Manny being SELFISH!

Ok Dustin and David you can stop reading here..... I am about to go on my typical tirade about the one and only Manny Ramirez and why I can't stand him.

I have had several arguments with friends and fans over the years over Manny. First off let me say this and make myself CLEAR: Manny Ramirez is one of the greatest hitters to play the game and is a first ballot Hall of Famer.

My beef with Manny is over his lack of compassion or concern for his team or teammates the majority of the time and his seemingly primadonna obsession with himself and his image in the media. Manny is the only guy in MLB who can turn a 400 ft triple into a single because of his lack of hustle. He is the only guy in MLB who can pimp a HR only to have it caught at the warning track. He is a clown who cares more about laughs and being the main attraction than he does wins by the Red Sox and the organization itself.

I like the way that Manny tries to have fun while playing the game because after all that is what it is all about. I have to admit that there are some antics that I cant help but laugh at like when he caught the ball at the wall earlier this year and gave a fan a high five or the time recently when he was seen talking on a cell inside the Green Monster. Sure, those moments are funny and make us laugh but the moments when he puts his team, teammates and winning behind his image and selfish ways is what irritates the hell out of me.

Just in this year he has gotten into a dugout scuffle with a team and fan favorite in Youk over Youk being upset at himself for not getting the job done in the game. Im sorry Manny that Youk actually takes it serious when he plays and gets upset when he doesn't help his team. Also, Manny pushed downed the team travel secretary because he couldn't get all the tickets he wanted for a road series. Now the best has yet to come! Every summer Manny gets some kind of injury during the middle of the season that is sometimes mysterious and unknown. Last year, he suffered an injury and was out for 2 weeks and had his injury re-examined by the team doctor and was told everything was good to go and he could return to action. Unfortunately Manny felt different and stayed out another 3 weeks.

Now, Manny has started to complain about his contract with team management and evidently suffered a severe and serious knee injury during batting practice the other day. It was so serious that Manny was a late scratch in the finale against Seattle and also last night in the opener vs the Yankees. But wait! In an MRI test revealed this morning in Boston it was found that there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with Manny's knee! It is clean and nothing that should keep him from playing! So why is he saying he can't play? Hmmmmm? Maybe it is because he is bitching and moaning about his 20 million dollar contract! Let me say that again! His 20 MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT! He is just showing his true colors AGAIN! And those of you know what I mean by that!

Manny, you are 36 years old and starting to begin the twilight of your career. You are not ranked inside the top 15 in any major hitting category in the MLB. In other words he is not putting up 20 million dollar stats. That is what Josh Hamilton, Ian Kinsler, Lance Berkman, Carlos Quentin, Jermaine Dye and Carlos Lee are doing with way less contracts. You actually expect the Red Sox to give you more money when you only have a couple good years left in you? They can take that money and go after a guy who is 10 years younger and less of a distraction for his team. Thanks for your years in Boston and for putting up good numbers but it is going downhill from here and I think, check that, I know many fans of the Red Sox will agree with me when we say Adios Manny!