Mannymania

 Who knows how long Manny Ramirez will be in a Dodgers uniform after the season ends but he’s definitely enjoying the ride. The worn out phrase of Manny being Manny fits. He’s silly, he’s goofy and he’s hitting home runs. He’s having a ball … again. His teammates love him. But is that something new? Remember, he did the same thing in Boston. Believe it or not, there was a time when everybody (including media) loved Ramirez in Beantown. But … Ramirez soured. The media soured and management soured. Could that happen here in Los Angeles (or any team Ramirez plays with in the future)? Yep. Why not. It’s all about Manny being Manny. He has not changed and I don’t think he will. He’s a unique person and a great baseball player. Quirky for sure. The question is how much a team or a fan base will deal with in exchange for home runs and RBIs. Make no mistake, Ramirez is not a bad guy. Unique, yes. Gifted, yes. Predictable, sometimes. But there will come a time when he angers a manager or management. That’s just what he does. He’s not malicious about it. It just happens. He is who he is. He’s Manny being Manny. And people being people, accept it because he can crush a baseball and then resent him for it or question his behavior when it gets old.

Once upon a time, Mannywood loved Cleveland. He also loved Boston, too. Maybe LA is just what he needed. Maybe …