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Thursday, April 19, 2007

The Man Child

*Picture from the Boston Globe*

Manny was back to being Manny, hitting a game tying 2 run bomb in the 8th inning vs. the Blue Jays today. After he, uh, admired his work for a couple of hours, he made his way around the bases. Upon reaching home plate, he greets Coco Crisp, who had been on base when he homered, with a hug.

That's Manny in a nutshell: selfish enough to show up the poor guy who left one on the fat part of the plate, but child like enough to hug another man in front of 32,000 thousand people.

From everything you hear from his teammates, no one works harder than Manny: early to the park, extra hitting, watching video of the pitcher, lifting in the weight room, etc. The goofy stuff overshadows all that and that's a shame. Is he selfish? You bet. All great players are. Is he a cancer? Nope: just goofy. What about a bad teammate? Not according to David Ortiz, Julio Lugo, and the Captain, Jason Varitek.

Now, does Manny drive Francona, Schilling, and his fellow players up a tree? Without a doubt. At times, I'm sure they want to strangle him. However, you ask any of them if they would be a better team WITHOUT Ramirez, I'd bet the farm that to a man you would get a big fat NO.

Besides, without Manny, you would not get pictures like the one I threw up here today: Manny, almost like a child, hugging Tito, while the look on Francona's face is priceless.

Here's to many more years of Manny being Manny in a Red Sox uniform.

Tip of the cap to Julian today: 5.1 IP, 6H, 3ER, 0BB, and 4K, and he did the job of a 5th starter: he kept them in the game. Solid work from Piniero, Romero, and Timlin, and the Papelbot closed it out again.

First place boys: here's to hoping we don't leave that spot all year.

61 comments:

KAYLEE said...

I love manny even if he has an attitucde thats okay with me:-)I am afraid to say we are gunna leave first place alot this season and who knows if e will be there in september?I gottaq go convinve my mother boot camp is not for me then to bed:-0

KAYLEE said...

e=we

Tex said...

Manny's that kid who can do the dumbest things and get in trouble...but all they gotta do is flash that smile and say "hey wanna play ball?" and your heart just melts.

I hope Boston continues to embrace Manny cos his personality just dont work many places

Ted D said...

Morning Tex: Seems like Manny can do no wrong in Boston. Hopefully yesterday is just the start, and he really gets on a roll from here on out.

Have a safe trip back home.

VTek said...

Hi Ted - When Manny hit that first homer of the season, I said there he goes - Standing, staring & slowly walking LOL

Ted D said...

Morning Carol: and my blood pressure is already up, ears are red, etc..

If I live through the weekend, it'll be a small miracle.

And it's only April.

"Hi, my name is Ted. I'm a Soxaholic"

Stacy said...

Sounds like he's a hard worker who is also still a kid sometimes. Bet no other team's dugout is as fun.:)

Stacy said...

Scottie, just remember, the three Aunts won't be there forever. Enjoy it while you can! :)

John said...

I hope this starts one of those hot streak for Manny, we could use it this weekend, especially the way the Yankee bats have been going!

Christine E. said...

"Hi, my name is Ted. I'm a Soxaholic"

Hi Ted...:-)

As long as we have Manny, I hope he hits, but if they were to trade him tomorrow, as long as they got some value, I would not be sorry to see him go--his behaviour at the end of last year, then asking to be traded AGAIN, makes me tired...

Hey, can you pass the bottle of antacids over here? and while your at it, that bottle of horse tranquilizers?

Hope everyone is well! Happy Friday!

Ted D said...

John, welcome to the asylum! Thanks for taking the time to stop by, and I'm hoping that happens with Manny too: a nice hot streak to counter the Yankees bats. Guess we'll see how good our top 3 guys are this weekend.

Hi Christine: along with Tex and Stacy, you add some much needed class to this blog: kinda counter balances the 3 stooges!

Antacids, tranquilizers, and tylenol on it's way.

I.Am.Pumped.

Oh yeah, just found out today that tonights game is on ESPN, so Oat Bran and Flower Power, if you are reading this after 7, GAME ON.

KAYLEE said...

Since its on Espn guess i go watch it at the bar with my boyfriend:-)

Ted D said...

Kaylee, what bar lets a 15 year old and her boyfriend in?

KAYLEE said...

Ted its a restruant and a bar we go in the restrauarant part!

VTek said...

The best restaurant/bar to see a Sox/Yankees game is at Game On! (outside of Fenway). That's what we did last August. When you're old enough Kaylee, you should go!

Christine E. said...

about 30 minutes...whoooo hooo!

Thank you for the very kind words, Ted...:-)

When you turn 21, Kaylee, I'LL take you to Game On!

So, if the game is on ESPN, Joe Morgan will be wearing a pinstriped suit! UGH...

The only think fun about watching YES is that if the Skanks are losing, the announcers start throwing them right under a bus--but unfortuately, it's quite the gross love-fest for "jeets!" is all is going well...ewwww....

Go SOX!

Ted D said...

Thankfully, I'm getting NESN Christine. And Carol, did not mean to leave you out: you are part of the class I was speaking of earlier!

20 minutes!!! Can't wait:

And Kaylee, thanks for clearing that up: was beginning to wonder about AZ and their alcohol laws!

KAYLEE said...

haha ted npo they re the same:-)

KAYLEE said...

npo=no
re=are

KAYLEE said...

//The best restaurant/bar to see a Sox/Yankees game is at Game On! (outside of Fenway). That's what we did last AugustWhen you're old enough Kaylee, you should go!//

if only i lived in boston:-)

Christine E. said...

I don't live in Boston either
Kaylee...:-(

I LOVE 'Tek!!!! Whoo Hoo!

KAYLEE said...

//I LOVE 'Tek!!!! Whoo Hoo!//

that was a great homer by him:)

Christine E. said...

ARGH!!!!!!!

:-(

KAYLEE said...

i hate arod and jeter.

Ted D said...

Good grief: has it got to the point of pitching around Slappy?

For a second, I had visions of Coco getting paralyzed by landing on his neck.

Still have 5 innings to get the 3 back. NO MORE YANKEE RUNS.

KAYLEE said...

coco scared me too.I am afraid the yankees will score more:-)

Ted D said...

I now have the lucky baseball for when the Sox are in the field and the lucky bat for when they are up.

Not working so far, so I'm giving it one more inning.

Then I'm switching shirts and my hat.

Sonya@Beyond the Screen Door said...

well , hmm. I don't mind Yankee bashing but A Rod is a stud. TOO many pitches from Shill.

Christine E. said...

I think Schill should have hit him....grrrrr

This SUCKS...and its A-rod worship EVERYWHERE....

UGH!

GO SOX!

KAYLEE said...

//I don't mind Yankee bashing but A Rod is a stud.//

scott:HE could be our fricken president and I would still hate him:-)

Christine E. said...

(Hisses at Scott) a STUD???

KAYLEE said...

he aint a stud in my book if he is a yankees!

John said...

Ted I'll toast to you as well, to another dad of three!

BTW can we can ARod banned from the league?

John

Ted D said...

Scotty, stud is pushing it, but he's as dialed in as anyone I can remember: either pitch around him or just hit him. I prefer the plunking.

Schilling does not have his a game, but he is gutting his way through. Slappy is responsible for all 5 runs, so no HR = 0 R for the Yankees.

John, glad you came back: we're all harmless. Crazy yes.

And Scott, Schill just struck out Damon and Abreu. Bad location on some pitches tonight, but it ain't over yet.

Sonya@Beyond the Screen Door said...

Christine, I am a baseball fan who is learning to embrace the sox.
" A Stud" ball player who delivers big time at home and on the road under pressure! There will be sox that I give that title to also.

Hey have your favorite team but regonize a good player.

Christine E. said...

John: THAT Is the best think I have heard all day!

KAYLEE said...

My mother just proved to me why I hate people....I want to live with nothing but,animals now:-)

KAYLEE said...

//we're all harmless. //

except me....I dont count in that!category.

Sonya@Beyond the Screen Door said...

Kaylee the trouble with that kind of thinking in todays baseball enviroment. Anybody could be on your sox team the next year.

Ted I am watching the game.

Christine E. said...

Nope, sorry Scott...Cannot stand Barry Bonds either..think both are crappy human beings...

Look up disingenuous in the dictiorary--youw ill see a picture of A-Rod...

And for the record, I never wanted him when the Sox where looking to get him before 2004..:-)

KAYLEE said...

scott:thats why I said if he is a yankee dope.

Ted D said...

Article in the Herald today saying Arod will be a Red Sox next year.

Not real sure how I feel about that right now.

But I agree with Christine on this: I think he's the biggest phony in sports. Never have I seen someone with more God given talent be so insecure.

KAYLEE said...

//Article in the Herald today saying Arod will be a Red Sox next year.//

NOOOOO!TED dont tell me that....we dont need him:-)

Christine E. said...

If A-Rod is with the Sox next year, that woudl be the STUPIDEST thing Theo could ever do....

He is already on record as saying the Sox would have never won the WS in 2004 if the A-rod deal had been done...

and if he keeps this up..do you relaly think the Skanks would let him go?

and he strikes out! Whoo Hoo!

Christine E. said...

That is what I get for doing 9 things at once...He got a double...the strikeout is wishful thinking...:-(

Sonya@Beyond the Screen Door said...

Hey I want the sox to win Also, But I don't give a you know what if he signs your autographes or wont pose for a picture, or he sleeps with a blanket. look at his numbers just tonight. The sox are letting him be a one man wrecking crew.

KAYLEE said...

scott:the sox let alot of people do that to them!HE sleeps with more than a blanket by the way!

Christine E. said...

Well hopefully Josh can stop him tomorrow, cause Curt and JC could not get it done tonight...

Ted D said...

Christine, he can opt out as part of his deal. Buster Olney said on the radio today there are 4 teams, not the Yankees, who will offer him $200 million dollars.

And as much as I can't stand him, he will one day, if he does not get injured, break Bond's all time HR record. I know he does not have it yet, but he will.

I am sad now.

KAYLEE said...

//Well hopefully Josh can stop him tomorrow//

Josh aint that good.yes he is 3-0 but he cant hold arod:-)

KAYLEE said...

that was being mild about beckett but around here I gotta be carefull what I say about him.

Christine E. said...

The ONLY I woudl be ok with him breaking Bond's record is that I don't think he cheats..

Damon is up with the bases loaded--this SUCKS

Ted D said...

Kaylee:

Prediction. Arod goes hitless vs. Beckett tomorrow. As dialed in as Arod is, Beckett is just as dialed in pitching.

4-0 after tomorrow.

KAYLEE said...

Ted,
I wouldnt know how beckett is pitching I havent seen any of his starts except on gameday noe i can with directtv:-)I will mark your words on that though TED.

Christine E. said...

That would be SO cool if that were to happen tomorrow, Ted...:-)

I hope 'Tek can come through here...

Christine E. said...

Oh mY God, Oh My God OH MY GOD!!!

Coco!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whoooooo Hoooooo!

Sonya@Beyond the Screen Door said...

Well never say never. Ted I did speak with you about pitching being the differance. Yankees are in trouble unless they get biggg leads!

Ted D said...

Welcome to RSN bub. What a freaking game.

6-2 and they score 5 in the 8th. The Mariano Rivera as the unbeatable force is OVER.

I. Love. This. Team.

And would all the people saying Tek is done please now move to the back of the line.

What a GREAT win!

Christine E. said...

Next time, Ted?

We need more Horse tranquilizers....LOL

WHOOOOO HOOOOO!

GO! SOX!

Ted D said...

You got it Christine.

Wonder where Tex was? She was supposed to be home by now.

Tex, you OK?

KAYLEE said...

love those kind of wins:-)