MANNY RAMIREZ: BEST PLAYER

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLnB4UVNoUQ

oops double

NEVER TO RETURN! ha hhahaha

uh

Cubs sign Manny Ramirez to be player-coach at Triple-A Iowa

CHICAGO - The Chicago Cubs today signed Manny Ramirez to a minor league contract to be a player-coach at Triple-A Iowa. President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein, who was with Ramirez for seven years in the Boston Red Sox organization, made the announcement.

"We are excited to welcome Manny to the Cubs organization and look forward to him working with our young hitters," Epstein said. "Manny is not only one of the best hitters of all time, he is also a dedicated student of hitting and has proven to be a gifted teacher with younger teammates who have worked with him in the batting cage. Behind the scenes he has always been a tireless worker who is very serious about the craft of hitting. Manny has made real mistakes in the past but he has owned up to them and moved his life in a positive direction the last couple of years. He is in a really great place right now and wants to share the lessons he's learned along the way. We think he deserves another chance and that our young hitters will benefit from it."

"While Manny is not and will not be a fit on the Cubs major league roster, we do think at this stage of his life he's a nice fit as a mentor for some of the young talented hitters we have in the organization. Manny will coach full-time and play part-time in a limited role that does not take at-bats away from our prospects. If he shows there is still some magic in his bat, perhaps he will find his way to the major leagues and help another team, but that is not why he is here. We are thrilled that he wants to work with our young hitters and make a difference."

Ramirez, 41, is a lifetime .312 hitter with 555 home runs in 2,302 games covering 19 major league seasons.

"I'm at the stage of my life and career where I really want to give something back to the game that I love -- the game that has meant so much to me and done so much for me and my family," Ramirez said. "I know I am nearing the end of my playing days, but I have a lot of knowledge to pass on to the next generation - both what to do and what not to do. The Cubs have some very talented young hitters, and I would love nothing more than to make a positive impact on their careers. I am passionate about baseball and about hitting, and I have a lot to offer. While I would love to return to the major leagues, I leave that in God's hands. My focus will be on working with the young hitters, making sure they don't make the same mistakes I made, and helping the team any way I can."

Ramirez will report to the Cubs' spring training facility in Mesa, Ariz., for at-bats in extended spring training before joining Iowa.

http://37.media.tumblr.com/797909e48096177dd2b90e4aba048552/tumblr_n65149zCDU1ro5xweo1_400.gif

i miss him

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhSvjMhmJz0

can't wait until Manny is available to sub for my softball team.

Changed Ramirez enjoyed helping Cubs prospects grow

the deal retired all-star Manny Ramirez signed to swing a bat in Japan’s independent league is truly next level. To play for the so-called Kochi Fighting Dogs, the former Red Sox slugger secured the following perks: One, he gets chauffeured around Japan in a Benz. Two, he’s staying at a $700-a-night luxury hotel. Three, he’ll be wearing a No. 99 jersey with “Manny” on the back. Four, practices “are apparently optional.” And five (which let’s assume was the clincher), he gets all the free sushi he can eat for the entire season.

I was saying this to my dad before Manny signed in Japan, but I bet the dude could still slug in MLB. Offensively, he never really had a bad year, save for his last 5 game stint, in Tampa Bay (lol). I was sort of wishing, fantasizing really, that the Red Sox would sign him for DH. He's 44, but I bet if he got in shape he could be an above average hitter. Same thing could've been said about Barry Bonds circa 2008-2011, but he was toxic. So is Manny, to a lesser extent.

god i kind of forgot how sick a hitter manny was up to the very end. that post-trade second half in 2008 with the dodgers? son.

god i kind of forgot how sick a hitter manny was up to the very end. that post-trade second half in 2008 with the dodgers? son.

Yeah exactly. Offensively, he never had a bad season! His worst year (90 games, 2010), he hit .298/.409/.460 with 20 HRs. If he stayed healthy and motivated, I bet he could have played through the last six years effectively. People forget he really was one of the best, most consistent hitters of the last 50 years.

need to revive this. i had forgotten about this story where he finally talks to the press in order to answer questions about his neighbour’s grill:

https://eu.telegram.com/story/sports/pro/2007/03/21/manny-moment-he-breaks-silence/52947277007/

Roman Anthony gets on his horse (gyac)
Posted: 7 March 2024 at 15:04:00

Millar: (Julian Tavarez and Manny) had this drink. It was like whiskey and it was this Latin cocktail they’d shake up in this old bottle, like a big old Perrier bottle. They put all this stuff in it: a shot of whiskey, honey, lemon. Well, Manny had the idea of throwing in Viagara pills and didn’t tell anybody. We were all taking shots of this stuff and it was like: “Let’s go play!”

Arroyo: Manny loved a laugh.

Leskanic: You know how they have the Silver Slugger award? I told him that this year they were going to give out a Silver Glove award. So we all spray-painted his glove silver and hung it in his locker. He said: “Lesky, I told you I was going to win the Silver Glove award!”

McCarty: For all the s— he took about his defense, he really worked at it.

Garciaparra: Manny put in the work.

Leskanic: We would go out and have some drinks together. All his drinks had Red Bull. I’d say: “Manny, every time I see you, you’ve got a Red Bull in your hand. Why do you drink so much Red Bull?” And he would say in his dreams he could take longer batting practice because of the energy.

Millar: Only Manny.

Arroyo: Manny was so cheap, when we would check out of a hotel, all his incidentals he would freaking send to Edgar Rentería’s bill every time. You’d see Edgar arguing with the hotel manager that he didn’t have all this food.

Leskanic: That’s true! Terry Adams was checking out, and I was right behind him. Terry was like: “I didn’t get four massages. I wasn’t even here for four days, how the hell would I get four massages?” Manny put it on his bill!

Foulke: Manny would do the same thing to Julian (Tavarez). Julian knew him really well. He’d go into his wallet and get money out.

Leskanic: Schilling made these “why not us” T-shirts. Manny took them all, put them all in his locker, 25 shirts, and he wore a different one home every night.

Arroyo: Manny would open up his man purse and he’d have $10,000 in there.

Leskanic: I just loved the guy.

a shame no team was ever able to assemble a roster that included Martinez, Adrian Beltre and Bartolo Colon.

Manny b Manny

Confirmed: Manny Ramirez has not retired @BBisntBoring pic.twitter.com/C0O56lmCfD

— Rob Bradford (@bradfo) April 8, 2024

I know a team where could step right into the 5th or 6th slot in the order.