The strange genius of Manny Ramirez

[HoustonGM]

You don't think it's possible to dog it and produce? You haven't watched enough Manny.

I think that if he's producing, it doesn't matter if he's "dogging it." You don't get bonus points for not "dogging it."

[Pavelb1]

I think that if he's producing, it doesn't matter if he's "dogging it." You don't get bonus points for not "dogging it."

Out of curiosity, just to see if we're all on the same page here....if Manny ever says "Yes, I took three straight strikes from Mariano, yes I loafed to first while getting no-hit all in an effort to get traded."

Does this affect this conversation at all?

[HoustonGM]

Out of curiosity, just to see if we're all on the same page here....if Manny ever says "Yes, I took three straight strikes from Mariano, yes I loafed to first while getting no-hit all in an effort to get traded."

Does this affect this conversation at all?

I don't know. While, obviously, it's better for a player NOT to do those things, I can overlook it when he's tearing the cover off the ball in the other 99% of his plate appearances.

Manny Ramirez did not hurt the Red Sox in July. I think having a negative impact on the field is a prerequisite for someone "quitting" on their team. Gary Sheffield circa 1991 quit on his team. Manny Ramirez circa July 2008 did not.

[grasshopper]

I think we all miss/missed the glory days of baseball. A guy pulled a hard liner to left and ran it out. Those days are over and in a way I am forgiving Manny. Todays game is all built on high expectations, money, and over self worth. In the Baseball Classic, 20 y/o players hit it hard and stand and watch to see if it will go over the fence Guys who are in A and AA!!!!

It is the over self confidence that actually beat the DR vs. Netherlands. Good ****ing riddance DR and take your steroids at the door.

[200tang]

It is the over self confidence that actually beat the DR vs. Netherlands. Good ****ing riddance DR and take your steroids at the door.

Yeah, ****ing DR and their steroids. I'm 100% certain those Netherlands guys aren't taking them. Gosh, we should banish the DR from the Classic or at least put an asterisk next to their names.

[grasshopper]

Yeh but the Netherlands is playing a bunch of washed up minor leaguers past their primes. What does a 40 year old guy who washed out in AAA 5 years ago have to prove? Gosh golly gee, I guess some pride. What does a 20 y/o kid from the DR who can buy anything OTC have to prove? Everything.

Oh and for being a smartass, yes we should check the whole DR team. They are the biggest offenders if you want to talk steroids, minus Cuba.

[200tang]

Oh and for being a smartass, yes we should check the whole DR team. They are the biggest offenders if you want to talk steroids, minus Cuba.

lol yeah let's pick who we test and just ignore everyone else since we all know who the biggest offenders are by just looking at them. Then when we find out they all do steroids we can...uhh...have even more conflict and delay moving past this whole steroids thing. Best Plan Ever.

[kenny1234]

I think we all miss/missed the glory days of baseball. A guy pulled a hard liner to left and ran it out. Those days are over and in a way I am forgiving Manny.

When were those days? There have always been players that worked harder than others. Staring down a home run isn't new, players not running out a ground ball isn't new.

[grasshopper]

When were those days? There have always been players that worked harder than others. Staring down a home run isn't new, players not running out a ground ball isn't new.

Yeah, but just 20 years ago you could be traded for that crap. Economics werent so important. I think in modern ball, Ricky Henderson was the first HOF guy I saw who started to not run out bases when unhappy. He was gone immediately and ended up playing for a bunch of teams after he was 35. So goes Manny.

As for the whole steroid thing, I never meant it to be a big deal. I was just impressed that Netherlands beat DR. Look at all figures and it is impressive.

[HoustonGM]

Yeah, but just 20 years ago you could be traded for that crap. Economics werent so important. I think in modern ball, Ricky Henderson was the first HOF guy I saw who started to not run out bases when unhappy. He was gone immediately and ended up playing for a bunch of teams after he was 35. So goes Manny.

I think that's more to do with the fact that he was 35, a part-time player, and repeatedly signing one-year contracts (because he was a 35 year old part-timer). He was only traded once after the age of 35 (in 1997 from SD to ANA).