Don’t Hate the Player: Manny Ramirez

Okay, so the picture probably isn’t a fitting one, since Manny Ramirez more closely parallels The Joker than Batman, but the image is important. It is Manny Ramirez…in a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform. The trade that sent him there has upset some, and it has opened the discussion about whether or not there is a place in baseball for a player character like Man-Ram. “Manny being Manny” annoyances aside, he is widely criticized for his poor demeanor, lack of seriousness, and apparent idiocy on and off the field. Dreadlocks, a dirty helmet, misplayed fly balls, and the occasional high five to a fan all come together to make the population wonder whether Manny even cares, and whether he’s even worth our time. Well, you may remember a little feature I wrote about another Red Sox player, J.D. Drew. It was called “Don’t Hate the Player…” and was to be the first in a series where I “shine a little light on a good player that maybe ... (link)