The Official "Manny Being Manny" Thread

[MDF3530]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-redsox-ramirez&prov=ap&type=lgns

 

$50 says he ain't playing Tuesday night.

[ksushi]

Apparently a big part of being Manny is grounding into DP's.

[schillingouttheks]

Manny shouldn't be in this game. He's supposed to hit for power...he hasn't. He's not starting in the game either. I don't really care if he plays or not.

[MANNYHOF24]

So far this year, Manny has been a shell of himself. That being said will anyone be suprized if he hits 20-25 HRS in the second half of the season?

[CrespoBlows]

Yes.

[ksushi]

I wouldn't be surprised. It would also not surprise me if he hit less than ten. Yeah.

 

He is late on 88 mph fastballs down the middle and pulling his head off the ball for the first time I've ever seen in his career.

[redsoxrules]

Manny shouldn't be in this game. He's supposed to hit for power...he hasn't. He's not starting in the game either. I don't really care if he plays or not.

 

ortiz shouldn't play either with his bad quad

[ORS]

Can somebody who lives up that way kind of find the time to bump into Manny about town and like do something to piss him off. He hits much better when he's requesting a trade at the deadline every year. He sucks when he's happy. Kthnx bye.

[riverside sluggers]

Until he actually shows signs of life, Im just calling him "DP" from here on out

[BoSox Rule]

Manny isn't being Manny.

 

Unfortunately.

[BoSox21]

I wonder which grandma he rolls out for an excuse this time

[MANNYHOF24]

Yes.

 

So you are writing off probably one of the top 5 Right handed hitters in the last 50 years because of a lousy first half? I will have absolutly no suprise if he turns it on in the second half and becomes Manny again.

[SCM33]

The guy has missed 2 games this season. If it were any other player on the team nothing would have been said. Give the guy a damn break. Maybe he went out for a few drinks the night before and wasnt feeling too well. Hes worked 98% of the days and nights hes supposed to. How many of us havent taken 2 days off in the last 6 months? I know I am allowed 10 sick days a year, and I am f***in taking them.

[BoSox34]

The guy has missed 2 games this season. If it were any other player on the team nothing would have been said. Give the guy a damn break. Maybe he went out for a few drinks the night before and wasnt feeling too well. Hes worked 98% of the days and nights hes supposed to. How many of us havent taken 2 days off in the last 6 months? I know I am allowed 10 sick days a year' date=' and I am f***in taking them.[/quote']

 

Are you making 17 million dollars this year?

[SCM33]

No your right, he should change his name to Cal f***in Ripken and play all 162.

[BoSox34]

No your right' date=' he should change his name to Cal f***in Ripken and play all 162.[/quote']

 

Anybody who is making 17 million dollars for 6-7 months and has a whole city behind them should try their hardest to get out on the field every single game.

[CrespoBlows]

So you are writing off probably one of the top 5 Right handed hitters in the last 50 years because of a lousy first half? I will have absolutly no suprise if he turns it on in the second half and becomes Manny again.

 

He WAS one of the greatest hitters.

[Khan]

All this talk about Manny's sub par performence, what about the rest of the offense the original 1-5 hitters just about all stunk in the first half roll call:

 

Lugo - Thank you Theo

Yuk/Pedroia - The bright spot

Ortiz - we need more big guy

Manny - Usually a slow starter, but did you miss the gun?

Drew - How much are we paying for that protection again.

 

Manny and Ortiz are the most important, but lets call a spade a spade. The offense has been nonexistant of late, and that is not just Manny, but bad offseason moves and perhaps a bad hitting coach.

[BSN07]

All this talk about Manny's sub par performence, what about the rest of the offense the original 1-5 hitters just about all stunk in the first half roll call:

 

Lugo - Thank you Theo

Yuk/Pedroia - The bright spot

Ortiz - we need more big guy

Manny - Usually a slow starter, but did you miss the gun?

Drew - How much are we paying for that protection again.

 

Manny and Ortiz are the most important, but lets call a spade a spade. The offense has been nonexistant of late, and that is not just Manny, but bad offseason moves and perhaps a bad hitting coach.

 

Drew didn't start out great but is around his avg now. Hes close to .270, his OBP is ok, his HR production is down but was he really a big HR threat? He's hitting alot of doubles and playing good RF.

[Khan]

Right now Drew hs become good lead off, on base guy. However, he was brought here for protection in the 5 hole - power. There he has been an abysmal failure.

[schillingouttheks]

Right now Drew hs become good lead off' date=' on base guy. However, he was brought here for protection in the 5 hole - power. There he has been an abysmal failure.[/quote']

 

That's not exactly his fault. He's been doing the past month and a half what should have been expected of him to begin with. It should have been a huge f***ing red flag to Theo and Co. that Drew hit most of his home runs to right-centerfield at Dodger Stadium. Right-centerfield at Fenway Park is a way different story. Sure, Drew will pop one out there every now and then, but he just doesn't have the power that we'd like. He's been slapping some doubles out there. Manny doesn't need the protection because there's nothing to protect right now. He's been a weakness for us this year, as much as I hate to say it. Look at the 13-inning game (or 14 innings, I forget) against Detroit a few days ago. Ortiz was IBB'd 3 TIMES! And each time, Manny gave the defense a DP ball to work with. They only turned two of the three, but they were weak groundballs right to the infielders.

 

That said, Coco is now this team's leadoff hitter (or at least should be...I also wouldn't mind Pedroia). Pedroia in the 2-hole has been fine. When Youk comes back I really wouldn't mind a 1-2 punch of Pedroia-Youk at the top so Coco can help solidify the bottom of the lineup. Lugo's hitting in the place where the sucky hitters are supposed to hit, so I have no problem with that right now. That said, he needs to pick it up. Fortunately, the past week and a half he's looked like he's BEGINNING to come around.

 

You can't really blame Ortiz. With Manny struggling immensely, Ortiz is going to get good pitches to hit. He's been slapping the balls and hitting for average, which is a sign of a good contact hitter, but he hasn't gotten a ball that he can clobber because Manny doesn't fear anyone right now. They'll pitch around Ortiz knowing that they can just face Manny afterwards. Ortiz has done well considering what he's been given to work with.

 

Already made my point about Drew....see above.

 

Now we come to Manny. When Ortiz and Manny as a unit don't perform well, the Red Sox as a team won't perform well. Since the beginning of June this team has been (or maybe even a little less than) a .500 team. That doesn't cut it. That's right about the time where they both started to struggle. Ortiz starts to struggle because he gets less pitches to hit; this is a result of Manny's lack of production and poor play. This is not a personal knock on Manny at all...I love the guy, but he's just not getting the job done. He should have about 20 more RBIs than he currently does. He's very slow to react on low-to-mid-90s fastballs...not a good sign. He's having a lot more trouble with the off-speed stuff. I fear that this is the beginning of a steady decline for Manny....or it could just be a terrible off year, but I tend to lean towards the former rather than the latter. Time will tell what happens, but honestly, I would be surprised if he hit 20 HRs in the second half like he normally does.

[Khan]

To clarify, I'm not looking to blame anyone but look for answers. If I were I would agree that Theo's decisions to bring Drew and Lugo here were bad ones. In the first half there were holes up and down the lineup and/or players not performing as expected. Certainly the most important of these are the power spots and neither Ortiz, Manny or Drew have come through. The lack of runs is not just Manny. Drew failing to provide protection because Manny and Ortiz have left nothing to protect skips over the fact that the neither the 3, 4 and 5 holes have produced as expected. My point is we have good starting and BP pitchingand a 10+ game lead, but to be effective in the post season we need some offense. It is a bit short sighted to say based on a sample of the last one or two weeks that these guys have come around when 1 is still sub-mendoza and the others are still not hitting for power. Why?

[lasordas speed dial]

Sox should have traded his ass back in December.

[MANNYHOF24]

He WAS one of the greatest hitters.

 

He was last year as well. While I agree he has not looked like Manny what so ever this year, I still am not counting out the possibility that he will turn it on, and well become Manny again.

[CrespoBlows]

He was last year as well. While I agree he has not looked like Manny what so ever this year' date=' I still am not counting out the possibility that he will turn it on, and well become Manny again.[/quote']

 

How many HR's did Manny have through 81 games in 2006?

[MANNYHOF24]

How many HR's did Manny have through 81 games in 2006?

 

Not positive but I think it was like 22 or 23. He had like 13 after, but thats because he didn't play the last six weeks of the season. He would have easily had 45 homeruns last year if he played the entire season. How can you argue that Manny has no chance of being the player he once was based on last years stats. He hit .321 with 35 homers and 101 RBIS while missing six weeks. That is pretty damn impressive numbers wise.

[CrespoBlows]

How can you argue that Manny has no chance of being the player he once was based on last years stats. He hit .321 with 35 homers and 101 RBIS while missing six weeks. That is pretty damn impressive numbers wise.

 

Because players get older?

 

I know you hate advanced statistics, so just watch Manny Ramirez. Do you see the same player he was back in 2006?

[redsoxrules]

I hate to say it but Manny is on the decline , he probly still has a few good years left in him but nothing that were use to seing

[Thumper]

I hate to say it but Manny is on the decline ' date=' he probly still has a few good years left in him but nothing that were use to seing[/quote']

 

Well age isn't an excuse... Look at Bonds! He's 42 and.... oh yeah, Bonds. Ha ha.

[Taliesin]

Sox should have traded his ass back in December.

 

To whom and for what? Edumacate me. Who should they have traded the greatest right-handed hitter I have seen play in my lifetime for or as you so eloquently stated his ass. I'm into accuracy, facts and reality. A bucket of balls? Ervin Santana? Jackson's fantasy minor league team of pitchers? Koufax? Jason Schmidt. Juan Pierre. NOMAH! Steve Garvey. No sir. Witness history it will not walk this way again. He's had a down 1/2 year in a remarkable career and a fickle Nation and the very odd Dodger contingent here who throws him over The Tobin and under the bus, because they believe the media hype about the hardest working man at his craft in the game need to take a walk through time. (run on sentence)

 

I fully expect a resurgent 2nd half and if not sobeit. So...who should they have traded his ass for again? Mr. GM. I love David Ortiz and defend his talent all the time, but he would be nothing but a a good contact hitter and unremarkable if it weren't for the crazy Latin hitting behind him.

 

Throw some concrete numbers out there and replace his bat for me. Thanks. And, the majority of y'all ain't that much swifter so the wrath isn't necessarily completely directed at the moron Dodger fan.