The Ongoing Saga That is...The ManRam

The Boston Red Sox are supposedly trying to work a deal that will send the best right-handed hitter of this generation, Manny Ramirez, somewhere that isn't playing in front of the green monster.

Reports and quotes from Manny himself have indicated that he isn't happy, they aren't happy with him, and he just flat out doesn't want to be there. Is this really anything new?

Did Manny every really run hard on ground balls in the infield? Just the other day, I saw him hit a ball down the line, put his head down and bust it down the line and got to second.

Manny's 36. He picks his spots. He hits, he hits a lot. Sure, he doesn't put the numbers up that he used to. That's what happens when you're 36 and aren't on the juice. But, he can still consistently drive runs in. The other night, I saw him drive a ball on the outside corner into the right-center field gap. Few hitters, with runners on second and third, stay on that pitch with less than two strikes and just drive it for a base-hit. Manny just gets hitting. He gets the science that is driving in runs.

So why do you trade him? How can he possibly be so unhappy? I mean, sure, he should have been suspended for getting after the traveling secretary. At the same point, I'm sure the Red Sox handled everything behind closed doors, which given the chance, was the right thing to do. But I want to know exactly what it is that Manny feels so poorly treated by. I really want to know what that is. Because if they've been treating him and other, allegedly great players, any differently now than when he was putting rings on their executives fingers, Theo and the boys are nuts.

But I don't think they are. I think Manny is needing attention, as always. Let's face it, he's a baby and he's probably mad that Favre is now the biggest baby in professional sports.

What's interesting is the cash involved. The Red Sox have something along the lines of a $20 million option for Manny they can pick up. Which they aren't going to give to a 36 year old who isn't going .330/40/140 every year. Instead he goes .300/30/120, but whatever and is the most clutch player in the game. Regardless, I don't know if even I, a huge ManRam fan would find $20 million in that. I suppose, the only way you can justify that cash is with a ring. And if ManRam goes to the Marlins, watch out.

You don't want anything to do with a team that has Hanley and Manny Ramirez on it. Nothing to do with it whatsoever. You think the Cubs want to face the Marlins, again, in the NLCS? I don't think so. I don't want that.

I just can't get the Red Sox. Just deal with him for another two months and get done with it. Don't pick up his option move on, sign Teixera, and be done. It's not hard. But if you want to win, win, and you do it with Manny Ramirez in the middle of your lineup.