Thursday, February 22, 2007

Take a Load off Manny


If you follow the Red Sox but have been stuck on the Moon for the past week, I have some breaking news for you. Manny won’t be showing up for Spring Training until March 1st or whenever he damn well feels like it. Whichever comes first.

His original excuse was that his mom was getting surgery and he wanted to chill with her while she recovered only a few hours away from Ft. Myers. Not really provable, shaky as his last few flake-outs, but understandable I guess.

My/most fans reaction: “It’s Manny. Who cares? He can hit in his sleep and his defense isn’t getting better no matter how much he trains. Let him have his Manny time.”

Boston Media: “WHY IS HE SO SPECIAL???” and “BOO SCANDLE BOO!!”

Yikes. Anyway, it appears now that some story has surfaced that one of the things Manny might be doing while NOT training is going to some car show in Atlantic City.

This is apparently BIG NEWS and it’s only an unconfirmed RUMOR. I have had it with the Manny bashing. He is his own freaking person in his own little world. He demands a trade almost every season, he never goes to the All-Star Game, he sits for no reason (or for a good reason but nobody believes him) and he is a loon in the field (but manages to rack up assists). None of this is new.

So if we already know this (and Manny isn’t changing) so why are the media outlets making this big news? Why do they care if he takes more time off? Why do they care if he gets special treatment? Why shouldn’t he?

In his six seasons with the Red Sox Manny has averaged 99 R, 39 HR, 119 RBI, and about a .315 BA. Oh and a WS MVP award. If that isn’t deserving of some “special treatment” then I can’t tell you what is.

When you weight the pros and cons of "Manny being Manny" it ALWAYS works out in the Sox favor. That's why he should get cut some slack* from the media monsters and negative fans.

*Until his numbers drop off, cause then he’s fair game. Sorry buddy. Such is the fickle finger…