Kevin Whalen says he’d rather have seen the Red Sox dump Manny Ramírez than win the 2007 World Series. (Via Hub Blog.)
Earth to Kevin: Manny is not the biggest jerk ever to play for the Red Sox. (Roger Clemens, anyone?) He may not even be the biggest jerk playing for them right now. (Although he probably is.)
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Bill Toscano
Roger Clemens, when he was there, was the greatest Red Sox pitcher ever.He respected the game.I still do not believe the steroid stuff, but if he did, he was trying to get better.Manny is an embarrassment.But . . . I would still keep him for a World Series win.
Dan Kennedy
Bill: Sorry, but this is the single-most unprofessional act I have ever seen a Red Sox player engage in.
Anonymous
So I guess pushing a 64 year old man on the floor because he couldn’t get a guy making $20 Million a year some free tickets a few hours before a game is not the MOST unprofessional act a Red Sox player engaged in. SWEET!
Anonymous
well clemens was in the game, and manny was outside the lines. lets just say they are tied for on-field and off-field acts of babyness.
Doug Haslam
Manny needs to apologize for pushing down the traveling secretary. No ifs ands or buts about it. And he should have been suspended for it, Union be darned.But everything else? Sorry, i’m a firm believer in Manny being Manny. Any club that saw him come up with Cleveland knew they were dealing with a total space shot. part of the package. I’ll take the production over the annual hijinx (again, the incident above excepted) any day. Clemens was a singularly unlikable guy (to fans anyway) who became unpopular when he stopped producing. Manny is an affable goof who has not stopped producing.That said, $20m is too much, and that’s why the Sox have tried to unload him since Theo et al came aboard. They probably don’t like the goofball stuff, but it’s all about the money. And that will definitely end after this season. For now, enjoy another .300-35-110 year, and hope he can at least be human enough to apologize to McCormack. (got the name right)? Then move on. He’s gone after this season. And Kevin? A friend, but not giving up a WS trophy just because Manny’s a goof. Sorry.
Bill Toscano
I will concede that one, Dan.But Manny has a lifetime service award in doing things like that.Did Roger ever fail to respond to the bell?Manny has, and it may cost us (yeah, I am an "us" guy) the pennant.Sorta unrelated: John Henry said "We're just trying to get a playoff spot." (May not be exact).Shouldn't the goal be to win the division and finish with the best record in the league>
Bill Toscano
Doug: You are OK with him not playing Friday night against the Yankees?I think he needs to see video of a 1970 Willis Reed.
Anonymous
Dan – I am stunned that you reference Whalen for a link other than if you were looking to point out the disinformation and bile that is coming from the radical Christian right. This guy makes Newt Gingrich look like Joe Biden, and you lose a lot of your tremedous credibility by not finding someone else to cite about Manny – who, in the big picture, doesn’t mean a hill of beans because the cult members of Red Sox nation will continue to excuse his terrible behavior because they have nothing else in their lives other than to root for a sports team. And I’ve been a Sox fan since 1967 and played every sport as a kid and adult, so I’m not a WGBH-classical music type (although I enjoy that as well) who wouldn’t know a baseball from a soccer ball.Maybe I was in a bad mood just then, but that Whalen reference really set me off.
Dan Kennedy
Anon 10:27: I am chuckling at the notion of losing credibility with an anonymous commenter. I know, you said some nice things about me, but man. I’m really thinking of instituting registration.Have you ever read my posts about Kevin’s little friend Gregg? By comparison, I think Kevin’s fairly benign.
Anonymous
Dan,I’ll wear the irrational tag when it comes to Manny. The frustrations fans feel about him today is where I have been for at least 3 years. I guess I have less tolerance for a guy who disrespects the game, the fans and his teammmates. I grew up in a bball family, and Manny just rubs me the wrong way. Clemens wasn’t personally likable, and the Oak incident certainly hurt the team on the field, but that was an expection, he gave his all when he was between the lines. The same cannot be said of Manny.ANON 10:27, there are two posters at PR. Wake up and learn to read. You seem as filled with hate as some on the “Christian right”. I’m hardly a political conservative. I’m pro gay marriage, pro abortion, pro gun control, etc. It is not me you have a problem with.’Fairly Benign’ Kevin
Dan Kennedy
Kevin: I don’t want to make it sound like I’m not upset with Manny’s act, because I am. But here’s a wrinkle that doesn’t get talked about all that much: the guy works hard in the off-season, and always comes to spring training in shape.Yes, guys like Clemens and Trot Nixon always gave their all when they were playing. But they looked like they spent their winters entering — and winning — pie-eating contests. Clemens didn’t discover the joys of conditioning until he left Boston. Nixon was hurt all the time.
Anonymous
Dan,The joys of conditioning wasn’t the only thing Clemens discovered when he left Boston.Kevin
Lina
I found this site called http://URAjerk.com maybe you can use it. It seems to help get me through the issues of dealing with some of the jerks I know. At least I can vent about these jerks, plus I get a kick out of sending them some cards.