“Gas Is Up. And so am I.”
Classic ManRam.
Those were Manny Ramirez’s parting words as he left Dodgers Stadium after being eliminated by the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 5 of the NLCS.
Eliminated by no fault of his own, Manny’s signature dreadlocks may as well have been a cape with the Superman-like numbers the slugger put up during the Dodgers most successful playoff run in 20 years.
Manny batted .520 with four homeruns and 10 RBI in eight playoff games. And one can’t discount the fact he was largely responsible for the team’s turnaround that got them into the post-season in the first place.
Since his arrival in late August from the Red Sox, Manny lifted the Dodgers, batting .396 and driving in 53 runs in 53 games, mind blowing numbers that will surely equate into a mind blowing salary when the suitors start lining up to woo the impending free agent following the World Series.
The question is: what kind of money will Manny get? And who can afford him? He’s already making $20 million this season. What about the fact he wants a long-term deal and he’s already 36, no spring chicken.
And do you take a chance on a guy whose behaviour and lack of commitment in his final days in Boston was described by at least one prominent baseball analyst as being “despicable?”
You certainly won’t hear an L.A. Dodger saying a negative word. ManRam’s teammates seemed to welcome him and the looseness he brought to the clubhouse with open arms. And the fans in L.A. couldn’t have loved him more, chanting “Manny stay” the minute the Dodgers were eliminated.
Certainly the sales of all those No. 99 jerseys and fake dreadlocks can’t be ignored when it comes to what a potential team will fork over for one of the more colourful characters in the game today.
Manny has already said he wants Alex Rodriguez money; A-Rod raking in A-Ridiculous $28 million this year. When you look at A-Rod’s post-season numbers (39 games, seven HR, 17 RBI, .279 avg.) do you think Manny deserves it?
Let the bidding begin.