Eric and I debated that here

Toycannon,

I read your exchange and you made some good points. I focused more on the mental aspect of the issue, which is VERY important in baseball and particularly so with certain players. Some fans (and owners) tend to disregard that and it is what leads to some very bad signings. This whole thing about players not being respected—always coming from guys who have already been making tens of millions of dollars and wanting tens of millions more (usually when they don’t deserve it—see Andy Pettit).

LA fans are so in love with Manny now. It is very much like a teen-agers puppy love. So sweet, adorable, and naive. He does NOT love the Dodgers or ever will. He loves Manny and as much money he can get for as long as possible. There ARE some guys, who besides, of course, wanting the bucks, DO still have a genuine love for the game and the team and city and fans they play for. Unfortunately, they usually can’t hit .396 with 17 Hrs and 53 rbis for 53 games. Lord help us.

Yeah, it’s a tough call. Maybe he should play in Japan. The girls sure are cute.

I thought they should have kept Park. Still throws hard, good states, long relief, starter, and the phils got him for 2.5? Very reasonable. They passed on him and picked up Mota? I think that there have to be personal issues with some players that we fans do not see, which can have a lot to do with signing or not signing a player. I don’t get how a good arm like Biemal wasn’t signed. I know there was that thing with the cut finger during the playoffs against the Mets. Maybe he’s a big jerk they don’t trust. To a certain degree, it’s one big crap shoot. Roll those dice Frank and close your eyes.

I don’t know about that. He performed well and is left handed and healthy. I didn’t realize he wanted multiple years with high money. These guys have such ego problems. Everyone thinks they’re Sandy Koufax. I see today that Byrd wants to do a “Roger Cemmons” after the all star break. Right. It worked so well for the Yankees when Clemmons couldn’t pitch in both playoffs because of injuries (which was the whole point of getting him ), and at that time was still considered a great pitcher. Byrd? Again, EGO attack. Hey, forget the second half, thing, just sign some guys to pitch IN the playoffs for say 5 million for four starts. I’m sure Boras and some players would jump on it it if were possible. Gotta be careful the game doesn’t lose its soul. It gets pimped out enough as it is.

Manny didn’t quit on the Red Sox. You can say whatever you want about his attitude, which shouldn’t be disregarded, but he never quit on that team. During the timeframe people always mention, he was batting out of his mind. The guy still played at a high level everyday.

Nothing was exaggerated as his defenders would like to believe. His teammates had no regrets of him going and management PAID seven million dollars for the Dodgers to take him off their hands. Why in the world would a team allow a player of his caliber, who was still producing, to walk? If it was just some little snit between him and management, half a dozen other teams would have jumped in to claim such a player—and this just isn’t about the money. Remember, 3 or 4 years ago when Boston offered him up to anyone who wanted him and there were no takers. Again, it wasn’t just money. He has always had serious personal issues. And to say, well he has always produced— sure, he has. But keep in mind that doesn’t mean he couldn’t have produced even more and been less of a distracting influence on his team if it wasn’t for his head.

All I’m saying, simply, is not to make EXCUSES for such behavior by trying to dismiss the criticism as unfair or exaggerated. The Dodgers could really get burned that way—or, whoever eventually signs him. If you want the guy, fine, but keep in mind the risk going in. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to have genuine respect for a player as opposed to having to “put up” with him?

If he stays here, let’s hope they are only occasional issues. But in all fairness to Boston, that shit he was pulling was not just going on in the last week—it was for years. They just finally got fed up enough to say . . . enough. Hopefully, Manny is “born again” so to speak in the blood of Dodger blue.