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Manny, Barry, and Belle
With the MLB All-Star Game approaching, let's look at heroes
I wonder if that 10th grade history teacher remembers my essay on Pete Rose. Not to stroke myself, but I totally anticipated the baseball legend's fall from grace. Back then, Rose was the admired "Charlie Hustle" of the Cincy Reds, and my essay premise was that if it wasn't for baseball's peculiar code of ethics, Pete Rose might be a considered a criminal. A hustle is a hustle, I wrote. (More or less.)
To this day, it's true. Manny Ramirez is on TV, being called the greatest right-handed hitter of all time. Good thing dude can hit, because he's a deep down wild child. For the longest time, it wasn't so accepted to love Manny. Now his hijinks are considered the "Manny being Manny" thing. He can backhand teammates, answer cell phones during pitching changes, can demand that stoner classics be blasted from the Fenway Park sound system when he steps to the plate. And I'm cool with that. My eldest child has the middle name "Belle", so you know that that I'm not mad at bad boys in baseball. (Note: The Man Ram is my favorite player, possibly in all of sports.)
Which brings us to Barry Bonds. Allegedly hanging around L.A. in very good shape, the dormant left-handed slugger reminds MLB of too many issues it wants to forget. Plus, he shat on too many people. So, the consensus among baseball's consortium of owners is that there's no place for him in the game, despite the fact that the Yankees — among a handful of contenders — could use a left-handed power hitter. (The Sporting News 1990s Player of the Decade can't do the NL thing, as its lack of designated hitter would put him on the field, and Bonds' knees won't allow him to trot well anymore.)
To this day, it's true. Manny Ramirez is on TV, being called the greatest right-handed hitter of all time. Good thing dude can hit, because he's a deep down wild child. For the longest time, it wasn't so accepted to love Manny. Now his hijinks are considered the "Manny being Manny" thing. He can backhand teammates, answer cell phones during pitching changes, can demand that stoner classics be blasted from the Fenway Park sound system when he steps to the plate. And I'm cool with that. My eldest child has the middle name "Belle", so you know that that I'm not mad at bad boys in baseball. (Note: The Man Ram is my favorite player, possibly in all of sports.)
Which brings us to Barry Bonds. Allegedly hanging around L.A. in very good shape, the dormant left-handed slugger reminds MLB of too many issues it wants to forget. Plus, he shat on too many people. So, the consensus among baseball's consortium of owners is that there's no place for him in the game, despite the fact that the Yankees — among a handful of contenders — could use a left-handed power hitter. (The Sporting News 1990s Player of the Decade can't do the NL thing, as its lack of designated hitter would put him on the field, and Bonds' knees won't allow him to trot well anymore.)
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12:16 EDT, 04.Aug.08
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