Vote For Manny

After much anticipation, tonight I marched on down to Wrigley Field to watch the Cubs take on the Dodgers. Our seats were amazing, right on the base line between home and first. The game constantly engaged us.  It was a one run game with great pitching, home runs, and bases loaded situations. But the match up was missing its biggest draw...the great void being Manny Ramirez.  

I almost expected to see all of the Dodgers' players sporting a black stripe on their sleeve as if Manny passed away. Like many baseball fans, I will always appreciate Manny and his swagger. He adds character to a game that often discourages free spirits. Whenever he struts into the batters box and relaxes the bat over his shoulder, magical excitement always consumes an entire stadium. Even without playing half of the season to date because of suspension, fans continue to vote to watch him start in the All Star Game.  

Bill Simmons couldn't be more wrong when he says that Manny's banned substance suspension will forever taint the Red Sox World Series victories with a "mental asterisk".  First off, steroids shouldn't have an effect on anyone's memory of the great 2004 team or any other roster the Sox filled.  Nothing can take those years away.  Especially since nobody has ever accused Manny of taking steroids while in Boston.  I'm not saying he didn't juice throughout his career.  I'm just noting that Manny is a lifetime .315 hitter.  With a slight decline over the past couple of seasons (he didn't break the .300 mark with the Sox in '07 and '08), Manny's numbers spiked to almost hitting .400 with the Dodgers in 2008, a contract year for #24 (now #99).  His slugging percentage over the two years leading up to his trade from Boston only reached .508. In his time with LA, that number skyrocketed to .710 before his failed drug test.

Tonight I witnessed a Manny-less batting order.  It was sad.  And it's depressing to see Manny's image smeared by scapegoating sports writers.  He's been one of my favorite players to watch over the past eight years.  So, along with the 1.2 million other people thus far, I will stand by the man who brought two World Series to a cursed city and I will Vote for Manny to play in the 2009 All Star Game.

Vote For Manny