Manny is money

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Some guys just know how to put on a show.

We're not talking about guys like Nick Green, either. We're talking about the superstars of Major League Baseball who know how to treat the fans to unbelievable excitement.

Did you see what Manny Ramirez did last night for the Dodgers?

First, Manny doesn't even start because he got drilled with a fastball on the hand the night before so the Dodgers kept him out of the starting lineup for precautionary reasons.

Then, is a big situation, manager Joe Torre calls on his future Hall of Famer (we can debate that too if you want) to pinch hit with the bases juiced in the sixth inning.

And what does Manny do in front of the home fans who were going absolute bananas when he was announced over the loudspeaker?

Manny jumps on the first offering from Reds reliever Nick Masset and hammers a grand slam to left field to help the Dodgers win, 6-2.

Some guys just have the knack of delivering in the clutch, while others simply crumble when the spotlight is on them.

We all know Manny is clutch and he continues to prove it time and time again. So much for the stupid ideas that his career was a complete joke because he was busted and suspended for 50 games for violating the drug policy earlier this season. 

Manny is just one of those special hitters that doesn't come around very often. 

You'd be crazy not to pay money to see him rake, or even watch the circus that is Manny in the outfield. He's special, bottom line, and you can't take that away from him.

Who would you pay to see play and why?

Umpires can be out of line, too

By Jorge Bannister
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Manny Ramirez. Utter those two words anywhere near a Red Sox fan and they’re sure to go into a frenzy.

Utter those two words to umpire John Hirschbeck, and he’s liable to throw you out like he did the slugger Tuesday night.

Let’s get one thing straight: I have no problem with umpires tossing players or coaches. In fact, I enjoy when the super stars get tossed more so than the Nick Green’s of the world.

(As an umpire for Little League and Babe Ruth games I haven’t tossed anyone yet. As a coach for a 13U AAU baseball team, I was tossed.)

With the Los Angeles Dodgers in Queens to play the New York Mets, Man-Ram wasn’t keen on some of the strike calls coming from Hirschbeck and barked at him for it.

Late in the game, it was more of the same, close calls not going Man-Ram’s way. After barking at Hirschbeck, Ramirez started his (extremely slow) stroll out to left field but not before tossing his bat, helmet and elbow guard — the elbow guard was tossed up in the air and landed, miraculously, in the right-handed batters box.

Hirschbeck didn’t even see the tossing of the elbow guard. He saw Ramirez fling his bat and helmet toward the Dodgers dugout, but he didn’t see the tossing of the elbow guard or where it landed. He was too busy looking into the crowd behind the plate to notice. However, he looked up toward the press box area, pointed at Man-Ram and, with a wave of the finger, tossed him.

Nobody knows what was said between the two except for Hirschbeck and Ramirez. Unfortunately, Major League Baseball, to my knowledge anyway, does not make incident reports filed by umpires available to the public.

I can see it now — REASON FOR EJECTION: He said I was doing a terrible job with the strike zone tonight..

Do you wanna hear something funny? He was terribad behind the plate. That’s right, terribad; a combination of terrible and bad. (I stole it from a friend. You can have it, too, if you’d like.)

The ejection, from the replay I’ve seen anyway, was unwarranted.

Major leaguers throw their stuff all the time and, yes, it’s a bad example for kids. And while big leaguers have to answer to owners and possible docks in pay, I suppose parents can dock their kids’ allowance for the week.

Some fans feel that the people in attendance at a baseball game go there to see the super stars and not the umpires. While that may be true, if the super star is acting like a complete jerk, the umpire is well within his rights to toss him.

That being said, I didn’t see Ramirez’s lips move as he was tossing his gear while making his stroll out to the outfield. If the elbow guard didn’t land anywhere near the batters box, Ramirez would’ve finished the game.

Are you on Manny's side?

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Manny Ramirez is a cheater, but he's still a big draw.

Is that a bad thing?

Granted, getting suspended from Major League Baseball for 50 games for violating the drug policy doesn't help his image --not that that hasn't been wrecked over the years with his lack of hustle, needing days off, faking injuries, etc. -- but there's no arguing that he's one hell of a hitter. 

That's what he is, he's a freak --just like Randy Moss catching touchdowns -- with a bat in his hand.

It's not my problem if you forgive him for all that's he's done with tarnishing his image, but that baseball talent that he has still makes us want to watch.

He can homer at any time, in any count, in a game, plus you get the added bonus of what will Manny do next? Will he hustle out a ground ball? Will he loaf it in the outfield? Will he even show up at the ballpark? It's the great mystery of Manny Being Manny.

Now, even though he's suspended from the Dodgers and isn't eligible to be reinstated until July 3, fans are flocking to the ticket booths in Albuquerque, N.M., in hopes of seeing Manny suit up and play in some minor league games to get ready for his return to the Dodgers.

Those fans probably don't agree with Manny's choices which got him suspended in the first place, but they obviously want to see the talented Manny on the field. 

There's no doubt that Manny can put on a show when he's got his uniform and spikes on and digs into the batter's box.

He's got the star power that makes people want to watch him.

Is he good for the game? That's debatable (post your comments, I'd like to hear what you think!), but he's a box office draw.

There's a reason the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes' tickets for this week's series versus Nashville --where Manny may be suiting up to shake off some of the rust from serving a hefty suspension --are selling faster than hot cakes.

Yes, he's cheated the game, but he doesn't ever get cheated in the batter's box.

What's more important to the fans --being a clean ballplayer or hammering a homer to win a game?

You make the call!