Tossing batting practice…while enjoying the fact that it you can legitimately pay 37 pesos for a gallon of gas in America, near Jay’s new house in El Paso.

So it’s been a while, I know. Things just sort of happened, and I know I should have called, but hey, why didn’t you call me, if you were really that worried or interested???

See, how I was able to turn the guilt toward you?

Anyways, I felt as one of the few Manny supporters (I think apologist is too strong a word) remaining, I thought it would be a good time to state the case. I am fully aware as I write this, that Jason Bay just went 4-5 and is batting .429, but as I contend further down, I don’t think this trade can be judged in the regular season.

I won’t defend his actions, thus the reasoning that apologist is too strong a word, I felt it was an abomination and I understand that he had to go according to the players on the team, and I have played with my fair share of superstars who were team chemistry cancers. The heroin addict, convicted felon, All-American who batted .700 at Nationals two years ago comes right to mind.

(As a side note, Manny may have been a pain in the ass faking injuries and what not, but it’s not like any member of the Sox had a teammate who went around saying, “If I go back to the can it’s going to be for a real crime like assault or murder, not f’in drugs”)

However, this trade to me provides a conundrum for all Sox fans that they must answer.

If they had kept Manny, the Sox probably would not have made the playoffs, but if they did, there is no doubt to me they would have won it all.
By trading him, I think it’s all but assured they make the playoffs, but they probably won’t win it.

So that's the million dollar question you must ask yourself, are you a playoffs is good enough person, or a championship or bust type?

(yes I know, you can scroll down about one or two posts to find the last time I made a concrete prediction about this team, and it failed miserably, but hear me out)

I’ve played with enough guys who grew up near the equator to understand a little but about their culture and the way they play the game, it’s not simply a Manny thing, but it’s easy to dump on him. He’ll never be Pete Rose, but name me anyone with Hispanic blood you would say compares to him. A player like that is usually someone, no matter the color or ethnicity who wasn’t handed many god given tools.
The same could be said about Larry Bird, in the NBA, it’s said they don’t make players like him anymore, or that African-Americans today are too flashy, but it’s a culture thing among those athletes and trickles down to all levels of the game, it’s just easy to single out a Manny Ramirez because he makes 20 Million a year.

The swift generalization, aside. To me the quartet of JD Drew, Mike Lowell, Kevin Youkilis, and Jason Bay, to borrow a phrase from Rick Reilly (I apologize) sounds like a Kiwanis Club meeting.
Somewhere Tom Yawkey is thrilled the Sox got a heck of a lot whiter, with one big “I do” or in this case, “deal” from Theo Epstein.

More importantly, I look at this deal as a case of us having, five nickels, three nickels and a dime or two dimes and a nickel, instead of a quarter.

My point is that, sure all these options, equal a quarter and are good for purchase anywhere in America at a storecounter.
But too much change always gets lost, and to count on you constantly carrying all those coins on your person and assuming that they won’t get lost, or fall out of your pocket is taking a leap of faith.
If one of that quartet gets hurt (hello Mike Lowell, and that hip flexor) you’re down a coin, and don’t equal 25 cents anymore.

If it just so happens that you manage to keep all the coins, and you get to the playoffs, well theoretically you’re in good shape right?

This is where I concur. There are plenty of things in everyday life where 25 cents is good no matter the combination, but to me the playoffs is a little different.

In David Ortiz, the Red Sox have a quarter, even with the wrist injury. When we get to October his value is measured in past, and current success, thus even hurt, he still possesses a threat to opponents that have to respect him no matter what. In other words, he’s worth 25 cents, even if it’s a little scuffed.

Manny was a quarter as well, even if he’s in decline, and couldn’t hit an inside fastball over 94 mph opponents still feared him, it could have been scuffed, bent a little, or even Canadian, as far as opponents were concerned, in big spots, late innings, and close games he walked like a duck, talked like a duck and acted like a duck.
So opponents had to fear him and respect him, and pitch to him and by extension, Ortiz accordingly.

With Manny gone, sure we have 25 cents, but I can’t use that combination at the Laundromat, or to feed the parking meter, I need to trade them for a quarter.
That’s what October is against the Angels, or big a series against the Yankees, I need to feed the meter, and a bunch of coins totaling 25 cents won’t to me any good, they are essentially worthless, and even with one quarter, like Ortiz, it isn’t enough.
I need that extra one to get me over the top.

In Bay, Drew, Youkilis, or Lowell, the Red Sox may have another quarter, it remains to be seen. Bay is really the only possibility, since we sort of know the other three are what they are, but he may just be another coin to add to the collection.
It’s a collection that may just be enough for a playoff berth, but right now looking around at the other offenses in the league

I hope I’m as amazingly wrong as I was last October, and right now if the Sox don’t make the playoffs they can state publicly they just weren’t good enough, because they certainly wouldn’t have had Manny if they suddenly faded down the stretch.
But I think they will make the postseason, and ultimately this lineup will mirror the Angels of years past, while they will now mirror us.
An ironic twist of the “can’t beat em, join em, corollary”.

If that’s the case, expect an October failure, one I can’t help but think could have been avoided with Manny Ramirez in the lineup.

The Bottom line is this in my eyes, the Sox were 0-83 without Manny, and 2-7 with him. I'll take that average, and those memories. I will also cherish the fact that diehard Yankee fans like JT celebrated the trade, and admitted, he was glad that the Sox would not make the playoffs now (which I do disagree) because he doesn't think the Yankees can beat Boston in a 7 game series, because of the mental block they have on the Sox.
As a Boston fan, that means more to me than anything, a Yankee fan admitting defeat to a Red Sox fan before the games are played, or even scheduled.
That was a direct result of what Manny Ramirez brought to the Red Sox the past seven and a half seasons. That was worth $160 Million of someone else's money.

***

It’s been four years, since my great Tossing BP, Olympic edition. My it’s been a while, and life has changed (for my betterment if you ask those who hated Jess, which was just about everyone), and I can’t believe its been that long, Mission Hill was good to us, right Dunneski?.
However, I am interested in my intrepid reader (thanks Bill) or less likely, readers opinion.
Given my current situation, of not much to do, and a lot of Olympic coverage on television, if I attempt a regular Olympic blog, mostly making fun of NBC’s coverage, Niche sports, and making wild ethnic generalizations, and off color jokes will people be interested in reading, and not judge me to be a horrible human being???

Oh yeah, and wall to wall Softball Coverage….because I will be watching live, no matter the hour.

You can leave me a comment, or email your answer either way, and I will deliver what the audience wants….