Manny being Manny? Joe Torre obviously has a different perspective than that of Boston Red Sox Manager Terry Francona or General Manager Theo Epstein, but the adjective that first comes to mind in describing those three words, that excuse or endorsement, might be the same for all three of them.
It’s a matter of angles, though, their view point.
‘’Well, you’re asking somebody who had to watch him 19 times a year plus playoffs. … He’s scary – that’s being Manny being Manny,’’ Torre said on Friday, after Ramirez had reported for work with the Dodgers, one day after he was acquired from Boston in a three-team trade completed just before the non-waiver deadline.
Ramirez, who started against Arizona in left field and the cleanup spot in the Dodgers’ offensively-challenged lineup, was on his best behavior after weeks of turning the Red Sox into a daily soap opera with some questionable decisions and antics.
‘’I feel great, man. I’m happy,’’ he said. ‘’Whatever happened in Boston is in the past. I’m excited, man. I can’t wait. I feel like I took 5,000 pounds off my back. It’s a new chapter in my life. I’m happy to be here. That’s all I can say.’’
While Ramirez was answering questions at Dodger Stadium, though, the Red Sox were taking the field against Oakland at Fenway Park shortly after a team meeting, which Epstein lauded after almost daily doses of Manny being Manny.
In working his way out of Boston, Ramirez had scratched out games with knee problems, coincidentally when Boston was scheduled to face the Mariners’ Felix Hernandez and the Yankees’ Joba Chamberlain. He neglected to run hard to first base on a grounder down the line while the Angels’ John Lackey was working on a no-hitter. He made caustic remarks through the media regarding the Red Sox management, alienating teammates and at least a portion of Boston baseball fans.
Ramirez on Friday took a pass on all things Boston – he was happy to be in Los Angeles, looking forward to just playing baseball and amenable to shearing his long dreadlocks, though he had not managed that between an introductory press conference and the first pitch against the Diamondbacks.
‘’Boston is in the past. Every time people ask me about Boston, I put my brain on pause - pause. I’m thinking about blue right now. I’m here thinking about the Dodgers and seeing how I’m going to help this team win,’’ he said. ‘’I’m not going to waste any energy when people talk like that. It’s a new chapter. I’m in a new city. I want people judge me on what I do here, not what I did in Boston and that’s the way it is.’’
The Dodgers will be more than happy to do that – should Ramirez continue to hit home runs and drive in runs as he has for an offense that entering play on Friday was ranked last in the National League in homers and slugging percentage and 13th in runs scored and on-base percentage.
‘’He’s here to play baseball and really, that’s what we want from him, to come out and play baseball,’’ Torre said. ‘’We’ll try to make it as easy as possible on him so he can concentrate on what we need him to do and what he enjoys doing.’’
Manny Moments at least on this day were tame by comparison, his focus forward.
‘’Let me tell you a story, man. When I was like 8 years old, my grandmother, she would always come to the states and stuff like that, and my first uniform that I wore was a Dodgers (uniform), number 30,’’ said Ramirez, who will wear No. 99 with the Dodgers since the No. 24 he worse in Boston has been retired by his new team in honor of former Manager Walter Alston.
‘’So, it’s like a dream come true. I’m here with the Dodgers and I’m going to try my best to help the team in any way I can. Let’s see what happens. I’m in a new league, I’m going to try to learn a couple of stuff, but I’m going to try my best.’’
