Manny's a Class Act

The Real Reason Why Manny Needs More Time Away from the Team: Final Exams This Week with His Personal Trainer

"...Manny Ramirez, far from being honest and forthright, has long since stopped caring about the Red Sox, if he ever cared about them at all. He has never wanted to be here, he still wants to be traded, and he seems to take personal delight in tweaking management whenever possible."

"So they [Theo Epstein and Terry Francona] sit there at the picnic table, or in the conference room, or in the dugout — wherever the cameras are set up — and they lie. They lie for Manny Ramirez, sitting at home watching it all get replayed on 'SportsCenter' and laughing so hard that his milk starts coming out of his nose."

"Until or unless the Red Sox trade this overgrown child, the (tee hee, chuckle chuckle) Manny Moments will continue. More injuries, more sick relatives. I see jury duty coming around the corner, followed by a draft notice. Having already earned his American citizenship, Manny’s next trick will be to miss a Blue Jays series while procuring his Canadian citizenship.

"And, always, the fans will laugh it all off because Manny smiles a lot and rolls his eyes as he’s ducking into the Green Monster to pee.

"But nobody laughs harder than Manny Ramirez, who sees the Red Sox and their fans as suckers." -- 2.22.06, Steve Buckley, Boston Herald (subscription only)

"Disgruntled Boston slugger Manny Ramirez was so eager to be traded to the Angels this winter that he called former Red Sox teammate Orlando Cabrera, now the Angel shortstop, for a scouting report not on the coaching staff or clubhouse culture but on the Southern California media."

"'He asked me in particular about you guys,' said Cabrera, who helped the Red Sox win the 2004 World Series. 'A lot of [the problems] he has in Boston are about a lack of privacy. He's bothered by the media all the time."

"'I told him [Anaheim] is a normal city. When you try to compare the media in any city to the media in Boston, nothing is the same. It's crazy over there. The only thing close to that is New York.'" -- 2.22.06, Los Angeles Times

Bradford: Beware the Ides of Manny

Silver Lining

Stratton Welcomes Back the Showboating,
Endorsement Protecting Hot Dogette

"Then there’s Lyndsey (sic) Jacobellis, the snowboard-cross queen who blew a gold showboating for the crowd and then took a tumble within sight of the finish line. In one of several differing explanations she gave for the mishap, Ms. Jacobellis said she was just trying to show her enthusiasm for boarding. Perhaps she can convince the world and her sponsors that a silver medal is just as much fun and worth just as much as a gold.

"Given efforts like this it’s not difficult to see why, for many Americans, the Olympics are not something to get too excited about.

"Given the apparent lack of intensity by some of the competitors and the 'who cares?' attitude by some, it’s almost as if the Olympics are more 'about me' and 'having fun' than about giving it your all for the red, white and blue." -- 2.21.06, The Mountain Mail

And the Beat Goes On

Manny Rules!

More Special Treatment for Ramirez;
Manny Being Missing Until March 1

The $20 Million Man Loves to Turn the Page...
But Won't Get On the Same One As His Teammates

The Late Show Starring Manny Ramirez
Eric Wilbur: Mystery Manny

Is Manny Out of the WBC?

"Players who will be participating in the World Baseball Classic are scheduled to report to their WBC teams on March 2. Ramirez is currently on the Dominican Republic’s provisional roster, but it should not be considered a lock that he is going to play in the Classic. In fact, there is a strong likelihood that Manny won’t be on the Dominicans’ final roster when it is announced." -- 2.21.06, Gordon Edes, Extra Bases Blog

Tito Being Tito

(Or Is It Pinocchio Being Pinocchio?)

"It [telephone conversation with Manny] made me feel very good about where we're going, that's why I'm OK with this." -- 2.21.06, Red Sox Manager Terry Francona

Red Sox Broadcasting Legend Curt Gowdy Dies

Former 'Voice of the Red Sox' Passed Away in Florida
2004: His Voice Echoes Through the Years
From the Blohards: "Hi Neighbor, Have a Gansett"

That's Just Keith Being Keith

"I'm not a baseball fan. I actually find baseball kind of boring." -- Clear as Foulke

Tito Gets a Taste of What Players Went Through

Is Manny Skating Off to Turin?

Will Our Model Citizen Be Going for the Gold?

"Asked the boss this morning to alert our convoy of writers in Turin to keep their eyes peeled for a certain Dominican-born cleanup hitter. David Ortiz, in camp today, says he hasn't talked to his fellow countryman in a few weeks. But, at the time, Ortiz said Manny Ramirez claimed to be headed to Italy for a vacation beginning tomorrow.

"'I talked to Manny a few weeks ago and he was going to Italy tomorrow,' Ortiz said with a hearty laugh. 'He said he was going there. He probably was just [kidding]. He's not going to be here on Tuesday. How you going to be there Monday, the day before [you come here]? Is it going to be roundtrip, the same day?'" -- 2.19.06, Chris Snow, Extra Bases blog

Let's Play Bald!

Will Pitching and Defense Be Enough to Win?

"'Pitching and defense, that's the whole name of the game,' new first baseman Kevin Youkilis said. 'If somebody throws a shutout, all you need is one run to win a ball game. Plain and simple.'"

"'The game of baseball is not how many runs you can put up. It can 2-1, it could be 20-1, it doesn't matter,' Youkilis said. 'That's the whole key, for us to pitch well, play defense and score the runs when we need to score the runs.'" -- 2.18.06, Sox open camp with improved pitching and defense

Say Hello to Coco

"I'm a good person. I go out there and like to have fun and clown around with the fans and everybody and just be myself. I'm a grounded person, so just go out there and have fun with everybody." -- Coco Crisp, Red Sox Center Fielder

Eric Wilbur: Springing Guesses

Holy Cow!

What's the Skinny On Schilling?

Working Class Dog

Is Trot's Hard Work Leading to Injury?

"Same old Nixon: still working hard, and doing so at a point in his career where it’s OK to hardly work. But while the guy could surely be applauded for this old-timey work ethic, it does raise an interesting question: Are Red Sox fans going to see yet another season in which their favorite Dirt Dog works so hard that, in the end, he breaks down?

"Wouldn’t Nixon — and, by extension, the Red Sox — be better off if he acquainted himself with the fine science of tugging on the manager’s shirt now and then and asking for a day off?

“'I would love to do that, but it’s not the kind of person I am,' he said. 'I’m not trying to sound brash or cocky, but I think a lot of what’s happened may just be a product of the way I’ve played my entire career. I overlooked certain things that were going on with my body. But there are two different kind of players — players that are smart, and do it that way, take the time off, and they may not play on days when they should. I guess I’m kind of the reverse of that.'” -- 2.17.06, Steve Buckley, Boston Herald (subscription required)

Reunited

Grady and Nomie Finally Back Together

Reunited and it feels so good
Reunited 'cause we understood
There's one perfect fit
And, buddy, this one is it
We both are so excited
'Cause we're reunited, hey, hey

Leaving Sox Crushed Nomie

"'"It was something new every time I turned around that season,' Garciaparra said. 'Ultimately, you don't have the energy to keep defending yourself, but at this point I don't want to rehash it. I've moved on and they've moved on.'"

"Was there any relief when finally traded?

"'Not at all,' Garciaparra said. 'I cried. I was crushed. The city and the fans meant that much to me, and they still do. I played for those fans, my teammates, the history of that franchise. It was hard to take the way it went down, but the thing I'm proudest of from my time in Boston is that we raised more than $1 million for charity and there is still a playground that has my name on it.'" -- Ross Newhan, Los Angeles Times

Ozzie Calls Out Garciaparra

'''I hate hypocrites: He's [Alex Rodriguez] full of [expletive],' Guillen told Sports Illustrated. 'The Dominican team doesn't need [him]. It's the same with [Nomar] Garciaparra playing for Mexico. Garciaparra only knows Cancun because he went to visit.''' -- Ozzie Guillen on A-Rod, Nomar, and the WBC

That's A Little Much Grady

"What happened at Yankee Stadium 854 days ago has long been a memory for Little.

"'I don't think it'll ever be totally forgotten,' Little said. 'If you spent any time in New England, I think you'd realize that.'"

"'Pedro is one of the players in that clubhouse who realized I made about two million decisions in that two-year period I was there,' Little said. 'That one, like every other decision I made, I've got to wait for the results to see if it was a good or bad decision.'

"That snippet of sarcasm is as close as Little, 55, gets to sounding bitter about becoming Boston's speed bag. Usually, he is dispensing one-liners. When asked why he chose No. 9, Little said, 'It's a number I wanted to wear in Boston, but they wouldn't let me wear it for some reason.'"

"'I love Grady,' [Pedro] Martínez, now a Met, said Thursday in Port St. Lucie, Fla. 'I thought what happened to him was unfair. But that ownership group wanted him out of there.'

"[Derek] Lowe said he was surprised by how much abuse Little received and hinted that Little's options in the game were limited.

"'Without getting too in depth,' Lowe said, 'there were guys that probably didn't want to go out there and pitch the eighth.'

"Martínez said: 'I was tired. They knew I was tired. But Grady didn't have the faith in the bullpen that he wanted to have.'" -- 2.17.06, Jack Curry, New York Times

New 'Do for Pedro

Year Two of His Big Contract: Is Petey Healthy?

"While the Mets' Pedro donna was sparing in his comments about his iffy right big toe -- five words: 'It's all right ... coming along' -- Mets people are taking positive vibes from his attitude and demeanor, which is downright giddy.

"But really, what choice do they have? Without Martinez, they stand about as much chance as a Port St. Lucie trailer in a Category 5 hurricane." -- 2.17.06, John Heyman, Newsday

Hey Tedy Bruschi and Curt Schilling, the Steelers Won the Super Bowl and the White Sox Won the World Series.
What Are You Going to Do Now?

(They're Going to Disney World Anyway)

Wilbur: Spotty Forecast for AL East
Francona Eager After Eventful Offseason

Shocker: Foulke Won't Talk to Reporters Until Sunday

It's Rufus by a Head

Terrier Steals the Show at Westminster,
Beating Out Golden, Dalmatian in Nailbiter

"The classic profile of a colored bull terrier," judge James Reynolds praised.

"The tan-and-white canine was the first of his breed to win at the nation's most prestigious show. He was picked over a popular golden retriever, a Rottweiler handled by a former Florida State linebacker, a prize pug and a spirited Dalmatian.

"Rufus' handler, Kathy Kirk, said she was 'ready to pass out' from the pressure on the green carpet at Madison Square Garden. Her nearly 6-year-old dog that she playfully calls 'Puppyhead' took it all in stride.

"He stacked in style -- holding his pose for the judge -- and wagged his tail when he won. Later, he'll "hucklebuck" -- that's how Kirk describes how he jumps up and bangs his behind into a door." -- 2.15.06 AP, Rufus the bull terrier -- America's top dog

Gallery: Pups on Parade

Happy Valentin's Day

Romance Between Red Sox and Nation?

"Valentine's Day is one of the unofficial holidays of Red Sox Nation, right up there with Opening Day and October 27. It's no surprise that this year, it occurs a day after the team's equipment truck left Fenway Park for Fort Myers and spring training. For the relationship between the Red Sox and their fans resembles a romance.

"This isn't the superficial, saccharine-sweet kind of romance that Valentine's Day currently celebrates. For that, go to New York. No support is more skin-deep than the pinstriped passion for the Yankees..."

"The Red Sox succeed in attracting and keeping fans because their relationship, like all good romances, evolves and stays fresh. New Englanders never know how their team will surprise them, from winning a four-team pennant race on the last day of the regular season to losing a game when a ball dribbles past an infielder's ankles to dropping the first three games of a championship series -- and ultimately prevailing." -- 2.14.06, Rich Tornio, The Daily Item

Extra Bases: RemDawg Off to Red Sox Hall

Year of the Dog?

Confident Nixon Appreciates What Sox Have Going for Them

'''I'm going to go out there until my body shuts down,' said Nixon, who will turn 32 on the day of the Sox' home opener (April 11). 'I love this business and I love it in Boston. But I only have control over what I can do in the field. I don't have control over what they want to do.'" -- 02.14.06, Gordon Edes, Boston Globe

From Rock Star to Movie Star

Coco a Go-Go

"Not surprisingly, Cleveland fans took to the hustling Crisp. He cut a rap song, 'We Got That Thing,' which he wrote for an album featuring big league players (and Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith) called 'Oh Say Can You Sing.' Record producer Schorr was impressed. 'Zero hint of ego, laid-back and soft-spoken,' he wrote of Crisp, who performed the song at MLB's party at the All-Star Game. He and godbrother Marcus came up with a reality dating show they call 'A Bucket and a Tank of Gas.' The gimmick is that a well-heeled guy pretends to be broke; he's given a beat-up car -- the bucket -- and very little else to try to impress a young woman on a date. At the end of the show, his real identity is revealed -- they used actor Rashaan Nall in the pilot -- but if the woman had earlier expressed no interest in pursuing the relationship, then it was the guy's call if he'd see her again.

"Crisp had tried some acting himself as a child, but it never got serious. 'I'd go on auditions and only read the cue cards,' he said. 'That's it. Never put any emotion in it.'

"He plays the game with considerably more flair, which is why he expects Red Sox fa