Thursday, October 18, 2007

Let Manny be Manny

By John McMullen
The Phanatic Magazine

Red Sox Nation is collectively bemoaning the latest salvo fired off by the eternally clueless Manny Ramirez.

"We're just going to go have fun and play the game," Ramirez said of Thursday's possible elimination game. "That's it. If we go play hard and the thing doesn't come like it's supposed to come, we'll move on. We'll come next year. Why should we panic? We've got a great team. If it doesn't happen, good. We'll come next year and try to do it again."

I know that's hard to accept for a BoSox fan base on the precipice of collective suicide since the team is down 3-1 to the surprising Cleveland Indians in the ALCS.

But Manny is Manny, the best right-handed power hitter of his generation for a reason...

He doesn't care.

"We're confident every day," Ramirez added. "It doesn't matter how things go for you. We're not going to give up. We're just going to go and play the game, like I've said, and move on. If it doesn't happen, so who cares? There's always next year. It's not like the end of the world or something."

Of course to the Boston faithful, who walk around like they are owed something even though the so-called curse ended in 2004, a loss is the end of the world.

So, they are up in arms. Not surprising since the dullards who follow the Red Sox tend to put the team in front of ancillary things like family, friends and employment.

Manny's not the problem...they are.

Professional athletes can't take losing like a fan. And, since baseball is Manny's job, win or lose, he is going to have to suit up again whether it's Saturday or next April.

So smacking your wife or kicking the dog after going 0-for-4 really serves no purpose.

Being laid back and relaxed?

Maybe there is something to that. After all, Manny is so loose he has 24 homers in 328 postseason at bats.

Maybe the Red Sox fans want Manny to be like the generation's best regular season player, Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod cares so much about his own legacy, he seizes up in the playoffs like the job market in a Democratic administration or Richie Sambora on Saturday Night Live.

So, closed circuit to the 36,986 morons that inhabit Fenway Park. You want baseball on Saturday?

Then let Manny be Manny.

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