When the Red Sox signed Manny Ramirez to an 8 year $160 million contract they had three goals in mind.
1. Break the curse of the Bambino.
2. Break the Yankees.
3. Break the bank at the box office.
In his almost 8 years in Boston, Manny helped the Sox accomplish all three. That’s why I say, it was all worth it and shame on any Red Sox fan who would bad mouth Manny. Did his act grow tired? Yes. Was it time to move him? Yes. But that doesn’t change the fact that he did something no other big money player($18 mill or more a year) has ever done: he earned every penny. We didn’t pay him to hustle. We paid him to lift our franchise out of 80+ years of futility. A tall order indeed and Manny did it not once, but twice earning MVP honors in 2004. We have also seen the hated yankees(I refuse to capitalize their name) fall into disarray all the while the Red Sox have become America’s team. If you don’t believe me, go to any Red Sox road game(if you can call it that). So, I wish Manny the best. I’m not happy with the way things ended, but I would do it all over again. They should retire his jersey tomorrow and go ahead and line up an artist for his statue on Yawkey Way. And Manny, that had better be a B on your hat on your Hall of Fame plaque.
Now, is Jason Bay going to come even close to replacing Manny’s production and sheer presence in the lineup. No, but he will free up about $10 mill for us to shore up some other needs. And one thing we should have learned in these last 8 years…Trust Theo.
Now usually Heath, I just read your blogs for the amusing undertones you create about comics and the wesleyan church. However, finally you reach some depth in your writings. THE RED SOX.
Now, there are fans who like the red sox (those that have been fans for 5 years or less), and then there are those who have considered getting tattoo’s, season tickets, and other stupid stuff even though they live nowhere near Fenway. I am one of those fans. I’ve been a red sox fan since 1988 (Roger Clemens and Mike Greenwell were my favorites).
Why just the other night I was thinking one of my best childhood memories was my first day in the third grade at Londonderry Elementary School. I was the new kid, and my dad had just transferred to Boston. Right after school they picked me up, we drove into Boston, caught the T, and watched the game from the very top row of Fenway, just underneath the Revolving Sign in Right Center field. The Red Sox played the Oakland A’s that night and lost 10-0. I did however see Phil Plantier (weird stance) play his first at bat.
Why am I saying this? Why would I write that in the 4th grade my creative writing project plot centered around Knight Rider, Gleaming the Cube (Christian Slater skateboarding flick) and me breaking the curse of the Bambino.
Some people grow up wanting to save Africa, become the President, be a rock star…then there are Red Sox fans.
Red Sox fans drove it into every coordinated male son that they had, up until 2004, to grow up and break the curse.
I write this to show that I’m not a 2004 fan, I’m a lifer. And if we had the finances I’d be a season ticket holder.
I write this to say, here’s to you Manny. We knew you were a piece of work coming into this thing, and we didn’t have any expectations of you retiring with the same legacy as Williams, or Yaz. We knew there was more Clemens in you then Fisk. But I have to say this one thing. Thanks to you my son won’t have to grow up hating me for forcing him to break the curse.
Cheers.
i totally agree! GO SOX! and long live Manny!
Hope you red sox fans enjoy those couple of championships. How many more do you need to catch the Yankees 26?
The one thing that I keep hearing is that Manny broke the curse, Manny broke the curse.
As I recall it was Ortiz that hit the blooper into shallow center field that beautiful night just a couple years ago.
As I recall it was Shillings bloody sock and other things that did indeed contributed to our victory in October of 2004. Yes, yes, yes I hear the argument. Manny did contribute a generous portion to our success. But was the man responsible for us winning the championship?
No. It was the team around him. It was those other men. Tek, Millar, Mueller, the one who betrayed us and will not be named, Shilling, Pokey Reese and Keith Foulke. I am leaving out many I know.
But as a team we won the 2004 championship and as a team we won the 2007 one as well.
I will not bust Manny’s chops about his playing. He was entertaining, He was electrifying and he was enormous to our success. But much as I predicted and voiced the Red Sox had enough of his antics on the field and on the team. Manny being Manny was great while it lasted but it got to a point when it got old. It got old last week.
I trust Terry and Theo in their decision and know that they made the best one for the team. I wish Manny all the best and I know he will do great, but I’m glad he was let go.
Love you Heath. Trying to stay up to date on the goings on with you in the states man. Don’t be surprised if you get a phone call one morning from me.