Manny being Manny Suspended… what did you think?

When I first heard the news that Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez was suspended for 50 games for a drug violation, I immediately thought… steroids… and I then I felt disappointment.

I thought about steroids first, because at this point nothing surprises me. You could tell me Vin Scully has been on performance enhancing drugs, and I wouldn’t be surprised. I think steroids were like Flintstones vitamins for major leaguers. It’s just one of those things that players needed to do… to stay competitive with all the other kids on the playground. Don’t get me wrong… I think they are bad for the game and are illegal for a reason… I am just saying that I can’t fault players for taking them nor can I be surprised by who used them. Whether someone used them or not, is a personal morel/ethics issue, not a baseball competition issue. Steroids are just going to become one of those things that define a certain era in baseball, like Dead-Ball, Lively-Ball, Integration, etc. So why should I be surprised, if A-Rod, Bonds, and McGuire can be linked to steroids, so can Manny.

I then felt disappointment because, I like Manny. I wrote an article last year, praising him, after he reached up and gave that fan a “high-five”, after catching a fly ball. I took a little crap for it; with all his selfish antics and quitting on the team stuff… how could I root for a guy like that. I like Manny… that’s how. He is one of those “Stop and Watch” guys. If you’re walking by a TV and see him up to bat… you watch. His batting knowledge is tremendous… his presence at the plate is menacing… his ability to change the game is substantial. I let my respect for his ability and talent, overlook his antics, as long as it doesn’t impact his ability to be a good teammate. Some will argue though, that how he left Boston was because of his actions, impacting his ability to be a good teammate. I am fine with that. That is why he is in Los Angeles now. At least he didn’t bad mouth everyone he knows after he left the team, like others (Gary Sheffield). I like Manny and feel bad that now he probably won't get voted in to the Hall of Fame.

So the story just broke today and I am sure that more of the details will come out and ESPN will be talking about it for weeks. Will he serve the full 50 games? Why is he waiving his right to challenge the suspension? Is it steroids… is it HGH… is it a female fertility drug? At this point… who cares… does it really matter? If one of your favorite players gets caught… do you really care?

After I got over the disappointment of the whole thing, one thing became abundantly clear. The scary thing is… the more people that get linked to performance enhancers… the smarter Jose Canseco looks. That is scary.