Manny Ramirez isn't eligible to return to the Los Angeles Dodgers until July 3, but the hype is already kicking into high gear as the tainted slugger begins his minor league warm-up on Tuesday in Albuquerque.
No matter what you think of the slugger and his pending return, you're bound to have an opinion about it. Everyone does.
One writer thinks it's a sham that he gets to play in the minors before his 50-game suspension for failing a drug test has been completed. Another scribe wonders why that's even an issue. It's not like he's getting special treatment. All suspended players are allowed to find their rhythm in the minors before their eligible to return.
And for what it's worth, my Uncle Frank thinks Ramirez, and anyone else caught doping, should be sent somewhere far, far away. Like Mars, maybe. I have a feeling many people feel the same way.
Regardless of where you fall on the Ramirez issue, it will be hard not to follow his movements over the next week or so. Whether you're thrilled or disgusted, you won't be able to turn your eyes away.
As one fan said "He's a cheater, but I still want to see him play." He's not alone.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes, who average 7,000 fans per game, have already sold an extra 11,000 tickets in two days.
And the San Bernardino 66ers -- a single-A Dodgers farm team -- have already sold out Sunday's game, even though the Dodgers have yet to even confirm Ramirez will play there.
Fans can watch Ramirez play on Tuesday – for a fee – as the game will be broadcast on MiLB.TV.
And if you're expecting the slugger to need some time to shake off the rust, you might be surprised. The man who's been throwing him batting practice says Ramirez is already locked in.
"I can tell just by watching how the balls carry," said Flippo. "You can tell -- the way his rhythm is going when he has it together. You can tell if he looks comfortable. You can tell when a guy is fighting it. Everything is looking easy for him, as easy as when he came to us.
"One thing I can tell, when I throw a good pitch down the middle, I expect that to be hit. With him, even when I don't give him a good pitch, he still drives it. In Spring Training, if he got one of those bad pitches, he didn't hit it that good. Last year, when he joined us, no matter where the pitch was, he hit it hard. And right now, it's the same thing with him."
Let the hype begin.
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Manny being Manny! I guess BALFOR and Doctors Rodriguez, Clemens, Giambi, Bonds, McGuire and Jiambi are still in business! Hey, this is all about M-O-N-E-Y. If they were shooting "clear" before there on to "invisible"!
They can't stop it, so let everyone shoot up and then watch them and their body parts shrink to nothing when their done.
That would be fun to watch
Leave Manny alone.
GO DODGER BLUE!!!!!
No matter if Manny was caught taking banned substances this season, he is still one of the best righthanded sluggers of all time. It's not like he has been taking this substance his entire career. This man has hit over 500 home runs in his career and I bet you can count the home runs he has hit with the banned substance flowing through his veins on one hand. Let the man have his hype. Anywhere he goes he sells tickets because he is a fantastic player.
You talk like you know when he started getting dirty . You don't . Just because you have low morals and no understanding of ethics doesn't make everybody in baseball dirty . Funny and saddest part of it all is that the commissioner of baeball has no balls . Throw the bums out ! ! !
Mac, Clemmens , Sosa , Bonds and dirty little Manny , all are cheats and phonies .
- Chris Lawson of Rio Rancho, N.M., bought four tickets for Tuesday and plans to take his son.
“It’s exciting. Manny’s a phenomenal player despite the allegations or issues surrounding him,”
- Linda McNall made the 60-mile drive from Santa Fe to purchase five tickets. She’s taking her daughters and granddaughters...McNall said she disapproves of players using drugs but can look past it.
What does this "its-not-a-big-deal" attitude toward (ANY) drug use translate down to our kids?
That drugs are illegal, but only if you get caught?...Drugs are illegal, but it is still OK?...It is OK to break rules and laws?...It is not really cheating?...It is OK if you make alot of money or are famous?...too many more possibilities to list!
Teens and younger learn ALL THE TIME...a huge amount of learning is very subtle and indirect.
Drug punishments MUST BE absolute. Kick Manny and all the other losers OUT...Owners! - take back the fan's millions and pay PLAYERS what they earn for playing an honest, all-skill ballgame.
Give us back the value of honor and quit feeding dishonesty with more pay and wrist-slaps, because it is costing the average fans more than just money...it is turning us all into cheats.
turning us all into cheats? Um seems like all that is happening is the truth is coming out more and more... thats all the kids know about drugs, they are available in their high school. They know politicans lie. They know all this. So, what they see is that life is unfair, and teachers make less than home run hitters. Nothing new. Umpires throw games, presidents act badly and countries invade other countries using bad information. This is life. Tillman was killed by friendly fire and the military lied.
Kids need to know about cheaters and consequences. Thats what this is about. And if Manny does it again, there will be more consequences. We do not live in a black and white world. And again its time everyone knew that.
The Dodgers will make the Series with, or without Manny. They have the beginnings of a dynasty that will dominate for the next 10 years. Manny is privileged to be part of it.
I said before and I say it again. First of all, these so called harm substances ( that's what they really are ) are not consider drugs in the terms they are meant to be called. ( It is not cocaine or heroine or opium ). Many people take them with prescription. The quantity and under no observation could be the issue.
But the issue sure is, the breaking of the rules and regulations. For that, they have to pay the price, the same way they are expelled for arguing balls and strikes. But, because they can get hurt themselves ( and this is because children has been mentioned here ) believe me when I say that the colesterol and sugar in food recomended and authorized by the General Surgeon, and the booze and the nicotin and tar from cigarretes are not, by all means, less dangerous than HGH and steroids under carefull observation.
And of course imposible to prove that will help coordination, eye vision, and ability to play ball. That has to be "innato" which means that you have to be borne with it.
So the sin is disobedience, irresponsability, care-less, ego, cheaters,etc., but helluva damn good players, NOT WORTH OF HOF, ( so what..! ) but the best on-the-field-performance. And talking about Charlie Huzzle, it would have been a joke if that would have happened right now.
Dude, people like Manny and the rest of the cheaters are not good examples to the youth of the world. And isn't THAT what it's all about? The world doesn't need any more bad examples for our youth to follow.
Let's get back to a purity of the sport. Winning isn't everything!
Jesus, everyone wants an edge how many have been caught? i think we can all safely that the number caught is far less then the number not caught. Also this crap bout roll models is annoying. if you need sports star or any other public figure to raise your kid pls get fixed.
The bottom line here is WINNING & WINNERS sell tickets
1 more thing joe american is an idiot!
As a life long Red Sox fan, let me just say Thank GOD this idiot isn't on my team anymore. As a fan of baseball in general, let me say I'd be sad to be a Dodgers fan and have this fool be anything to do with my team reaching the series or beyond. The Dodgers are doing just fine without him, too bad he'll come back and spoil the legitimacy of what the team has done without him.
This has to end somewhere, bag him!@
Wow, admit that you're a Red Sox fan and then talk about the Dodgers and questions of legitimacy. You're not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed are you? Here's a quick task for you: Go to Wikipedia and find out who was the 2004 World Series MVP.
2004 - Boston Red Sox *
2007 - Boston Red Sox *
Back to when? Back to when the sport didn't allow Blacks and Hispanics to play? Back when Pete Rose was betting on games? Back when the White Sox were intentionally throwing the World Series?
TONS of players in the "good olden days" were alcoholics and amphetamine abusers. Doc Ellis used LSD before a game. Tom House has said that lots of players back in the 1960's and 1970's were taking all sorts of steroids and pills. Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris...those guys used amphetamines, and possibly steroids too. Back in that day Mantle would get drunk and beat on his wife...other players would attend KKK rallies.
The "good old days" of baseball weren't that good. The level of play and technique is so much better now. The training and coaching is better, the talent pool is so much bigger. Old "whites only" baseball sucked.
I'm pulling for a Dodger/Red Sox Series.
Manny bein' Manny not only includes a suspension for 'roids, but will include sulking, intentionally tanking in important games, standing and admiring what will turn out to be a single off the wall, and refusal to run out ground balls. Some of which will turn into double plays, occasionally costing his team the game. And no mention of defense yet. All these joys, including fly ball adventures, throwing behind the runner, and general malaise, for a low, low price of $150,000 per game.
Well said subp. Don't forget about corked bats, pine tar, spit balls, sandpaper, vasoline and many other "enhancements" . Many of the players used to smoke in the dugout and some are still chewing tobacco during the game. I say - so what. All of you whiners out there claiming "what about the children" need to own up to your responsibility of parenting. If your kids are looking to sports figures as role models, then you have failed. Teach your kids some critical thinking skills and stop blaming the world for your lazy parenting. If you don't like baseball as it is played today, then don't support it.
Clearly Manny made a mistake and he is paying the price. Let's play some ball!