During a week in which SI.com’s Jon Heyman alleged Manny Ramirez thought the White Bronco chase involved the LAPD trying to apprehend Chad Ogea (if this story is true, Manny is beyond awesome. If it’s bullshit, give Heyman credit for the funniest thing he’s come up with in years), it’s kinda nice that someone out there believes Ramirez’ Crimes Against Baseball aren’t such a big deal given all the joy he provided. Nice if you’re not planning to renounce 2 World Championships, anyway. If that someone happens to be Yardwork’s David Raposa and frequent CSTB contributor David Roth, all the better. From Tuesday’s Awl :
David Roth: I cannot imagine Manny spending very intelligently. But I also can’t imagine him spending that extravagantly. Like, I imagine that Andruw Jones lives in a house in which the floor is made entirely of functional iPads. Jason Giambi lives inside a giant Lamborghini and A-Rod’s place is all mirrors and marble. I just imagine Manny eating the same sandwich every day at least once, and then playing oldish video games. Guy plays Sonic The Hedgehog until all hours.
David Raposa: All he needs are some dick pills, some conditioner, and a ball and paddle. And Hot Pockets. The fact that baseball standard bearers are going to lose their shit over his Hall of Fame worthiness or legacy means exactly zip to him.
David Roth: He’s a Hall of Famer to me. I’m just going to induct someone new to the Hall in every one of these. Handsome Ron Kittle is getting in sometime in July. But Manny was transcendent, when he was transcendent. The drugs honestly don’t matter that much to me, because I think all this needs to be considered in context. There are guys who hit 500 homers in their careers who weren’t great enough to be Hall of Famers, and that’s fine, it’s not somehow a betrayal of The Founders or whatever. Voters should just be grown-ups about this, instead of being HGHercule Poirot and examining Jeff Bagwell’s baseball cards for telltale signs of jawline enlargement or whatever. And besides, Manny was so much fun when he was fun. It’s a game. I give points for that.
David Raposa: Cosigning all of the above, especially Manny’s fun factor. I don’t want to say that’s missing from “today’s” game, but it’s lacking. No offense to Brian Wilson, but his hirsute wackiness, and resulting fame, seems almost manufactured. Not quite to the level of “you should really check out Derek Jeter’s awesome new Ford-related website!” but perilously close.