Crap from SI

I have to call "crap" when I see or hear crap and this column by Stephen Cannella on SI.com is pure crap.

First off he says that Manny Ramirez was "benched" which is not true. Manny was rested for one game because Interleague does not allow for the DH and manager Terry Francona was trying to keep David Ortiz in the line-up while also trying in involve Kevin Millar who has shown signs of life as of late. Sitting out one game is not being benched. David Ortiz sat out last night - was he "benched" too?

Cannella links to a Boston Herald piece to try and support his "benched" comment however the Herald points out:

He [Manny] is on pace for 39 home runs and 124 RBI, slightly ahead of his five-year averages as a Red Sox of 38 homers and 118 RBI. What is lagging is his batting average, which was at .254 yesterday.

As Lyford has pointed out - the only thing that has really declined this year for Manny has been singles and many times that's a matter of luck. Line drives are hit right at outfielders or ground balls that made it through in the past are now knocked down.

I also take issue with Cannella calling Manny a "savant". Manny works very hard at his hitting and I think it was telling that Greg Maddux explained that no batter in baseball knows the opposing pitchers better than Manny. Cannella's casual use of the English language would have you believe that this knowledge just sort of happens and is not the result of hard work.

Cannella also tries to make some sort of point with comparing Ramirez to the top five "similar" hitters from baseball-reference.com. What his point is - I don't know because Cannella seems to want the reader to draw his own conclusions. Is Manny a steroids tainted guy like Juan Gone? Will he fall to a freak hip ailment like Albert Belle? What's your point Cannella? Maybe he'll be like Willie Mays who is number 6 on that list but who you don't include. Maybe he'll be like Ted Williams who is number 8 on that list but likewise not mentioned.

Crap writing. Lazy writing. SI can do better than this.