Goodbye Manny

In the Summer of 2008, the Dodgers were floundering in mediocrity as they were playing around .500 ball. It was a time where players like Matt Kemp, James Loney, and Andre Either were still pups who theoretically could become killer trio that would propel the Dodgers to Perennial contenders in the National League. Yet, one trade by the Dodgers sent the enigmatic Manny Ramirez where just the year before led Boston to a World Series Championship to Los Angeles.

Initially, it was met with skepticism as the Dodgers kept sinking especially that disastrous series sweep at the hands of the Washington Nationals. The Washington freaking Nationals!!!! In addition, for all his greatness he was sort of a moody, enigmatic person where he would be a delight in the clubhouse and then suddenly become a high maintenance diva in a flash.

As the season wore on, the Dodgers became a different team and suddenly they were winning games. It was if the Dodgers were sleepwalking then suddenly woke up and turned on the jets on their opponents who never had a chance at all. Manny Ramirez was a changed man who would hustle after hitting lasers into the outfield as was the case in yesterday's game in Milwaukee. His addition led the Dodgers to a series upset of the Cubs in the NLDS before losing to the eventual World Series champs, the Philadelphia Phillies. He was a breath of fresh air who packed Dodger Stadium night after night. Dodger fans would watch him as they were following whatever he did during the game. It ranged from Manny practicing his swing on deck or when he was at the batter's box. They were buying his jersey and any Dodger memorabilia in large bunches following his arrival. In that year, he was the toast of Los Angeles.

Dodger fans would soon get a taste of his soap opera antics when he was unsure about whether to resign with L.A or not. Fortunately, he signed with L.A for a 2 year 45 million dollar deal. Yet, it was the first of others to come that would later sully the initial honeymoon love affair with Manny Ramirez. The next season, he would continue becoming the batting threat for the Dodgers he was that past fall until May 7, 2009.

On that day, Manny Ramirez was suspended for 50 games for using HCG which is used for female fertility as well as for players who are coming off a steroid cycle. It was a blow for the Dodgers and Manny well mostly Manny as he was never quite the same player he was before the scandal. Yet, the Dodgers would make to the NLCS but lost to the Phillies in five crushing games.

For his time in L.A., he was a joy to watch. However this past season, age and father time took him out of commission as he spent more time on the disabled list than on the field this season. Manny could no longer play left field position as fans were hoping for anyone to play left field. His Spring Training diatribe before the season, alienated the fans who once deified him just two years before.

In addition, the Dodgers fell apart as they kept finding ways to lose while their rivals to the South and North (San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants) passed them in the standings. One such example was on August 12th, when the L.A. blew a seven run lead and lost on a walk off double by Carlos Ruiz at Citizens Bank Park. Coincidentally, that ballpark has become a place where World Series aspirations have come to die for the Dodgers in recent years.

Two years since the Manny trade, and the Dodgers are still in the same spot they were before, which is treading water. Today, the Dodgers have put Manny on waivers where interested teams will have a chance to sign him. According to most sources, it will most likely be an American League team in playoff contention where he will most likely be a DH. Yet, for all the drama surrounding Manny being Manny, he brought spice to a bland Dodger team that year and life to a passionate fan base. Dodger fans will remember Manny Ramirez but know that they face an uncertain future with the bitter divorce between Dodger owners Frank and Jaime McCourt, clubhouse discontent, and their manager's uncertain future.