NLCS: Manuel on Manny

Manuel was a Triple-A manager in the Cleveland organization and Ramirez was a hot-shot Indians prospect.

"He walked in my office and I asked him where his baseball bag was and his luggage, and he said he didn't know," Manuel said "I said 'What the heck you mean you don't know.'  He said he left it at the airport.  He didn't even get his luggage.  He came in to get his cab money, too.  He came in to get this limo money from me.  I asked him where his luggage was at.  And he left it at the airport.  We sent back and got his luggage."

Ramirez would go on to become a star in the Indians organization, a World Series champion in Boston and arguably the biggest reason the Dodgers are facing the Phillies in National League Championship Series. Manuel has followed his "son's" development over the years and said the slugger has not changed much.

"I liked his approach at the plate.  I liked his weight shift," Manuel said "And for his mechanics, they were in the same mechanics he's got today.  And he's very balanced at the plate and everything.  He's got a slight lift on the ball.  It's not an upper cut, it's not swinging underneath.  And I liked everything about his swing."

The swing is natural but Manuel says a big reason for Ramirez's success is his approach to baseball and the game of life. Ramirez is "tension-free." You could say the basis of Manny being Manny is Manny being tension-free.

"To me that's what makes him good and that's what makes him hit," Manuel said "He wants to be there.  He's not scared.  He's not scared to fail and he wants to be there in the moment. Just you can get him out today doesn't mean you can get him out tomorrow.  And that's how he goes about playing.  Might look like he's nonchalant, but don't ever take that for granted because he's definitely out there trying to beat you."

But will Manuel let his old friend beat the Phillies? How will the club pitch to Ramirez in the NLCS?

"If we play seven games, it's pretty hard to walk Manny 28 times," Manuel said. "And like there's going to be times he's probably going to hit with bases loaded.  There's going to be times of course when first base is open and more than likely like he's going to be put on.  But there will be times when we have to pitch to him."

"I've had him since he was 18 years old," Manuel added. "If he doesn't get any hits, we're going to stand a real good chance of winning the series.  But at the same time we also got our way of how to handle him."