Be A Man(ny)

Last week Manny Ramirez, now (or I guess formerly) of the Tampa Bay Rays, decided to call it a career. When I first heard the news, I wasn't at all surprised. His numbers to start the 2011 MLB season were horrible, and that may be sugar coating it.

This season, Ramirez only played in 5 games for the Rays. In that time, he had 17 at bats and recorded one hit and one RBI. He also struck out four times and currently has a batting average of .059, which again is not good. So again, when I first heard the news about his retirement, I wasn't surprised. I had a feeling that he just wasn't keeping up with the game as well as he had in the past and that his mind and body were both telling him that it's time to go. There have been several great athletes who have run into situations like that.

As time went on, it was apparent that this retirement was different. Apparently Manny had run into another issue with Major League Baseball's Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. Back in 2009, when Manny was a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers of Los Angeles, he was suspended 50 games for an issue to do with the Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. It's also been reported, but never confirmed that Manny's name was also on the list of players that tested positive before MLB began regular drug testing. This round of testing was done in order to gauge drug use in order to decide whether or not to implement some form of drug testing. The names of the players who tested positive were not supposed to be released, even though some have come out since then.

Seeing as though Manny apparently tested positive again, he is now facing the possiblility of a 100 game suspension. Instead of being a man and facing the punishment for the act he committed, he instead decided to run away from it and retire. I lose a lot of respect for Manny just for that right there. If you knowingly do something wrong, you should always be prepared to face the consequences if you get caught. He's not a man though, he's only 38. As we know from the past, you don't become a man until you turn 40.

If Manny Ramirez decides to ultimately stay away from baseball, which I don't think he will, this will be his lasting legacy. Keep in mind that if he does decide to return, he will immediately be facing the 100 game suspension before he's able to resume his playing career.

Ramirez probably has statistics good enough for enshrinement in Cooperstown. He was never the best defender but the guy could always hit. As far as I'm concerned, he should never make his way to Cooperstown. Any player who ever tests positive for a banned substance, in my opinion, should never be allowed to make the Hall of Fame. Period. That includes Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Andy Pettite, Manny Ramirez, etc. Do I need to continue?

His only chance to get into the Hall of Fame, and I mean only chance, would be to be a man and face the consequences of his actions. You will atleast save a little bit of face there. By running away, you don't get to save any face and that won't be forgotten, I'll guarantee that.

For any player, in any sport, the Hall of Fame is the ultimate reward for a great career. At some point in each of these athletes' lives I'll guarantee that they've dreamed of being card carrying members of their sports Hall of Fame. Yet in reality, very few players come close to reaching that point.

With that said, it's a shame when a player who was probably good enough to make the Hall of Fame before the use of a banned substance resorts to using that substance. Barry Bonds was good enough. Alex Rodriguez was good enough. Manny Ramirez may not be on par with those guys, but with the way he could hit, he may have been good enough at all. Now neither of them deserve to be in the Hall and that's the way it should be.