An Open Letter to Manny Ramirez

Dear Manny Ramirez,

It was literally only a few days ago while doing an interview with WJAB that I said I hoped that the Red Sox management would not re-sign our captain, Jason Varitek, and bring you back with your option. Well I full heartily take that back. The shit you're pulling right now is a disgrace to the people who have rooted and stuck by you through the good, bad, and ugly over the past eight years, us fans. Hearing the two radio interviews you gave today (wow, look at you giving interviews!) made me sick to my stomach.

You're an amazing baseball player, a phenomenal hitter, and at times a very fun and bright personality within the game. But you have been ugly during this incident. How can you possibly be sick of the Red Sox? We've covered and put up with crap (management and fans included) that a lot of other cities and teams would not have. You're making the 4th most of all MLB players this year (behind three Yankees) and have consistently been one of the highest paid players since coming over to Boston. You could wipe your ass with $20.00 bills and it'd be nothing. How many "Manny" chants have been risen from bleacher to dugout for you? You know the unyielding love the fans have had for you, but you've never truly given it back. That's the thing, we love you Manny. I'm sure there's a part of a lot of us that loved your long hair and baggy pants because it was so Anti-Yankee, and like I said, you're personality can be fun.

And then you have the ignorance and ego to act like there's no way we can get equal value on a trade for you, and you're right, but you think that matters? Was 2004 really all that long ago? Do you remember the last disgruntled Sox mega-star who gave up on the team over selfish reasons? We shipped his ass out for not equal value and it ended up being the deal that won us the World Series. You remember Nomar Manny don't you? So don't act like the Sox won't deal your ass if it'd truly be better for the team, because in the end that's what us fans are fans of, the Red Sox. You're not bigger then that, never were, and never will be. You're a spoiled millionaire athlete who has finally taken away one of his bigger supporters, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

It's truly sad you had to make it end like this but it's what I should have expected, you said it yourself, you're a bad man.

Your Former Fan,

Derek Paul Hixon

Comments

[Bill]

Wow! So when exactly did you begin to dislike Manny, just within the past few days?
I stand behind Manny 100% always will.

We don't know the whole story, only what the horrible Boston media is feeding us. I think it's a huge anti Manny campaign, myself.
I still love ya Manny!

[Melissa]

Bill-

Have you honestly heard any of the crap that Manny has been saying the last few days.?!? Obviously you have not because as a Red Sox fan, you would not stand there and defend his SELFISH actions. He has gone on radio and completely disgraced this team and the management like there nothing without him. If we lose Manny, the Red Sox will move on and get over it. Manny is one helluva player, amazing hitter with a stroke that is beautiful to watch. But do NOT go on a national broadcast, and say the shit he said. We as Red Sox fans have STOOD by this man through the good and the bad, and he's going to just forget all that? Thats crap in my opinion. Take your goodbye letter that you want Tom, Larry, John and Theo to send you Manny and wipe your ass with it.

[Melissa]

Direct comment from Manny-

"I know they've got me, but hey, enough is enough," Ramirez said. "I'm tired of them, they're tired of me. After 2008, just send me a letter or whatever, you don't even have to call my agent or whatever, 'Thank you for everything, you're going to become a free agent, we're not going to pick up your option in '09.'"

Ramirez doesn't seem to expect that the Red Sox will pick up his option in November.

"That's not going to happen, they're not stupid," Ramirez said.

With the Red Sox fighting for their third World Series championship in five seasons, Ramirez also doesn't think that he'll be traded this week.

"Boston is not stupid," Ramirez said. "They're not going to do it. They can say whatever they want. But when it comes to make a deal, they're not going to pull the trigger because they know what they've got here."

Is Ramirez happy with the Red Sox?

"I'm happy," Ramirez said. "But enough is enough, you know?"

What does enough is enough mean?

"That's it," Ramirez said. "You've got to ask Theo and John Henry, they know."

If people want to defend him @ he says this, that's their problem. I however wont, I have defended Manny since he put on that Red Sox uniform.

[Derek Hixon]

@ Bill - You may be right about us not knowing the whole story, but that's mostly because the Red Sox have kept everything between Manny and them in-house and not in the public (like Manny's done the past few weeks), even their discipline of him for shoving the traveling secretary down earlier this year. I feel the Sox have been very discreet in their dealings with Manny, and that the fans have been fully supportive.

It all boils down to the fact that he wants to sigh a multiple year deal after the 2008 season and he's afraid that if his two options are picked up he'll be two years older and thus the years and $$$ on his contract post options would be drastically smaller.

But...1) Manny DOESN'T need the money. 2) Tough Crap, the game's been very good to him (along with the Red Sox) and this was written in his contract when he signed it with the Red Sox and during the life of this contract with the Red Sox I'm pretty sure he made more money then any ballplayer not named A-Rod.

It's no coincidence Scott Boras is now his agent, this is his exit strategy to get out of the options and get more money. It's sad, selfish and it's not Manny being Manny, it's Manny wanting Money.

[Melissa]

Boras is an idiot and so is Manny for even having him as an agent. Just another selfish action on Manny's part, because sadly Boras always gets what he wants for his players.

[Matt]

I don't know why this episode soured me on Manny too. I love the funny things the guy does and his ability but this one turned me on him. I would blame it on the media if it was just Dan S. but it seems like everyone covering the Sox thinks Manny is in the wrong. I don't think he will be traded and I think the Sox will ignore the issue and hope it goes away until the end of the season when they don't pick up his option.

[Bill]

Melissa, I've read everything and more. Are you really personally offended by Manny? I'm a huge Manny fan and I am not personally offended by anything Manny he has said. I roll my eyes a lot but that's the extent.
I certainly don't mean that to sound smart ass-ish. I apologize if it does, it's not intended.

No doubt that Manny has had his share of odd and often distracting doings, I don't deny any of it. As far as the Jack McCormick issue, there IS more to that story than Jack simply telling him "Sorry Manny but I don't think I can get 16 tickets so soon" It's nothing but a rumor but an insider (and these are the same insiders that have been feeding Shaughnessy and company info and yes every sports writer jumped on this story like flies on sh#t) said that after Manny made the request to McCormick, McCormick came back with a dig that had something to do with "odd lifestyle choices" Again, no reason to push an older man down, but it wasn't all big bad Manny.

Same with the Youk scuffle in the dugout. Manny supposedly told Youk to relax and chill out, Youk came back with something disrespectful and Manny popped him. It's too bad it was caught on camera because this goes on more than you/we know.

Fast forward to this past week. Yeah, Manny said something about not wanting to be lied to by management. Not smart. However, he's basing that statement off of what he felt was done to his old pal Pedro Martinez.

From there it ballooned. The Red Sox reacted to what he said, perhaps hitting some sort of nerve?

Then Theo gives McCarver (of all people) a quote that he would try to trade Ramirez if he would waive his no-trade clause.

You bet Manny is going to have something to say! Why wouldn't he? He feels like he being disrespected, which he is.

Also, keep in mind that Manny isn't able to truly get his point across in English.
We know this because we've all seen his interviews and walk away saying "What the heck did he just say?"

Ever since the whole anti Manny campaign began last week with all the Boston sports writers, who are HORRIBLE, it has developed into what we have today. Why were we, that fans, involved in this? This is business that needs to go on behind closed doors. (Granted, Manny spoke first, but he's not a business man.) Unless of course the front office wants the fans to jump on the anti Manny bandwagon. I'm sorry but I don't base my decisions off of this sort of tactic.
It seems a little like dirty business to me.

It was the Red Sox front office that created this whole "Manny Being Manny" persona. Now, their done with that. That's great.

Manny isn't going anywhere at least until the end of the season. Unless of course Theo wants the team to tank this year.

Good luck to Manny wherever he goes next year. I will still follow him and still get a chuckle out of his antics that are wrapped up in some of the most amazing baseball you'll ever see played.

[Melissa]

I am also a Manny fan, but it comes to a point when his antics have gone far enough. His main problem is he just can't keep his mouth shut (for once, Manny hates the media, and now he is all about the media) and play the damn game. Manny needs to just chill out, November 9th is a long way away. He says enough is enough, well his fans are starting to say it too, but about him. I have defended his antics all year long (the Youk incident, pushing down the traveling secretary, his comments to or about John Henry)I mean honestly, how much does he expect Red Sox Nation to take?!?

[Marci]

I'm going to say two things that make it seem like I'm completely complete opposite stances:
1. In response to this:
How many "Manny" chants have been risen from bleacher to dugout for you? You know the unyielding love the fans have had for you, but you've never truly given it back.

Absolutely true. How many All Star games has he just not cared enough to be bothered with. I refused to vote for him the last three years because I knew he wouldn't go, so why waste the vote? And yet the fans love him and keep sending him back. This year, amazingly, he condescended to go because he's trying to change his image in a contract year; or he was, we've seen how long that lasted.

2. 1) Manny DOESN'T need the money.
It's easy for us to say that because it's not our money. Our jobs aren't necessarily time bombs that when they explode are gone and all we can do is get by on what we've stocked up. In the cosmic sense, all jobs are that way, but playing professional sports is a job that has an expiration date. And it's hard to blame Manny, or Johnny Damon or any other player who takes the money because they know at some point there won't be any more coming and they'll have to find a way to support themselves, and that way is on the money they've made already and whatever else they can dream up. Someone like Curt Schilling for example, has something else lined up in 38pitches. David Cone is in broadcasting now, etc. Manny isn't a radio personality, and he's probably not much of entrepreneur. More importantly, he absolutely has the right to ask for as much money as he can.
A lot of contractors run into the same issues as Manny. They want to know before the last of their contract whether or not they'll be renewed. I had a contractor working for me once and the truth was, I didn't know if we'd renew her contract or extend it. We ended up extending it two weeks, and not renewing, and yes, the second I knew, I told her, but it wasn't anything like three months before the contract was up that I knew. So I can see both sides of this issue. Manny is demanding an answer that the front office just doesn't have yet. I hope he takes a good look at ARod's contract issues from last year and makes intelligent decisions, but somehow I don't see that happening.

[FenFan]

Just remember, folks, that we should root for the name on the front of the uniform, not the one on the back. Williams and Yastrzemski got the same treatment from the media and also made their share of comments that soured the fans, but they both played for many, many years and, unless there is a viable option out their for either Boston or Ramirez, he will be back.

In two weeks, this will all be another memory for the media to fill in its collective "Manny-being-Manny" vault (and they seem to enjoy talking more about these moments then the value he has brought to this team in seven-plus seasons here).

[katy]

First you throw our Captain under the bus, now Manny? You really need to change the name of your blog.

[Derek Hixon]

Katy I'd say you need to put down your pom pom's and pay attention to what has been happening this year.

[MJKennedy]

Derek, you assume that the poster "Katy" is a female and attacked her {or him} based on that alone. That is sexist. Maybe you should have asked Katy to quantify the response she {or he} posted, instead of making such a silly and unfair statement about pom poms. Based on your response, I might assume that you are an adolecent boy. I'm sure you will take offense to my post and lash out at me as well and because you are wondering, I am an adult male. I have noticed that you treat female names with much less respect and that is what has triggered me to respond. I hope that you in that future you might be less critical of your female readers and make less assumptions based solely on a name.

[Derek Hixon]

MJ, First off considering this is the first time you've ever commented here (I checked via your IP address and e-mail) I'm not too sure you're very qualified to say I'm sexist towards females who comment, because I doubt you read this all that much at all.

Secondly people say the whole "pom pom" thing to both males and females all the time. It means you're being an overtly biased hometown fan, a "homer" if you will. There's nothing sexist about it all.

Lastly some of my most die hard readers are women (i.e. - See Melissa) who comment almost every day on the blog. I've shown nothing but respect towards them as baseball fans. Here's a challenge for you. Show me one other time you think I've been sexist in all the existence of my blog (every single post and comment is up since 2004) since it's apparently such a re-occurring theme.

Talk about making assumptions...

[Marci]

MJ
I haven't noticed a particular gender bias on Derek's part. Would you have been better soothed if he'd said:
Katy I'd say you need to stop drinking the Kool-Aid and pay attention to what has been happening this year.

Or would that have displayed a reckless intolerance of artificially-flavoured beverages?

PS: Derek, FYI it's pompoms or pom-poms. (no space and lose the possessive)

[Derek Hixon]

Damn you bad grammar! You strike upon me again!!!

PS - Thanks Marci ;-)

[Greg]

Dear Manny,

Eat Crap. That is All.