Is This The End Of The Line For Manny Ramirez?
Eight years ago I was an ecstatic young boy in pure shock, as I had the opportunity to see something Red Sox fans had been waiting to see for 86 years. Perhaps the biggest piece of the 2004 world series champions was MVP Manny Ramirez. Shortly after the conclusion of the World Series, I was able to meet Ramirez at a public signing. It was clear immediately after shaking his hand, that this man's ego was higher than his batting average ever was. However, it didn't matter at the time because Ramirez was such a pivotal part of such a great accomplishment in sports history.
Today, "Manny being Manny" isn't going to fly with any GM or coach. After testing positive for PED's twice and unsuccessful stints in multiple organizations, he isn't the same man. He's not the guy who was worthy in the eyes of many of acting in such an unprofessional manner. Its amazing to think that you can go from World Series MVP and one of the most feared hitters in baseball to unemployed and unwanted so quickly. That's exactly where Ramirez is at this point, as he was just recently given his release from the Oakland A's who took a chance on him. After stints in Cleveland, Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago, Tampa Bay, and now Oakland, you have to wonder if Ramirez has anything left. Ramirez is way past his prime and is a 40 year old man.
The question to be asked now is will Manny be given one more shot? Its very tempting to think about giving a hitter with such an impressive career an opportunity to see if he has anything left in the tank. However, in the case of Ramirez, it may just not be worth the headache of putting up with his antics any longer. If Ramirez was a humble man who had grown up over these years, teams may be more inclined to give him a shot or at least give him a chance to serve as a mentor to younger players when the MLB roster's expand for the stretch run in September.
Manny's sad fall from greatness should serve as a reminder to everyone to always be respectful. He also makes you realize that you aren't always going to have the same skills forever. One day you aren't going to be as slick or fast or powerful as you once were. Therefore you should never feel entitled to act in a certain manner because of your skill set as Ramirez had done for years. The verdict is still out on whether Manny can still swing it. Although, if he can somehow prove to just one team that he is ready to put his head down and work as hard as he can, maybe they will give him one more shot to end his career on his own terms. Do you think Ramirez will get another shot ? Let us know
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Aaron Granoff
Account Manager
Tivity
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