a manny dodgers shirt.

the other one is sitting out the 2008 season

how noble ;-)

boston herald's michael connelly on manny:

Batting Average - 9th…………………………………..312
OBP - 5th…………………………………………………411
Sick Grandmothers - 1st…………………………………17
Slugging - 4th……………………………………………588
Runs - 10th………………………………………………743
HR’s - 5th…………………………………………………274
Times relieved himself in the Green Monster - 1st……..1 (that we know of)
RBI’s - 6th………………………………………………..868
Intentional BB - 3rd……………………………………..128
AT bats per HR - 2nd…………………………………..14.4
Grills sold on E Bay - 1st…………………………………..1

Huh. Christina Kahrl reminds us that Bay's already locked in at $7.5 million for 2009, and will even then be a year short of eligibility as a free agent, meaning that the Sox have him under control in his age-30 and age-31 seasons, at which point they can probably afford to let him go wherever he wishes.

wait up! wasn't the grill yanked off of ebay BEFOERE it sold?

i'll shut up now.

yeah. manny /= yankee killer
Manny's career numbers against the Yankees: .321 BA, .1.029 OPS, 55 HRs, 163 RBIs in 200 games

TS:

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/columnists/view/2008_08_01_No_Dodging_it:_Manny_Ramirez_just_a_bad__bad_man/srvc=sports&position=0

vs

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-shaikin1-2008aug01,0,4706958.story

http://multimedia.heraldinteractive.com/images/4cac680017_manny_08012008.jpg

wtf is this lolcat font

I didn't realize Bay still had a arb-year left post-2009. Very nice deal for the Red Sox.

I don't think he does, actually -- from what I've heard, he's got enough time on his arb clock that he'll be a free agent after '09. Even so, tho, it's still a fair trade-off (until Bay comes up lame and Manny goes off for 20 HRs in August, of course).

enjoying all the Bay-bashing from our Steve Phillipses

WARP1, 2003-2008:

Manny 32.5
Bay 31.6

Preaching to the choir, Doc (tears of no-Manny notwithstanding).

I can't believe baseball found a way to make me hate Manny.

He'll be wearing #99 for the Dodgers.

Advertises at fenway ---> http://www.99restaurants.com/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3058/2726446121_e113e8a93c_o.jpg

Meanwhile, the Globe saw fit to mark the end of the Manny era today by letting CHB loose with a front page feature. I think I need to put my brain on pause.

http://revver.com/video/1078343/fitzys-wicked-pissah-goodbye-manny-webcast/

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/articles/2008/08/03/dodge_ball_just_got_better/

Since joining the Dodgers (five games):

BA: .600
OBP: .636
SLG: 1.100
HR: 3
RBI: 7
R: 6

Manny: dogging it in July with the Red Sox, or feasting on pitching from the weaker league?

yes

You are right -- option C) both, is also acceptable.

Manny June: .930 OPS
Manny July: 1.060 OPS
Manny August: 1.730 OPS

So if dogging it means being an elite hitter instead of an otherworldly one, I guess I could be outraged that Manny didn't have a 1.500 OPS every season with the Sox.

His first HR as a Dodger was a grooved 86 mph fastball from Yusmiero Petit, who actually cannot throw the ball harder than that as a 20-somthing righthander. I can only imagine Manny thinking "is it always this easy over here?"

haha -- yeah, the dogging claims are some BS (mostly exacerbated by his WTF comments to the press), tho I couldn't help but get a little miffed when I saw Manny busting his tail out of the box during his first Dodger game. (I blame Gammo.) Clowns that say his hitting well doesn't mean he wasn't dogging it can chase a Hummer.

next level? sample size? crazy shit irregardless.

hey dere Manny!

Bay's numbers are pretty good so far for a boring Canadian.

not good enough to overcome being a boring canadian however.

>:(

http://www.tuboston.com/imgs/hed/124.jpg

(...)Es todavía increíble imaginarse a los Red Sox sin la picardía y la personalidad especial del dominicano. Si bien es cierto que su reemplazo, el canadiense Jason Bay, ha funcionado (casi robóticamente), la ausencia de Manny se sentirá y deja un hueco muy difícil de llenar.

Finalmente el beisbol es solo un juego. Y eso es justamente lo que Manny comprendía y disfrutaba como nadie.

casi robóticamente

yeah, i know, bit of a cheap shot.

This "Bay = stiff" bullshit is ... well, it's the sports media in a nutshell.

i wanna have jason bay's babies

make him an offer. i'll warn you though, healthy white babies are REALLLY expensive.

Bay's numbers are pretty good so far for a boring Canadian.

-- Dr Morbius, Thursday, August 7, 2008 7:22 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Link

^overlooked amidst 'lol Manny in NL'

Not by me - the guy is tearing it the fuck up

http://assets.espn.go.com/i/eticket/20080930/photos/eticket_g_manny13_412.jpg

Tim McCarver: "DESPICABLE"

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2008/news/story?id=3632077&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines

Back in Philadelphia, McCarver told the Inquirer that he's seen the likes of Ramirez before in sports.

"Every sport, there have been people who have held organizations hostage, whether it be Terrell Owens or Randy Moss or Manny Ramirez," McCarver said.

Bless you Manny Ramirez for filling McCarver with rage.

lol look at message on scoreboard

hahaha good catch

"catch"

A few minutes earlier, Manny had stood outside the clubhouse, sipping on a juice box. It was passion fruit.

He shrugged.

“I gotta drive,” he said.

Yeah, the Dodgers have a ways to go still. Or maybe they don’t. But, they aren’t the Cubs. Sometimes, it only seemed like it.

PLASCHKE

http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3644816

The Red Sox made the playoffs but eventually lost to the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Championship Series. Would they have won it all with Ramirez?

"Probably," Ortiz said. "I'm not going to lie to you, probably."

danggg

gotta <3 scott boras...

LA made a $45M/2yrs with a $15M third-year option which expires today and neither Boras nor Manny even responded to or acknowledged the offer... save for Boras' comment that they will start examining "serious offers" starting today.

Dude is 36 and this would be the 2nd highest per year salary in the history of MLB. Boras said he wants 6 years. No wonder he was unhappy in Boston.

http://blog.nj.com/mets/2009/01/manny_rumors_highlight_mets_gl.html

$45M/2 years rejected again.

Coletti's calling Boras' bluff on other "serious offers".

Good for Coletti. I don't have anything against Manny personally, but I hope he gets punished in the wallet for ever shaking Boras' hand.

Neyer had something up the other day that boiled down to "the other GMs have decided that he quit on the Red Sox"

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3938665

Boras sets the record straighter.

yep, Neyer today appended that -- "Now we learn that the Dodgers' most recent offer apparently included deferred money. A lot of deferred money. Which changes the tenor of this discussion. A lot."

So it sounds like this most recent offer was actually $10 million for year one, and another $35 million ($10 million of which was supposedly for year one) if he exercised his option for year two? If so, it is not surprising he turned that down.

That sounds worse than the previous offer of $25 million for one year and only slightly better than $45 million for two years. I don't know how to compare it to the offer before that ($15 million for the 2009 season, $22.5 million in 2010 and a $7.5 million buyout or $22.5 million club option for 2011) but it sounds worse than that one, too.

I don't understand the Dodgers fascination with deferred money in light of the economic situation. The deals for Furcal, Jones, Hudson and now Manny are all back loaded. I hope it ends up making sense instead of constructing some fucked up house of cards like the Diamondbacks built for themselves a couple years ago.

http://imgnews.naver.com/image/223/2007/10/22/1193031948.jpg

http://imgnews.naver.com/image/sports/2007/mlb/choihoon_special/mlb_cartoon_ch/1182655077_file_image_0.jpg

Manny went back to the Dodgers saying he would play for $25 million this year, with a player option for $20 million in 2009 and McCourt turned it down, reports the LA Times.

That seems like a pretty fair deal imo.

It's basically the same deal minus the deferred money.

END

NOW

SOMEONE

PLEASE

is anybody else vaguely interested in Manny? and don't say the Giants.

ESPN bottom line just scrolled that he's signed with the dodgers for 2 yr $45 million

could it be over?

From the future!

http://www.latimes.com/media/thumbnails/columnist/2008-12/267119-19093537.jpg
T.J. Simers
March 4, 2009

From Phoenix -- The phone rings, and the voice sounds familiar, the giggle unmistakable.

"It's me," Manny Ramirez says, "your girlfriend."

What a goof, just what made him so endearing a year ago in making the Dodgers relevant in L.A. once again, the last time we spoke yet another joke closing out his stay in town: "Gas is up and so am I."

Reminded now, he laughs. "No, gas isn't up any more, but the price of milk is the same."

Take a few minutes, and while at first it doesn't always make sense what the goof has to say, usually there's a message very close to the truth in there.

Due to earn $40 million over the final two years of his contract with Boston, he knows now it's not going to be much different if he signs with the Dodgers.

"Two years is fine with me," he says, and whoever thought they would hear that from Manny Ramirez?

He will turn 37 this season and had hoped for four or five years to take him to the end of his career, but now he says, "the economy is making me adjust. That's just the way it is."

But some folks, and they don't all live in Boston, believe he won't be happy with such a contract given his earlier expectations, and therefore won't put out.

"I cannot control what people might think," Manny says. "The economy is making everyone adjust. I will be happy to play for L.A., win and win a couple Gold Gloves just like Andruw Jones."

At least he didn't say, "hit like Andruw Jones."

Manny's goofiness doesn't always play well in baseball, a game filled with so many serious folks, including many who make their living writing about the sport.

But in his time with the Dodgers, it became clear to those who hardly knew him previously, he's dedicated to working hard in order to hit the baseball hard with regularity.

The debate continues whether he is more into himself than his team, but inside the Dodger locker room it's unanimous -- unless someone is keeping quiet -- how much he meant to everyone on the team last season.

The Dodgers look solid and deeper in the infield this year, have an outstanding catcher and two key contributors in the outfield, but might need time, a miracle or a whole bunch of key hits again from Manny to compensate for a shaky starting rotation and bullpen.

But then how happy will Manny be after forcing his exit from Boston and playing at a level never seen before in L.A. only to fall so short in contract demands?

"You're not listening to me," he says. "I've looked at the big picture from every different angle and life is too short to be mad. I've already made a ton of money and now it's just about negotiating a deal. It's what happens in sports.

"As long as I'm alive, I'm happy. I'm sitting here in my house by the water, drinking a Margarita, dark glasses on and I'm in a good place. I'm in pretty good shape, too, playing with my three kids all the time."

He says he knows some people -- given the present state of the economy -- might consider him greedy, "but it's always been a part of negotiations in sports," he says.

"I'm happy in L.A. I like my teammates and had a great time. The fans were so good to me; they treated me the best anywhere in my career. And now I think we're close (to a deal)."

Negotiations, though, between the Dodgers and Manny's agent, Scott Boras, recently broke down, and team owner Frank McCourt sounds like a man who might get tougher in this next round of proposals.

The Dodgers deserve credit for playing the negotiating game perfectly with Manny to date. But ultimately it's only a success if he winds up in a Dodgers uniform.

McCourt insists he wants Manny on the payroll, but he doesn't sound thrilled with Boras. There is talk within the organization that time right now is best served letting McCourt cool down with a reminder that Boras will not be playing for the Dodgers.

The fear internally is that McCourt might feel empowered by the economic times and public opinion that Manny and Boras are greedy. They worry he might significantly lower his offer when talks resume, which could open the door for another team looking for a last-minute bargain.

"He's (McCourt) negotiating as owners do, and I know he wants to win,"' Manny says. "I'm not bothered by what's happened. That's what negotiations are, but I just want to make one thing clear, I have faith in Scott. I know everything that's going on and we're communicating."

That certainly says he talks to Boras because that's something Boras would want said in retort to the Dodgers' earlier suggestion he doesn't always keep his clients in the loop.

As for Manny, he admits he thought there might be other teams showing an interest, and there were a few, he says, but apparently they could not get past the cloud hanging over Boston.

"It's still Boston. It's always, he's this and he's that," he says. "Move on. I left Boston. Did I quit while winning two World Series in Boston? You think you can hit 500 home runs quitting?

"I know how people treated me in L.A.. And I want to thank them."

He says he can't wait to start playing again, and "stealing bases," the jokester back to work. "No more home runs."

He has obviously been paying attention from afar, Manager Joe Torre saying the team is placing an emphasis on being more aggressive on the basepaths.

He has been working out since November, but he says he hasn't been spending a whole lot of time catching fly balls at home. No reason now to start working on defense.

"I can't wait to show those teams who passed on me," he says, sounding more motivated than devastated.

"Tell everyone Mannywood is coming -- now go call Jeff Kent."

Source: Manny, Dodgers agree

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3949705

i think monday at bernie's is my best username ever btw

Goddamn I wish I was like Manny and could get all high, call up Simers and say crazy shit.

nothings stopping you from doing that really

http://www.becomingmanny.com/

Authorized by the future Hall of Famer himself, and written by a clinical psychologist and an award-winning investigative journalist, Becoming Manny is the incredible story behind one of the greatest baseball sluggers of all time.

yo if we option that into movie can Lamp exec produce

press conference was a thing of beauty today

it really was

"i gotta get my gold glove ready, ju all know that"

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009_images/dodgers.jolt.jpg

''So Manny was tough for us. You have somebody like him, you know at any point in the ballgame, he can dictate the outcome of the game. And for him not to be on the same page as the rest of the team was a killer, man! It just takes one guy to bring an entire team down, and that's exactly what was happening.

''Once we saw that, we weren't afraid to get rid of him. It's like cancer. That's what he was. Cancer. He had to go. It sucked, but that was the only scenario that was going to work. That was it for us. And after, you could feel it in the air in the clubhouse. We got Jason Bay -- Johnny Ballgame, plays the game right, plays through broken knees, runs out every ground ball -- and it was like a breath of fresh air, man! Awesome! No question.''

That's Papelbon, I'm guessing. He's entitled to his opinion, I guess. I can imagine that Manny is necessarily the easiest guy to play with.

assuming the cubs don't win the whole thing, i hope the dodgers win it over the red sox for the next two years

Who can forget that epic game where Jason Bay launched a game winning walk off HR on two broken knees.

I was there.

papelbon in being a fucking moron shocka

i can't believe he called him johnny ballgame

i need to come up with some kind of filter so i can never hear anything this guy says.

either that or he's just taking the piss w/a VERY elaborate joke

papelbitch is such a tool

Must be something about the MSU baseball program that generates dumbass.

you guys are right. jason bay sucks.

they're blinkered anti-Canadian Massholes, TT

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=3973690&categoryid=2378529

According to Eric Young, Papelbon broke one of the unwritten rules of baseball.

Shouldn't he be called Jason Ballgame.

Red Sox runs per game before Ramirez trade: 4.94
Red Sox runs per game after Ramirez trade: 5.79
Red Sox record before Ramirez trade: 61-48, .560
Red Sox record after Ramirez trade: 34-19, .642

Shasta also voted Shannon Stewart MVP a few years ago based on similar stats

Dodgers runs per game before Ramirez trade: 4.1
Dodgers runs per game after Ramirez trade: 4.6
Dodgers record before Ramirez trade: 54-54, .500
Dodgers record after Ramirez trade: 30-24, .556

Ramirez's value over replacement Pierre was higher in LA.

Hah I think we can all agree that Bay is a good player, but if he must be sacrificed to talk shit about Papelbon, so be it.

jason baypelpongame

worst thing about papelbonbon's quote is he acts like he is creating the term clubhouse cancer.

"I was kind of nervous the first at-bat," Ramirez said, "especially when they are paying me $25 million to get base hits. I think that's not a good investment, but we'll see."

o_O

More like Papelsmear aren't I correct?

http://www.myspace.com/johnnyballgame1031

http://i41.tinypic.com/2rwkuis.jpg

tell me he's in van cortlandt park

video of the cricket session
http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200903183981369

recap: not in van cortland park, shilling for direct tv, joking about his gonads.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4018367

One time, Ramírez laid it all out for Branyan, gave him the whole hitting equation. "He told me that he put 70 percent of his weight on his back foot and 40 percent of his weight on his front foot. And even though I knew the numbers didn't add up, I thought for a second, I've got to try that."

it's cuz manny gives 110% day in and day out

DUH.

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20090505/capt.f4d1a9a43ee947fcbd07710ce73bb28b.diamondbacks_dodgers_baseball_cahm101.jpg

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-manny-ramirez8-2009may08,0,6324894.story

50 games? is that it?

omg :-(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( x 1,000,000

just Manny Being A-Rod

Can't wait for Plaschke article.

holy shit

Dammit.

Say it ain't so, Manny.

Actually, I know he'll say it wasn't his fault, but this is disappointing.

Canseco is right yet again.

I wonder what's taking them so long to get Pujols?

he's the last current player the writers can endorse besides Eckstein

Don't even joke about Pujols. That would ruin this season for me.

“The drawn-out negotiation, the lack of a long-term deal, the lack of interest all raise red flags... Ramirez’s name is most likely 90% likely on the list (of players who tested positive for PEDs in 2003).”

-Jose Canseco, April 6, 2009

WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND

IS

lol

You'd think that dudes would not be taking ANYTHING that could cost them $7M, taint their public image, be fodder for endless chants until their impending retirement upon return...

WITHOUT MAKING 100% SURE THAT THE "MEDICATION" IS NOT ON THE LIST OF BANNABLE SUBSTANCES.

I mean, I have zero sympathy for these dudes like Romero and Manny who are like "I don't know man, I just got this stuff at GNC, from my MD, etc."

It's extremely bone-headed.

I mean if it's even true which it may or may not.

BP confirmed with "two sources" that it's neither steroid nor stimulant.

what the hell else would it be?

what exactly comprises the banned list anyway? are we talkin like 2 pages or 200?

http://www.losangelescannabisclubs.com/directory/

It's been confirmed that it's not that.

THC <> PED

Manny-Enhancing Drugs

what the hell else would it be?

there is a huge pharmacopeia of shit out there

ludes def ludes

O________________O

holy shit : /

major lols at Manny being Manny

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/05/congress_bailing_out_manny_ramirez.php

i wonder how Selena Roberts feels about this news?

weird. this steals publicity while indirectly making her more relevant. wonder which way the sales numbers will jump.

what exactly comprises the banned list anyway? are we talkin like 2 pages or 200?

http://mlbplayers.mlb.com/pa/pdf/jda.pdf

Manny's suspension is under 8.D.2. of the Agreement, which provides:

D. Conviction for the Possession or Use of Prohibited Substance

A Player who is convicted or pleads guilty (including a plea of nolo contendere or similar
plea but not including an adjournment contemplating dismissal or a similar disposition) to the
possession or use of any Prohibited Substance (including a criminal charge of conspiracy or
attempt to possess or use) shall be subject to the following discipline:

2. For a second offense: at least a 120-game but not more than a one-year
suspension, if the Prohibited Substance is a Performance Enhancing Substance, or
at least a 30-game but not more than a 90-game suspension, if the Prohibited
Substance is a Drug of Abuse (including a Stimulant);

The 50-game suspension would seem to indicate that it's either a Stimulant or a Drug of Abuse. If not a Stimulant, as per Shasta, it would seem to be a Drug of Abuse.

lol BBC -- "Ramirez given 50-match suspension"

from baseball prospectus:

UPDATE 2: Two sources confirm for me that Ramirez did not test positive for an anabolic steroid. What the substance was remains unclear. The press release from MLB indicates that it was not a "drug of abuse" or a "stimulant," the other two classes of banned substances. Ramirez's positive test came during Spring Training, which follows his story that he received the substance from a doctor this January.

sort of confusing at this point

yahoo sports reporting it was a sexual enhancer!

that was my next guess

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the substance is supposed to boost sex drive. It is not Viagra, but a substance that treats the cause rather providing a temporary boost in sexual performance, the source said.

and now espn reporting that it's hCG, which is some sort of steroid user helper drug--it stimulates natural testosterone production. fuck.

good times

are sexual enhancers really banned

they can't have been, right. at least some of them were ok, i mean raffy was openly sponsoring viagra.

2.B.55. of the JDA bars Gonadotrophins such as hcg

you know it was rock cocaine

also i was wrong about 8d2 - the suspension is for just cause under 8g2, presumably cuz he didn't advise mlb of the prescription and seek an exemption

i dunno if the 50-day term (10 less than the minimum for PEDs) indicates they don't believe him or that they do

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j237/supercaper/Animated%20GIFs/He-Man.gif

TMI, Mr. Que

"Two sources told ESPN that Ramirez used a women's fertility drug HCG, human chorionic gonadotropin. That sort of drug can be used by steroid users after they complete cycles to get their bodies to produce testosterone naturally again."

so they didn't catch him for roids but for masking agent.

dude just wanted to have his cake and beat it too

oh wait, the 50 games are for first pos test under 8B. dunno where i got the D from.

so it seems like they suspended him under 8G rather than 8B cuz he had a prescription, but nevertheless punished him as if under 8B cuz he hadn't notified them of it (i.e. didn't qualify for a therapeutic use exemption)?

That sort of drug can be used by steroid users after they complete cycles to get their bodies to produce testosterone naturally again.

EVEN IF hcg were helpful in solving other medical conditions, what kind of complete fucking moron takes a drug THAT IS KNOWN TO MASK STEROIDS?

I call Dr Morbius for the defence.

the kind of complete fucking moron that is still taking steroids

ballplayers are often arrogant and stupid with this sort of thing. even if performance is not markedly improved by PEDs and the like, it's amazing how much dudes are willing to risk considering the fallout that has occurred with other players in the past.

ballplayers are often arrogant and stupid

Ramirez tested positive for the substance during spring training, then had the urine – a “B” sample – tested again more recently, and it also was positive. Major League Baseball notified Ramirez of the second positive test after Wednesday night’s Dodgers victory over the Washington Nationals. Ramirez admitted to having taken the substance and declined to appeal. His 50-game suspension begins today.
...
Ramirez, the source said, acquired the substance through a prescription from a doctor in Miami for his medical condition. The source intimated that Ramirez might bring legal action against the physician.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ys-ramirezsuspension050709&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Wonder what he's going to pretend his medical condition was.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/etienne_saint/atumor.jpg

imo the only reason this is a big deal is cuz of the 50 games - phew~! sucks if u a dodgers fan huh

It's actually kind of good for the Dodgers though. Even Manny-free they should be able to easily walk with the division and they don't have to pay him what $8M or so.

it seems pretty horrible for the dodgers! it seems like one of those potentially tough psychological blows and $8 million is pocket change.

fantasy owners, time to buy on juan pierre!

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1169/571373489_edb12ea037_m.jpg

Monday Tim Kurkjian predicted the Dodgers would win the division by 15 games. And why not, even without Manny.

I give him credit for trying to be a good husband. Now he and Mrs. Ramirez can get busy all summer.

"it seems pretty horrible for the dodgers!"

Dude look at their division though! They could cry in the corner for the next two months and still have a five game lead at the end of that time.

"I give him credit for trying to be a good husband. Now he and Mrs. Ramirez can get busy all summer."

Wait what?

not saying they won't have the lead, but i've heard other people say it could be good for the dodgers, which is totally off imo. it might not be the end of their season, but good?

well when you can put an aggressive hitter, a hustle guy, a base stealer, a guy who's made it in this game on grit and determination at the top of your order it just seems like a big ol' silver lining on that dark cloud.

Maybe good is too strong a word. Still given the state of luxury box sales I wouldn't overlook the power of chump change.

i was gonna say, maybe Manny felt he had better things to do than play baseball for the next two months

guys they are interviewing plaschke on espn right now

i can't even describe

he's.... like if a rabid, rabies-infested dog was masturbating?

he might've just said that the mayor needs to ban him from LA but i'm listening from the other room

http://apse.dallasnews.com/img/columnists/mug_bill_plaschke.jpg

Hahaha awesome suggestion Bill.

dr bill

the frothing was just indescribable, truly

the word "cheater" may have been said between 15 and 20 times in the two minute interview

ok im gonna live blog around the horn

SO sad it's not a gym day. (only time i see ATH)

alright

plaschke

the responsibility is on LA. you cheated the dodgers, you cheated the fans like no other fans have ever embraced you. you cheated your teammates because your teammates treated you like little puppies. i believe that the dodgers need to kick him off the team. he should never wear a dodgers uniform ever again.

even marriotti was guffawing at plaschke, for context

http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs032.snc1/3223_74198903882_594598882_1729369_5357090_n.jpg

mariotti

it throws another cloud on the sport. we loved manny because he was goofy and fun and entertaining. im not going to take it personally like plaschke but it's hard to give anyone the benefit of the doubt. the steroids era is not over it. manny: by now you need to know that your body is your temple and you need to know what you are putting in your body.

plaschke

he's counting on this year to make his money. no one is gonna wanna pay him big money because he is a cheater and he's going to have no motivation.

lol eman

wow plasch is SO rong

http://i41.tinypic.com/jtthja.jpghttp://i41.tinypic.com/jtthja.jpghttp://i41.tinypic.com/jtthja.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/jtthja.jpghttp://i41.tinypic.com/jtthja.jpghttp://i41.tinypic.com/jtthja.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/jtthja.jpghttp://i41.tinypic.com/jtthja.jpghttp://i41.tinypic.com/jtthja.jpg

Buster is very upset, too.

'roids, maybe?

how is a jpg doing that

oh i see, it's a gif, which ends in "jpg"

a gif is a jpg on the juice

:( x infinity

Can't wait for Plaschke article.

Behold.

The giddy streets are lined in shadows. The colorful houses are painted in lies. The friendly shops are stocked with juice.

bill plaschke's office is filled with carbon monoxide, hopefully asap

The giddy streets are lined in shadows. The colorful houses are painted in lies. The friendly shops are stocked with juice.

Manny Ramirez's dead
Undead
Undead
Undead

bill plaschke's office is filled with carbon monoxide, hopefully asap

― k3vin k., Thursday, May 7, 2009 9:09 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark
lol

That Plasche article is the real silver lining in all of this. He's outdone himself, it's comedy gold, even by his own standards.

Screw a drug scandal, this might be my favourite line:

Unbeaten Chad Billingsley may be the best starting pitcher in baseball.

LOLOLOLZ

http://www.babble.com/CS/blogs/strollerderby/2007/11/01-07/Head%20in%20Hands.jpg

You can have Zack Greinke.

You can have Yankees flop CC Sabathia.

Heck, you can have Johan Santana, whose low ERAs and constant Ks never seem to translate into a large number of wins.

Me? You know who I'll take?

I'll tell you who.

You want a stopper? You want someone the best pitcher this town has seen since Sandy Koufax?

It's spelled ABC.

A for ace.

B for Billingsley.

C for Chad.

And finally, D.

For Dodgers. Unjuiced.

omg dude

i like how pseudo-plasch has no counterpoint for zack g.

people who make tumblr blogs about bacon get book deals and here is our own omar little writing instant classics on a sub board of an internet message forum

I wonder why Hershiser's 200+ W's don't translate

Goose Gossage went on this extended, repetitive anti-Manny/anti-modern baseball rant as a guest during the Angels' telecast, bitching about Manny's clothes, hair, behavior, etc, etc, etc. Mark Gubicza and some dude who isn't Steve Physioc kept droning about Manny when Gossage was gone: (paraphrasing) "And here's Manny's team with this amazing home game winning streak and ALL ANYONE IS TALKING ABOUT IS MANNY!" As in, how sad and infuriating is that? Meanwhile, nearly an inning of the Angels game passed with next to no, you know, announcing/commentary. Flipped over to MLB Network: Manny, Manny, Manny, Manny, blah, blah, blah, etc. Flipped over to the Dodger game and it was business as usual. The only time I heard Vin Scully even reference Manny was when Ethier came up third. "Here's Andre Ethier, hitting third where Manny Ramirez would normally hit." (Scully's call on a fly ball that fell between Dukes and Dunn was hilarious. "Maybe Dukes saw that big six-foot-six frame of Dunn approaching and thought, OK, big boy, maybe you should take this one" (paraphrasing, obv).

haha omar should get paid for that stuff

I would like to read what Plaschke wrote in his diary after being told that Santa Claus does not exist.

"The stockings are full of holes. The milk is sour, the cookies are stale...."

gear write more of them now

yeah but how do i break it to my kids?

― collardio gelatinous, Thursday, July 31, 2008 8:57 PM (9 months ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Omar's Plaschke >>>>>>>>> The Blog Albom

"The stockings are full of holes. The milk is sour, the cookies are stale...."

― Ned Raggett, Friday, May 8, 2009 10:47 AM (2 hours ago)

hahahaha

Ned reads sports columnists?

i think i'll start a plaschke blog akin to ally's scheft blog

but what should it be called

plaschke power

giddystreetsshadowed.blogspot.com

friendly juice shop

plaschkered

Ned reads sports columnists?

I keep a gimlet eye on the LA Times site and every so often his mug shows up on the front page linking to his latest words of wisdom. Then I read the column in question and you know, no.

I fully support this Plaschke blog of Omar's.

mannywood.blogspot.com

but what should it be called

He seems like a Doobie Brothers fan to me. Maybe something along those lines.

Ya Mo Be There

“This is a team. This is not the `Los Angeles Mannys,”’ said injured first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz

The real cloud, the black eye, the mark, etc.: THE FANS

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-plaschke-lakers10-2009may10,0,7747144.column

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-streeter10-2009may10,0,2245399.column

Manny Ramirez had just willfully broken baseball rules, busted clubhouse chemistry, decimated a winning culture, and yet the first voices we heard were ones cheering him?

is this at all true?

the Injured Mientkiewiczes

Many booed Andruw Jones when he broke unwritten rules about becoming fat.

Yet, many will apparently cheer Manny Ramirez even though he broke the explicit rules about becoming strong.

OK, I read this like five times -- WHAT THE F*** DOES THIS EVEN MEAN?? I'm breaking my brain just thinking about it, picking on Plaschke is like kicking a dead horse, etc. Remedy = Plaschke variations.

Many booed Zach Greinke when he broke unwritten rules about becoming a flake and nearly disappearing from baseball.

Yet, many will apparently cheer Ryan Franklin -- arguably the best closer in baseball -- even though he broke the explicit rules about becoming strong.

Many booed Sinead O'Connor when she broke unwritten rules about tearing up pictures of the pope on live TV.

Yet, many will apparently cheer Snoop Dogg even though he broke the explicit rules about smoking indo and threatening to choke some bitches.

Oh Plaschkepaws:

"After all these years of ripping Giants fans for supporting the juiced Barry Bonds, we are now them."

Paul Lo Duca, Kevin Brown, Eric Gagne... I'm sure I'm forgetting some more. Here's a gem:

And when Dodgers officials decided to trade Lo Duca, the report suggests, one of the reasons wasn't his own use of steroids, but the fact that he apparently had stopped taking them.

"Got off the steroids. . . . Took away a lot of hard line drives," the report quotes from notes of an internal discussion by the officials in 2003. "Can get comparable value back would consider trading. . . . If you do trade him, will get back on the stuff and try to show you he can have a good year. That's his makeup."

so i spend a few days in rural Alberta and this is what i miss :|

http://worriedmandesigns.com/mannywood.gif/

http://worriedmandesigns.com/mannywood.gif

http://www.juanpierrewood.com/beastmode.jpg

i like how on the SI cover manny screwfaces like that one guy from the hi hater video.

to wit:

http://i.cdn.turner.com/sivault/si_online/covers/images/2009/0518_large.jpg

http://i42.tinypic.com/330fbxj.jpg

wb btw

<3 u manny

u have been missed

Hr yesterday!

dudez, what did Manny do to get benched his 3rd day back ("...to rest his legs..." uhhhh....?)

We didn't need Mannys bat in the lineup because we had Billingsley.

lol ejection

tbf hershbeck had a p. ridic 'strikezone' imo

At least he was consistently making the same horrible strike call all night.

Pinch hit grand slam.

I was there. Place went fucking crazy. Cant wait to see Plaschke's hate screen in the paper tomorrow.

Did you get a bobblehead?

DID YOU?????

wait he didnt start on manny ramirez bobblehead night?

he needs to rest often despite being suspended most of the season.

i was at a bar last night postgame, loud music, no one talking, but everyone paused and started chanting "man-ny, man-ny!" when espn replayed the pinch hit GS at 11:30 or whatever time it was. i don't think plaschke's plea for hatred is registering with the dodger faithful tbh.