Red Sox: I Blame Manny

It’s something unpredictable, but in the end is right.  I hope you had the time of your life.  -Green Day

Public Service Announcement:  Ok, here we go!  I’ve been an ardent supporter of Manny.  I truly have.  I’ve said he’s the best right handed hitter I’ve ever seen.  The best right handed there’s ever been.  Bigger than Yitzhak Rabin.  But, like my main man Popeye, I’ve had all I can stands and I can’t stands no more.    

Manny Ramirez could have gone down as the most important player in Red Sox history.  The most important player in Red Sox history.  More important than the Splendid Splinter.  More important than Yaz.  More important than anybody.   A World Series MVP will do that.  Two rings will do that.  Two rings in four years with a team that has won bupkus for eighty-six years prior, will do that.  Three or four rings?  Fuhgettaboutit! 

Instead, Manny bailed on his team.  Bailed, just when they needed him most.  He complained of a Sonny Liston knee injury and pulled himself out of games.  He shoved aged Red Sox traveling secretary Jack McCormick to the ground.  He lollygagged the ball around the outfield.  He lollygagged his way down to first.  He lollygagged in and out of the dugout.  He lollygagged his way right out of Boston and I’m just sick about it. 

Now, I ain’t giving up quite yet, but after watching Tuesday night’s shellacking at the hands of the Tampa Bay Rays I’ve come to my wit’s end.  My wit’s end!  Manny Ramirez’s fifth-inning single Monday, gave him seven hits in eight at-bats with runners in scoring position this postseason.  Only two other players in history have had seven hits over eight postseason at-bats with runners in scoring position.  Meanwhile, the Red Sox are 6-for-34 in those situations against the Rays.  It’s a travesty.  It’s a travesty of a mockery of a sham of a mockery of a travesty of two mockeries of a sham. 

Manny went 2-for-3 with a walk in Game Five.  He concluded the postseason with a .520 batting average, a .667 on-base percentage, and a slugging average of 1.080. He had 13 hits in 25 at-bats with two doubles, four homers and 11 walks.  Big deal you say?  Who cares you say?  I say, each and every one of those averages is the highest by a player in a single postseason.  Yowza!  Think the Sox could use that bat?  You betcha!  But noooo.  Manny had his mind on his money and his money on his mind.  Are we surprised?  After all, he did leave Cleveland’s love for the love of Boston’s money.  It’s just deja vu all over again.

So has been his prowess this post season.  Manny’s .520 batting average is the highest for any of the 1,118 major leaguers who had as many as 25 at-bats in one postseason. He beat Billy Hatcher’s old record by one point.  Ramirez’s 1.080 slugging average is the highest among the same group of 25-at-bat players, surpassing Carlos Beltran.   Manny’s .667 on-base percentage is the highest among any of the 1,352 players who had at least 25 plate appearances in a single postseason, surpassing the Big Hurt.  That’s what makes this all so frustrating.  I love Jason Bay as much as the next guy, but, Senator, you’re no Manny Ramirez.  Don’t believe me?  Just ask Big Papi.  Senor Octubre is mired in the slump of all slumps without Manny’s big bopper of a bat proticting him in the line-up.

I understand I am still bitter by the way things went down.  I understand baseball is a business.  I just wish things went down differently.  I just wish Manny were still around to keep the Red Sox in the business of winning. 

Public Spectacle:

Peace out homies.  Six Two and Even!

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