Seattle's Raul Ibanez talked about working out with Manny Ramirez last off-season in Davie, Florida.In between sets, everything is timed, and he would always be reminding [me] to keep working. He works his tail off. I knew he was hard-working, but he exceeded my expectations. ... We would start at 10 and he was coming at 9 to do his workouts. He was working out an hour more. ... He influenced everybody to come in and work out earlier.Ramirez, who leads the Sox in games played (108 of 111), is hitting .352 since the All-Star break (and .328 since the beginning of May). He is 11 home runs away from the 500 plateau.
Tony Massarotti notes that the Sox are 37-8 when Ramirez knocks in at least one run and 31-35 when he does not.
Josh Beckett's road ERA (in eight starts, 56.2 innings) is 1.59. In 13 home starts (82 innings), his ERA is 4.50.
Jacoby Ellsbury returned to the PawSox lineup on Sunday after missing 15 games with a strained groin. He had three hits, a walk, a stolen base and scored two runs.
Just goes to show that he's a very misunderstood player by people that only see him for max 20 games per season.
ReplyDeleteIf you actually follow the Red Sox, Manny's a very hard worker. Of course he looks like he's slackin' in the outfield, but his transition to get the ball in is super quick and him not running full tilt to retrieve a ball thats going for a double is completely justified. Why should he run at top speed and have the runner get to second base, when he can jog over and the runner gets to second base anyways. Same result, it just looks bad to the untrained fan.
I'm fine with his defense and his work ethic and hitting practice. I'm not OK with his watching the ball from the batter's box. It cost us in a recent game.
ReplyDeleteZenslinger said...
ReplyDeleteI'm fine with his defense and his work ethic and hitting practice. I'm not OK with his watching the ball from the batter's box. It cost us in a recent game.
Zen , I agree, I love Manny but if people think he doesn't dog it every now and then they are missing something........When you make that much money and you play in a big market people are going to notice...I don't need to see every story and hear from every player that in the offseason he is working out and how he works out every day during the season ..he should be working out ..they all should workout (Curt). If people want to attack him so be it.....Everyone sees how A-rod is treated and he maybe the best player in the game.....It comes with the territory.. For 20 mil a year and knowing i have the respect of my teamates and fans..I would care less what the media said about me ..and I'm pretty sure he doesn't care....
tim said... Why should he run at top speed and have the runner get to second base, when he can jog over and the runner gets to second base anyways. Same result
ReplyDeleteThat's his job. and in baseball you never assume.....Even an untrained fan knows that...
I've never seen a player who always ran hard to 1st, every at-bat, every game. No one does for every single AB. But only certain players get tagged with it, remembered for the times they don't.
ReplyDeleteWhy is that?
Last week, on a grounder to second, Ortiz just about walked down the line towards first.
ReplyDeleteWhenever a replay is shown from the high home camera, see how many players do not sprint to first. On grounders to the right side, some jog slowly, some jog a bit quicker, but most of them do not "give it their all".
Yet as L says, only a select few will get mentioned. And once they get the tag, everyone picks up on it.
Last month, Steven Krasner at the ProJo took a swipe at Manny for taking a day off (he wrote something like "imagine that" or "surprised?"). Yet Manny leads the 2007 Sox in games played -- 108 of 111 -- and he has been the team leader or very close to the leader every season he's been in Boston (last year was an exception).
Yet a Red Sox beat writer -- who should know the truth -- slips in a totally inaccurate dig. Implying something that is actually a lie. Why?
L-girl said...
ReplyDeleteWhy is that?
redsock said...
Why?
I would say it is the way the player treats or gives his time to the media.........if you don't talk to them or go out of your way to be nice to them.....they will kill you...I believe Ted Williams had this problem, Joe Dimaggio had this had problem, even tho I have heard no one really liked Joe D.
Bonds Has this problem , they all think A-rod is phony, Manny has trouble with the language , and rather coming off as stupid, for lack of a better word, he chooses not to speak to them.....So in turn they focus on every negative they can....All you hear about Papi is how everyone loves him...Because he speaks to everyone..., I can not give you one answer to the question why.......But I believe it has a lot to do with money and perception and for some reason people really hate his hair . Michael Kay still talks about it to this day...
Good answer, 9Casey.
ReplyDeleteThe obsession with Manny's hair is quite amazing. At Skydome in May, we heard comments from Jays fans at every game. It's as if no one has seen a man with dreads before.
The poll does not have the TRIBE in 5.
ReplyDeleteThe poll does not have the TRIBE in 5.
ReplyDeleteYou're right. It doesn't.