Manny, Manny, Manny...

Well, the circus continues over at Fenway Park. Now it's gone on the road to U.S. Cellular Field (don't you hate that name?). Manager Grady Little has benched his $160 million left fielder/DH over the whole controversy that erupted over the weekend.

For those of you who haven’t turned on a Boston area TV, radio or read the newspaper over the weekend, here’s the short story. Manny Ramirez was reported to be too ill to play in the critical series against the Yankees last weekend, and declined the opportunity to pinch hit in Monday’s game against Philadelphia. However, Manny was in the lobby of the Ritz-Carlton in Boston, where he lives during the season, with Yankees infielder Enrique Wilson on Saturday night. He then missed an appointment with the Red Sox team doctor on Sunday morning. Further inflaming the volatile citizens of Red Sox Nation was a quote by Manny aired by ESPN where he said that he always wanted to play for the Yankees and might try to go there after his contract expires with the Sox.

Here’s my take on this: Manny needs to get on the same page with most of the other members of the team, who seem focused on getting into the playoffs. Grady did the right thing by benching him tonight. It sends a message that this kind of garbage won’t be accepted, even from the superstar players on the team. If you’re sick, get better and get yourself into the lineup. Hanging out in the Ritz lobby visiting with your old pals and missing doctors appointments is not the way to go.


Why can’t we get guys like this?

On the opposite side of the coin from Mr. Ramirez is the San Francisco Giants Barry Bonds. Bonds lost his father, Bobby, last week and then was hospitalized with an irregular heartbeat. So what happens? He drags himself out of the hospital to play in the Giants game against Arizona and hits a bases loaded single to drive in two runs in the ninth and win the game for San Francisco. Say what you want about his personality, Barry Bonds is a gamer and wants to win.