Why Do We Still Love Manny Ramirez?

Normally, the baseball faithful show no mercy to cheaters. Yankee fans boo Alex Rodriguez. People toss syringes at Barry Bonds. Mark McGuire spends more time hiding from the public than Joaquin Guzman Loera. And Manny Ramirez…ummm, wait a second. On Tuesday, Manny made his first post-hCG rehab start – playing for the Dodger’s AAA affiliate Albuquerque Isotopes – and instead of getting heckled and flamed, the dude drew a record-setting crowd (over double the attendance of a regular Isotopes game) and received a standing ovation.    

Huh? Bonds and McGuire never even "officially" tested positive for PED’s, yet in the eyes of the public the two might as well be running a dog-fighting circuit that exclusively uses cute puppies and endangered wildlife. So why does Manny – a guy literally still serving a PED-related suspension – avoid the wrath of the people? Why do A-Rod’s own “fans” abuse him, yet Man-Ram strolls into a random ballpark and folks treat him like, in the words of Kanye West, “a [bleeping] hero”?  

As someone who should hate Manny – he bailed on the team I root for (the Red Sox) AND cheated – yet still kind of likes the guy, I understand why people (myself included) give Man-Ram a pass. It’s two reasons, actually. First, Manny Ramirez represents a bad relationship on steroids (literally) and everyone knows that logic goes adíos in bad relationships. The dude is just like the girl you know you shouldn’t date. She gives you a million reasons to run screaming, but right when you’re done with her, she does one amazing thing and pulls you right back into the madness.  

In Manny’s case, “amazing” means getting a clutch hit or doing an admittedly awesome “Manny Being Manny” moment (like jumping into the crowd to high-five a fan or goofing off in the dugout with teammates). One of the best hitters in the history of baseball and a ridiculously entertaining personality – how do you “break up” with that player? In terms of dating, Manny equals a Brazilian supermodel who likes to cook, give massages, and encourages you to go on golfing trips with your buddies, but…she habitually steals your wallet and maxes out your credit cards.

The second reason #99 gets a free pass is because Manny doesn’t care whether you like him or not, and people subconsciously respect his indifference. Bonds claims not to give a sh&# what the masses think, but blows up every time he sits in front of the cameras. A-Rod? Please, the dude worries so much about his public image he makes presidential candidates look laid back. Despite all his negative qualities and actions, people envy and admire Man-Ram’s carefree attitude. That level of confidence and ability to shrug off criticism and judgment (the exact characteristics that make Ramirez a Hall-of-Fame hitter) deserves a lot of respect. Part of us wants to hate Manny, and the other part loves that he doesn’t care.

When it comes to Manny Ramirez, baseball fans need to see a relationship therapist…or at least a sports psychologist.