Mannywood will now remain a distant memory. That fateful July 31, 2008 will be another date passed in history. The Dodgers plan to ship outfielder Manny Ramirez to the Chicago White Sox, after Chicago claimed him on waivers.
Ramirez is expected to join the White Sox on Monday, and in an ironic twist, will join former Dodger Juan Pierre on the Southside. The irony being of course that Pierre’s move to Chicago was a result of the aquisition of Manny Ramirez.
The craze has long been over, but has now become officially extinct among the Dodger nation, as Ramirez completes yet another tumultuous tenure with a major league team. Last season, the slugger was suspended for 50 games after violating the MLB’s substance abuse policy.
And three disabled trips later into the 2010 season, another team is forced to rid themselves of such a liability. The 38-year-old was in the last year of a 2-year, 45 million dollar contract with the Dodgers. The Dodgers will get no players in return, as applied to the waivers deal, but will most likely be unburdened of the remaining 4 million dollars of Ramirez’ 2010 salary.
Boston relieved him after the bridges were burned, and now the Dodgers have found the major liability that illuminates under the image of a “star” player.
Although Torre and Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti refused to comment on the issue, the event was foreshadowed when Torre benched Ramirez for 3 straight games after coming off his third stint on the disabled list.
And the way it ended as a Dodger: an ejection from today’s game after one pitch. A symbol of an iconic image that was a ticking time clock for destruction.
He brought a culture to Dodgertown, and in a blink of an eye, became a dying breed.
The Dodgers had three options here: keep Ramirez, trade Ramirez, or claim him on waivers. They chose to claim him on waivers, and the White Sox were more than happy to pick him up. Trading him would have resulted in something in return, but would mean they would have to pick up the rest of his salary.
The black dreads wearing the big 99, hobbling to the plate with a big wad of tobacco, a smirk on his face, and his LA helmet smeared with pine tar, Ramirez is back in the American League on Chicago’s Southside.
Six and half games back in the wild card race heading into September, a bitter divorce from your team owner; looks like the Dodgers have problems. 99 of them. But Manny isn’t one.