Manny is back to being Manny
“Manny being Manny”, one of the themes of this very blog, has by now become worse than a cliché. A cliché because it seems that everyone in the nation uses it, all the time. But worse because most everyone misuses it. When Manny bangs one off the fence, but is held to a single, because instead of running with the hit, he stands around admiring his handiwork, that’s just Manny being Manny. When he misjudges a fly ball, or gets caught off second base, that’s just Manny being Manny. Or worse, when he braids his hair, in orange, or slips inside the green monster for a cool drink, that’s just Manny being Manny. When he sulks; when he won’t talk to the press; when he asks to be traded. When he stands out from a team full of eccentrics as Boston’s most durable and conspicuous goofball, that’s always Manny being Manny. But in truth, this is a misuse of the language. And a misunderstanding of the player.
Last night, in the eighth inning against the Indians, with the score tied, after Youkilis had singled and stole second, Cleveland walked Papi to pitch to Manny. To put that in its proper perspective, Cleveland put a second runner on base in order to pitch to Boston’s cleanup hitter, who is among the top ten active players in lifetime RBIs. And although there are over 50 players in MLB history with more career RBIs, there is only one on that list who drove in those runs in as few years. He was named DiMaggio. Year by year, there is almost no one in the history of baseball who has been as productive. Give him the seven or ten more years that most of the career RBI leaders had, and Manny will pass everyone on the list. He’s an RBI machine, which is more remarkable than ever these days, because there’s often no one left on base after Ortiz has batted. Anyway, back to last night, with two runners on board, and the score tied, in the eighth inning -- Manny responded to Cleveland’s slight by hammering one just over the top of the right field wall, and giving the Sox a three run lead. It was all the lead the bullpen needed.
And that’s what it means for Manny to be Manny. Good to see him being himself again.
Last night, in the eighth inning against the Indians, with the score tied, after Youkilis had singled and stole second, Cleveland walked Papi to pitch to Manny. To put that in its proper perspective, Cleveland put a second runner on base in order to pitch to Boston’s cleanup hitter, who is among the top ten active players in lifetime RBIs. And although there are over 50 players in MLB history with more career RBIs, there is only one on that list who drove in those runs in as few years. He was named DiMaggio. Year by year, there is almost no one in the history of baseball who has been as productive. Give him the seven or ten more years that most of the career RBI leaders had, and Manny will pass everyone on the list. He’s an RBI machine, which is more remarkable than ever these days, because there’s often no one left on base after Ortiz has batted. Anyway, back to last night, with two runners on board, and the score tied, in the eighth inning -- Manny responded to Cleveland’s slight by hammering one just over the top of the right field wall, and giving the Sox a three run lead. It was all the lead the bullpen needed.
And that’s what it means for Manny to be Manny. Good to see him being himself again.
posted by pops | 9:15 PM
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