Wallace Matthews: Another Manny Whiner

Jul 08th 09

I am going to start posting up “Manny Whiners”. These are people ( or groups of people, Hello WEEI ) who cannot stop bitching about Manny Ramirez. These people fail to realize that this guy got caught, he admitted he used shit, disappeared, came back, and even made fun of himself:

“He came into the (Mets) visiting clubhouse, spied the throng of media awaiting him, spread his arms wide and proclaimed with a grin, “Most wanted!”

-Newday

I ranted on Wallace Matthews of Newsday’s column saying Manny lives “outside the rules”. You would think Manny has the ability to call his own strikes and balls at the plate, or that he can punch the pope, based on the title. But his only ammunition to support his claim is that people like Ramirez!

That is it? Because he is lovable? He lives outside the rules because his personality is so great? When the hell did having a goofy personality became illegal after steroid use? Well, here is what I wrote to reply to his poppycock prose:

“There’s a difference between fans liking Manny and living outside of the rules.

What rules? Who says when you are suspended and you apologize that there is a rule that you have to be vilified upon your return? Was this rule put in place by the owners? What the hell are you talking about?

The reason Manny is liked is because HE IS LIKEABLE. Unlike Bonds, he didn’t run through tearing up homeruns DENYING he cheated ( for two plus years ).

He is liked by his teammates. A lot of things he does on the field are great, but his antics are always funny. Watching Manny is like watching a cartoon character, and I have met very few characters that I have ever loathed.

You need to relax. You remind of all the hypocritical Red Sox fans who couldn’t stand Manny on the team but they sure as hell love their Randy Moss, Corey Dillon’s and Starbury.

Look at your team. You think David Wright is a winner since he never raises is his voice or has become a leader in that clubhouse? Talk shit about the timid golden boy who’s lack of balls will keep your team struggling against a Marlins minor-league team that might make it to the world series again.

(The Marlins)Backed by 1,000 fans, I remind you. When you go home and tell your wife how your day was, let her know I bombasted you for being a complete **** because a baseball player is liked.

The reason people didn’t like formers cheater is NOT because they cheated, but because they LIED. How many times did Pettitte get booed? Giambi? JC Romero?

They don’t, because they took their licks, and they came back. Manny did the same, and he’s hilarious. It is fun to watch him, and if you can’t stand him, keep your boring golden boy and float around .500. Because that is so much better than watching Ramirez act goofy and insane.

Entertainment. It pays your bills. Good luck with your boring Mets.”

Wallace Matthews, I understand you are upset because you see someone who cheats, and everyone crowds around Manny like his fucking kid died. But the reason for it is because his personality has always been positive, and his antics were rarely dictated by sports professionalism.

In a way that could be seen as blaspheme to some die-hards, Manny doesn’t care about how to act in the game of baseball. This is the same guy that said it wasn’t the end of the world if the Red Sox lost when they were down two games to the Indians in the 2007 ALCS. This is the same guy who put up the Brett Favre for Manny trade sign during the infamous Summer meltdown of 2008.

Even yesterday, with his passive aggressive shenanigans on a not-very close pitch ( don’t worry, QuesTec will decide the ump’s salary ), it shows that Manny’s personality has a bad-boy streak that rarely manifests itself in a game. When have you ever seen Manny question balls and strikes TWICE in a game? Think about it.

That was entertaining. I thought Vince McMahon was going to ask Manny to join “The Corporation” after that tirade, it was so goddamn surreal and exciting. It sometimes bothers me that he never had that spark in his eight years with the Red Sox ( sigh ).

But Manny hasn’t really changed. He has always been like this: unpredictable. Like a reality TV show, we always want to see what greatness or zaniness he will do next. To say that this is unlawful in the game of baseball to love the personality of unpredictability, is shameful.

In the game, where much exciting Sportcenter fodder usually comes from Atlanta minor league managers and random animals on the field, Manny always shows me how much excited one could have watching one player just play the goddamn game like its supposed to be played: for fun.

Ps: (Video link above)The End of the Golden Age of the WWF. The video puts a tear to your eyes for all you 90’s diehards.