Manny Being Manny

Last Saturday I covered the Los Angeles Dodgers (aka Los Doyers) for LAist.  The most intriguing part of the day was Manny Ramirez.

Few players are the topic of such headline variety: The Big $$$ Contract, The Hair, The Steroids… Allegedly, The Homeruns, The Boston Years — The Manny Being Manny. He’s sometimes talked about as a teammate who finds ways to make his teammates better.  I wanted to see for myself.

In the case of Dodgers left fielder, Andre Ethier, Ramirez is often the game’s next batter.  With The Dreadlocked Slugger looming on deck, opposing pitchers — fearing the future Hall-of-Famer next up — often throw meaty balls at ‘Dre.  Saturday I observed Ramirez making every teammate he came into contact better.  That was three hours prior to the game’s first pitch.

In the clubhouse, he smiled a lot, joked around in two languages, and looked every bit a man grateful earning an inordinate sum to play a kid’s game.  He sported an infectious sense of ease and comfort which must not come to many performers of such a stage (the night’s live audience was 53,000, plus television, etc.)

His loose-as-can-be presence melted tension off of his teammates’ shoulders.  Their mugs soon sported similar laughs and smiles. The winning attitudes of these men seemed secured for the day.

In extra innings, the Dodgers narrowly lost.  Throughout the game, like before it, Manny was being Manny.  And if you’re a Dodger, or a Dodgers fan, that’s pretty great.