Ramirez, whose penalty was adjusted to 50 games that must be served after the start of the coming season, said in the ESPN interview that he wants to return to the game "to show people that Manny can change, that he can do the right thing. And to show people that I still can play. I don’t want to leave the game like I did. I also want to show my kids that if you make a mistake, don’t quit. Just go back and fix it. And if you’re going to leave, leave the right way."
"First, because I can still play. Second, because I’m going to be a role model," said Ramirez. "A bunch of guys are going to look at me and say hey, this guy made a mistake but he didn’t quit. Look how he finished. He did the right thing and came back (WEEI)."
I wish I could sit here and say that this will turn out of be a story of redemption, but it won't. No team is going to touch this guy after all the shit he has pulled. He burned bridges with the Red Sox, then did it to the Dodgers, turned around and was terrible for the White Sox, and then flat out gave up on the Rays. Plus, he can't even play the first 50 games of the season, he is 39 years old, and he is washed up.
Manny was one of my favorite players growing up. I have never seen anyone is Boston hit the way he did. When he was on, it was something to see, but he blew it. The failed drug tests, the giving up, the trade demands, the throwing down old people, he just is everything an athlete shouldn't be. I try to remember the good times, but it hard for me to do that anymore and I think MLB teams will be thinking the same way.