Run-of-the-Mill Effort

A Run-of-the-Mill Effort in Crunch Time

Manny Taking His Sweet Time Hits Sour Note

NESN's Tom Caron and Red Sox Legend Jim Rice Have Manny on the Run

Tom Caron: Earlier in the game, and Jerry Remy correctly pointed this out right away, at Tropicana Field for some reason, that place, he goes down there and there�s always trouble. A comebacker to the mound, we�ve seen this before, not giving it anywhere near full speed up the first base line� This is a playoff spot on the line. You�ve got to hustle up the line.

Jim Rice: You got to, it just seemed like he� if you can�t beat it out you still have to go through the motion of at least running down there. You only have to run down there for a couple of seconds, go out and bust your butt and just go down there�

TC: For the very reason of what happened. He bobbled the ball on the pitcher�s mound. He threw it high. You watch. I don�t know if he could have beat it out anyway. He bobbles it. He throws it high and he�s not that far from first base. You�ve got to hustle up the first base line.

JR: True. If you run a little harder, he MAY could have thrown the ball over his head, because he could have panicked, it was so close and all of a sudden, you got a guy who almost threw the ball over first base. Manny could have raised it up a little higher, he could have thrown the ball over his head.

TC: Anything could have happened� This is the last full day of summer.

JR: But what do you say, Manny being Manny? I�m tired of that. When you�re in the playoffs, you gotta to bust your heiny. You�ve gotta go down there and show the guys you want to play because you are a big part of this team. And the team�s gonna follow you right now, you Manny Ramirez, Big Papi. You gotta say �hey guys, get on my back, I�m going forward.� We only got 10 games to go. I gotta be a leader.

TC: If you saw one of your teammates do that in 1978, I know you would have pulled him somewhere to the side of the dugout and had a not-gentlemanly conversation about that�

JR: That�s not like me (laughing).

TC: I know you would have had a couple of words.

More Manny moments ...