McCarver: Manny's Lack of Commitment in Boston was "Despicable"

Marzano is still a legend in Philly

 

"Manny being Manny" was so distracting, so harmful to that clubhouse that the Red Sox suspended him exactly ZERO times this season. In fact, come to think of it, did the Red Sox ever suspend him during his time there? I'm guessing not, because they always took Manny's numbers regardless.

Bottom line, the Red Sox brass saw a chance to trade him -- like they wanted too all these years -- while painting him as a bad guy. Even though Manny on July 31, 2008, was no different than Manny on July 31, 2005.

 

What comes out of suspending someone who doesn't want to play in the first place?

 

Sorry, but I don't buy that Manny didn't want to play. He might not have hustled to first sometimes, and he might not have been a Gold Glove, but that's no different now compared to when they first signed him. The Red Sox shoulder some of the blame for what happened to that relationship, it's not all Manny.

 

Then why did he only have 75 ABs in July? You think Francona wanted him out of the lineup?

 

Were you dogging him for quitting on the team in August and September of '06? Or nursing injuries most of last September?

 

That was different, dude. Why is that so hard to understand?

 

You think Manny, with his recent knee history, couldn't have used a day off every now and then?

 

I'd say he did just fine without one in August. And I didn't hear of him refusing to get on any of the Dodgers flights or needing to be medically tested to prove he was full of shit with a phantom injury.

In July the schedule was more favorable to playing every game with the Sox having nearly every Thursday off, the All-Star break.

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2008/08/02/ramxedrez_lobbied_to_stay/

 

I've been on him since Labor Day '03.

 

I dont know if it was in a Plaschke column or something recently, but it was pointed out that in the span of two innings he went first to third on a hard single and then tagged up on a short fly ball or something to those effects and how in a whole season he hadn't done that in Boston bnut over the course of nine outs he did for the Dodgers.

 

Again, I find it funny Manny says he's hurt for a big game in the Bronx, pulls himself from the lineup and everyone says, "There's Manny being Manny." But Beckett says he's hurt for a big game in the Bronx, pulls himself from the start and Red Sox Nation can't sleep.

I don't doubt that Manny gave the Red Sox a reason to doubt him. But I find it funny that the Red Sox put up with what he did for seven-plus years, then decide they can't tolerate him for another two months, never mind that when he went through times like this before he still delivered in the clutch. The Red Sox easily could have pulled Manny aside, asked him whether voiding the option years would make him happy and agreed to part ways at the end of the season. Amicable break.

Manny's not the only one at fault for what happened in Boston.