A Pleasure To Watch: Manny On A Tear

Manny Ramirez is red hot. In the Yankees series, he was 8-for-12 with four home runs and 10 RBIs. ... In seven games against New York this season, Manny is 13-for-26.

Yet he still draws heat from the media -- even for doing the right thing. In his "Inside the Game" column, the ProJo's Steven Krasner felt the need to get on Ramirez for running through DeMarlo Hale's stop sign in the third inning (the "Manny Being Manny Creative School of Baserunning").

Krasner asks: "Smart play by Manny? Good read?" Well, Krasner noted (in his previous sentence) that "Ramirez scored without a relay throw" so I'd say it was a good (and correct) read.

Krasner did not mention Wily Mo Pena's inability to score on a wild ball four to Mark Loretta. Apparently, he didn't see the ball.

Pena explained:

When the catcher went up for the ball and put his hands up, the people [in the stands behind home plate] stood up and I didn't see the ball. When I saw it, [Stinnett] was picking it up [near the backstop] and the pitcher was covering home. ... If I had seen the ball, I'd have had a chance, but I didn't see it go by him. When I saw it, oh gosh, it was too late.

Pena's indecision didn't cost the Sox the game -- not directly, anyway -- but his explanation also doesn't make much sense. What was he watching?

David Ortiz's rough night was back page news in New York.


Coco Crisp: "I don't feel discomfort, as far as swinging the bat or in baseball activities. [Monday] is probably the more set-in-stone day. If it's set in stone, you can't erase that, but you can chisel the rest of the stone and make it even again, so I might come back on Sunday."

When Crisp returns, Kevin Youkilis and his .429 OBP will be moved out of the leadoff spot. Youkilis noted that not every hitter is suited for leading off: "If you put Nomar in the first spot and tell him to take a pitch, he'd laugh at you."