I am not going to continue writing the piece I had nearly finished, giving the Los Angles Dodgers an A+ grade for the first month of the season. If computer's spit out paper, my story would be in the form of a trail of balled up papers. Sure, the Dodgers have won their first 13 games at home and yes, they are a Major League leading 21-8 coming out of the gates. Yes, Chad Billingsley still gets an A+ for his 5-0 start and yes, Andre Ethier is breaking onto the MLB map with a breakout season. But when magna cum laude gets caught cheating on the SATs, all scores need to be examined and unfortunately, marked with a big, red F!
What is really the issue now is not the grade the team got but what kind of emotional hit the organization takes. When one of your characters lacks character, the recipe is tasteless.
It has long been documented that while in Boston, Manny was a top-notch hitter and a bottom-of-the-barrel teammate. Towering home runs and a reputation for striking fear into opposing pitchers was often overshadowed by his on- and off-field antics. Over the summer and winter months, I wrote endlessly about the negatives that Ramirez brought to the table and was oft chastised by those who accused me of sour grapes. To them I simply say, I told you so.
Mommy taught me a long time ago that if something looks like a rat and smells like a rat, you start guarding the mouse traps.
Ramirez is a rat.
His attitude is nasty and surly. he thinks nothing of quitting on his teammates and now he joins A-Rod and Clemens, McGwire and Palmiero, Giambi and 90-plus others who simply lack the character and morals to carry on this tradition called baseball.
Role Model? With his long dread locs, he would not be allowed to hold many jobs without taking the scissors and the detangler to his unkempt locs. He fought teammate Kevin Youkilis, who, by many, is considered to be the consumate teammate.
Youkilis took exception to Ramirez's lackluster play. He even beat up the Red Sox' elderly traveling secretary, more than likely because he parked in Manny's special handicapped spot. Role Model? I think not.
The Golden Rule, Manny, states, "Do unto others as you would want them to do unto you". This isn't sour grapes or jealousy. It's the Golden Rule.
Venom is currently spewing from my very being. My kid and I entrusted you with our sport and you, Manny, and you, Bud Selig, and you, A-Rod, do not have the character to be entrusted with it.
You can now sit for the next fifty games, with your over-sized ego and your undersized set of jewels, and count your money, count your Hall of Fame votes. One can't use a hand for counting while the other doesn't even register on your hand.
This is of course more repulsive than high-fiving the fans in left field or urinating behind the Green Monster. This is cheating, stealing, and lying.
I pray that Dodger fans opt not to support and cheer for Manny upon his return. Everything they loved about him has to be soured by the latest antic.
I've said all I care to say on Ramirez and on the subject.
I think I'll go back and try to rescue the Dodgers from 50 days worth of detention.
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