Manny Ramirez

I watched the first couple of innings of last night's game at a pub while I waited for my girls to be done with dance class. The consensus of everyone at the bar regarding Manny Ramirez is that the press should just get off his back. Manny may have the sunniest disposition of anyone on the Red Sox but there's a reason why he stopped talking to the media. That reason has been on display these past couple of days.

Consider that Manny is hitting .471 with an .609 OBP and a .882 SLG% against the Indians. Manny was signed to be a hitter and he's more than living up to his end of the bargain. If you took Manny's 2007 playoff numbers and extended them for an entire season then you'd be looking at an 80 HR, 240 RBI season. That doesn't look like the effort of a player who doesn't care.

Ask yourself if you'd rather have a guy who always has the "right" quote but whose performance in the playoffs always makes you wonder if he's a Mr. May like Alex Rodriguez or a guy like Manny? Right now Manny comes to the plate and everyone watching thinks that he's going to hit a home run.

Leave my Manny alone.