Manny Ramirez News: Pro Sports Daily

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November 7

Los Angeles Times

"The Dodgers have learned that Manny Ramirez will be theirs for another season -- at a price tag of $20 million. Ramirez's agent, Scott Boras, told General Manager Ned Colletti on Friday that Ramirez would not exercise the escape clause in his contract that would have let the former All-Star outfielder re-enter the free-agent market at age 37. Ramirez had until Tuesday to inform the cash-strapped Dodgers if he intended to void the second year of a two-year, $45-million contract he signed in the spring -- something that was viewed as highly unlikely in baseball circles because of the kind of year Ramirez had. Although Ramirez just completed a season in which he was suspended 50 games for ..."

Dodgers: Manny Ramirez to return in 2010

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November 6

Los Angeles Times

"Manny Ramirez will return to the Dodgers next season, according to his agent, Scott Boras. Boras said that he informed General Manager Ned Colletti today that Ramirez would not exercise the escape clause in the two-year, $45-million contract he signed in the spring. Ramirez will earn $20 million next season."

Manny not leaving Mannywood

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October 28

SI.com

"Manny Ramirez is planning to exercise the $20 million player option that returns him to the Dodgers for 2010. His original plan was to shop around, but after a year in which he was suspended for 50 games, he must have realized this is his best option. Manny's plan to stay should come as no surprise the Dodgers. Dodgers people have said all along they expect Ramirez to pick up the option. It's interesting to look at how much he improved his lot by forcing the trade to L.A. in the summer of 2008. Had Ramirez simply stayed in Boston and played out his old contract, the Red Sox almost certainly would have declined what was a $20 million team option in that contract. So with the extra $5 ..."

Ramirez's showering is a non-issue for Casey Blake

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October 22

Los Angeles Times

"Dodgers third baseman Casey Blake said today that all the fuss over Manny Ramirez's showering before Game 4 had ended was unnecessary, calling the act "really nothing out of the ordinary." Ramirez left the dugout and showered in the ninth inning after Juan Pierre replaced him in left field for defensive purposes. The Phillies rallied with a pair of runs off closer Jonathan Broxton for a 5-4 victory that was not witnessed by Ramirez, who said he "caught the highlights" on the clubhouse TVs. Although Ramirez was skewered by columnists and talk-radio hosts for refusing to remain in the dugout and offer encouragement to teammates, Blake said he didn't have a problem with it."

Manny was in shower when Game 4 went down the drain for Dodgers

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October 21

Philadelphia Daily News

"It was the biggest moment of the season. All over Philadelphia, in the stands at Citizens Bank Park, in both dugouts, people tensed as Jonathan Broxton, an out away from tying the series with the Phillies, fired a fastball to Jimmy Rollins. In the Dodgers' clubhouse, the tension was . . . absent. "Actually, I was here, taking a shower," Manny Ramirez said. He did not witness Rollins' two-run double that won Game 4 of the National League Championship Series and gave the Phillies a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven competition. He was devoted to hygiene and dependent on technology: "I came out and saw the highlight on TV." Ramirez was replaced in leftfield for the bottom of the ninth inning by ..."

When Manny finishes showering, tell him NLCS is over

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October 21

Orange County Register

columnist Randy Youngman

"Yogi Berra says it's never over until it's over, but what does he know? He's also the guy who said, "Nobody goes to that restaurant anymore, because it's too crowded." Someone else once observed that the cream always rises to the top. Then again, corpses float to the surface, too. So the National League Championship Series certainly appears over for the Dodgers, with the defending World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies taking a 3-1 lead in the best-of-7 series into Game 5 Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park. Even if Vicente Padilla, the castoff-turned-ace, keeps the Dodgers alive with another dominating performance to send the series back to Dodger Stadium for its conclusion, there ..."

Don't look, Manny is back to being Manny

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October 21

L.A. Daily News

columnist Ramona Shelburne

"It sounds bad. Really bad. Not even Joe Torre could deny that. In the moment Philadelphia's Jimmy Rollins crushed Jonathan Broxton's 1-1 fastball for a two-run, winning double Monday night in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series, the Dodgers' Manny Ramirez was already in the showers, blissfully unaware of the punch to the gut his teammates on the field were enduring. "I was taking a shower," Ramirez said with a nonchalant shrug. "I came out and saw it on television. Then everybody started coming in and they turned the television off. "After a loss like that, it was quiet in here. But everybody got over it. It's baseball, you know. They play great, they're pitching good and ..."

Sensing Victory, Dodgers' Ramirez Bolted for Showers

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October 21

New York Times

"Manny Ramirez reclined in a chair at his locker Tuesday, his shoes off and his feet up on another chair, calmly answering questions about the supposedly dire situation his team was facing. If he was nervous or worried that his Los Angeles Dodgers are only one loss from elimination, there was scant evidence. And if he was agitated by the Dodgers' loss in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series the night before, when they gave up a ninth-inning lead, he did not show it then, either. When Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins came to the plate in the ninth inning Monday with the game, and perhaps the Dodgers' season, hanging in the balance, Ramirez was not on the field or even in the ..."

Pair of old Sox match up

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October 15

Boston Globe

"Manny Ramirez and Pedro Martinez are in different places now, and that's not a reference to their uniforms. They were once the best of the best. One guy you couldn't get out. The other you couldn't hit. Both should get to the Hall of Fame, though Ramirez isn't as much of a lock if voters hold his 50-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs against him. They are competing in the National League Championship Series, on opposite sides, Martinez with the Phillies and Ramirez with the Dodgers. They are a huge part of Red Sox lore, teammates in 2004 when they helped pull off the greatest comeback in baseball history against the Yankees and went on to win the World Series."

Dodgers teammates help pick up Ramirez

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October 10

L.A. Daily News

"Shortly after Manny Ramirez flew out to center field Thursday to put the Dodgers on the brink of defeatin Game 2 of the National League Division Series, his teammates went to work. Five consecutive batters came through. Ramirez wasn't able to do as much in four at-bats in situations that weren't as dire. Ramirez's 0-for-4 effort in Game 2, combined with his performance in the series opener, leaves him with one hit in eight at-bats in the series. He delivered a broken-bat double in Game 1. Ramirez's struggles are a continuation of his sluggish finish to the regular season. He batted just .218 in September and a pair of regular-season games in October. His last home run came Sept. 18. ..."

Joe Torre on Manny Ramirez: 'He looked better'

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October 9

Los Angeles Times

"This is starting to become repetitive, but it's about Manny Ramirez, so we'll write it again. "He was better," Manager Joe Torre said today of how his $25-million outfielder looked in the Dodgers' win over the Cardinals in Game 1 of the National League division series Wednesday night. The line is one that Torre has repeated with great frequency in the last several weeks. As was this one: "His balance looked better last night." Ramirez was 1 for 4 with a double and a walk. Torre offered something new, saying, "He was still missing some fastballs." Ramirez mumbled his way through a postgame interview Wednesday night."

Dodgers' Manny Ramirez stays loose, even when he strikes out four times

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October 3

Los Angeles Times

"The Rockies have closed the gap to one game in the NL West race, but the slugging left fielder gives a string of quotes that suggests there is nothing to worry about. This is why I like Manny Ramirez so much -- even when he doesn't touch ball to bat. The following quotes were put out by the Dodgers after Friday night's game, a translation of Ramirez's post-game interview. "Jimenez threw a lot of good pitches. We missed a lot of opportunities to bring the guys in.'' "The game is over so we have to come back and battle.'' "I feel good. I have to come back tomorrow and be patient. They didn't build Rome in a day." "My confidence is always up. I'm one of the best hitters. All you have to do is ..."

Manny, Blake resting sore hamstrings

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September 28

MLB.com

"Manny Ramirez heads a growing list of injured Dodgers. The 37-year-old Ramirez was out of the starting lineup for a second consecutive game on Monday, and manager Joe Torre revealed his left fielder has a tight hamstring he felt during Saturday night's game, when he reached base in all five plate appearances. Torre said Ramirez, who was intentionally walked as a pinch-hitter Sunday when he had a scheduled day off, was available to pinch-hit Monday. "It doesn't seem very serious," said Torre. Torre also said that third baseman Casey Blake flew to Los Angeles after Sunday's game to have his lingering left hamstring strain examined Monday by Dr. Neal ElAttrache. Blake has missed five games ..."

Manny Ramirez's bat goes silent, but we can wait it out

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September 26

Los Angeles Times

columnist T.J. Simers

"Colorado and I are doing our parts to put Vin Scully behind the microphone in San Diego for the historic clinching call, but I worry now Manny Ramirez is not going to hit his weight when the games really count. And the Dodgers say Manny weighs 200. Ramirez has been hitting the last two months like someone who should be playing for Pittsburgh, .256 in his last 55 games, and this from the magic man who hit .396 in 53 games with the Dodgers a year ago. The Dodgers fell Friday to a team that had lost 23 of its last 26 games, a team that ran out a spring training lineup of five relief pitchers, Ramirez going 0 for 4, including a double play in the eighth inning. Game over, and he hits me with a ..."

Dodgers manager Torre's support comes through loud and clear to Ramirez

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September 19

L.A. Daily News

columnist Ramona Shelburne

"He has said so little, you almost forgot what it was like to hear him talk. At best, Manny Ramirez's silence has been bemusing. At worst, it has been infuriating. Did he have anything substantive to say for himself? Did he hear what others said about him? Did he care? A couple of months have passed since his return and things have mostly blown over, though the stain will never fully go away. But as he stood in front of home plate Friday night, watching his majestic 19th home run of the season fly over the left field fence in the fourth inning of the Dodgers series-opener against the Giants, one thing seemed clear to both him and everyone in the ballpark: Without Joe Torre, would Ramirez ..."

Manny Ramirez sparks Dodgers to victory

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September 8

Los Angeles Times

"Manny Ramirez was shouting. Of course, he's always shouting. Only this time, the words that came out of his megaphone of a mouth didn't sound empty. "I don't want to talk about that," he said of the home run he hit Monday in the Dodgers' 7-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. "I do that all the time." For the first time in a while, he could make that kind of declaration without anyone rolling his or her eyes or snickering behind his back. The home run -- a solo shot in the second inning against Max Scherzer that got the Dodgers on the board -- was his fourth in his last nine games. He laughed and he smiled. He autographed a baseball and asked for it to be delivered to ..."

Manny, Dodgers' slump go hand in hand?

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September 6

L.A. Daily News

"It might not be a stretch to blame some of the Dodgers' current offensive struggles on a July 21 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. On that night, Manny Ramirez was hit by a Homer Bailey pitch on the left hand. He left the game immediately, didn't start the next day, but the came off the bench in that game and hit a dramatic pinch-hit grand slam. Since that grand slam, though, Ramirez not only hasn't been as productive, he hasn't been as aggressive at the plate. Pitches on the hands, not surprisingly, have the veteran slugger spinning out of the batter's box, and the outside part of the plate has been getting spotty coverage. Seeing Ramirez strike out looking, especially on pitches away, ..."

Ramirez gets rough reception from boo birds at coors field

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August 26

Denver Post

"Not since Barry Bonds did an opposing player have boos rained down on him as Manny Ramirez did Tuesday. The Dodgers slugger, who has been linked to a pair of positive performance-enhancing drug tests, was finally able to silence the crowd with a game-tying hit in the ninth, only the fifth game in his last 31 that Ramirez got an RBI. What a relief. Franklin Morales will not be considered as a starter, Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. Morales has found his niche in the bullpen - he pitched a perfect eighth inning Tuesday - and his velocity has climbed to 98 miles per hour."

Manny Ramirez hears the boos in Dodgers' 3-1 loss to Cubs

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August 24

Los Angeles Times

"There was no translation needed to comprehend the most unusual of sounds showered upon Manny Ramirez in the sixth inning Sunday afternoon: Boos. Dodgers fans loudly voiced their displeasure after the wildly popular left fielder allowed Aramis Ramirez's hit to roll past him to the wall for a triple that sparked a tiebreaking two-run outburst and gave the Chicago Cubs a 3-1 victory at Dodger Stadium. Manny Ramirez was a hot topic in multiple languages during the first Dodgers game televised in Spanish. He made two shaky plays in the outfield and was 0 for 4, dropping his average to .200 over the last seven games. There were plenty more boos during a wacky eighth inning that included a ..."

Boo, who? Dodgers' Ramirez hears it from fans

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August 24

L.A. Daily News

"So the Dodgers aren't exactly going to strut into their National League West showdown against the Colorado Rockies starting Tuesday. With a chance for their first four-game sweep at home over the Chicago Cubs since 1965, the Dodgers showed in their 3-1 defeat Sunday some of the negatives that have cropped up since the All-Star break. Manny Ramirez was hitless and even worse in the field, which earned him some of the loudest boos he has heard in a Dodgers uniform. He made an error in the fourth inning and turned a double into a triple during the Cubs' two-run sixth inning. Ramirez said he admires Dodgers fans because they will let you hear it when you don't play well. Ramirez heard it. "I ..."

Manny Ramirez is only fooling himself

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August 23

Los Angeles Times

columnist T.J. Simers

"We disagree. Manny Ramirez says nothing gets to him. I say he's human, obviously winning that point the way he's hitting these days -- claiming the public humiliation just has to be taking a toll -- pointing to the statistics that suggest he's pressing since his suspension. He changes the subject. "Where were you last night? I almost hit a home run." One more foot, I'm told, and it clears the glove of Cubs center fielder Sam Fuld. "Maybe you should have chewed another piece of that potassium gum," I suggest, Ramirez joking recently it was the gum that landed him on the list of those who tested positive in 2003. He laughs, nothing new to have someone throwing high and inside to him. "Hey, ..."

Rice hits 'bad example' set by Ramirez, others

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August 22

Boston Globe

"Red Sox Hall of Famer Jim Rice swung away yesterday in criticism of the approach current major leaguers have to baseball, telling youngsters at the Little League World Series that players such as Manny Ramirez set a "bad example.'' "We didn't [have] the baggy uniforms; we didn't have the dreadlocks; that's not part of the game,'' Rice said after mentioning Ramirez, who played nearly eight seasons for the Red Sox and is known for his large uniform and hair style. "It was a clean game, and now they are setting a bad example for the young guys.'' At the same time, Rice mentioned New York Yankees Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter as he described a baseball culture dominated by huge contracts and ..."

It's time to get loud

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August 10

San Francisco Chronicle

"When Barry Bonds was on the verge of breaking baseball's career home run record, a record now recognized by 29.3 percent of all fans and experts, he and the Giants visited Dodger Stadium. The fans booed Bonds, of course, although they did it with a certain L.A. mellowness. The guess here is that San Francisco fans will be less kind to Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez when the teams meet at Third and King in a three-game series starting tonight. For fans here, it's payback time to the world. The Giants harbored Bonds, baseball's first true steroid villain, took untold grief for it, but hello!, now we're finding out that every team had guys up to their armpits in muscle drugs. In serenading ..."

Torre says Manny's hand not an issue

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August 4

MLB.com

"When slugger Manny Ramirez's left hand met the rude end of a 95-mph fastball on July 21, Dodgers fans held their breath. When X-rays came back negative later that evening, they breathed easier. And when Ramirez smashed a pinch-hit grand slam the next night, fears of any lingering effects pretty much were eliminated. But since that grand slam, Ramirez has been mired in a slump that's seen his batting average fall from .348 to .309 heading into Monday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers. In the 10 games during that span, Ramirez is 7-for-42 (.167) with three extra-base hits and no RBIs. Dodgers manager Joe Torre was asked Monday if he thought Ramirez still was bothered by his left hand, and ..."

Ramirez, Ortiz join list of those who tested positive

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July 31

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"The slow leak continued of major-league players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003, and this time the revelations could deflate the legacies of two sluggers who powered Boston's recent World Series titles. Manny Ramirez, less than a month back from serving a 50-game suspension for a positive test this year, and David Ortiz were two of the 100 or so players who tested positive in the blind tests taken six years ago, according to a report on The New York Times website Thursday morning. Ortiz, Boston's designated hitter, issued a statement Thursday afternoon that said he was "blindsided" by the news, but that the report was true. Ramirez, now an outfielder with the ..."

Union in uproar over latest leak of players on steroids 'list'

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July 31

New York Daily News

"Frustrated by the slow but steady drip of the names of players who tested positive during Major League Baseball's 2003 steroid survey program, union officials have asked federal courts to investigate who is leaking the names of the 104 players on a "list" at the center of an ongoing legal feud between the Players Association and the government. The Players Association, according to a source close to the union, has asked all the courts involved in the five-year-old case - which could eventually reach the U.S. Supreme Court - to determine how the information is being obtained and if it is coming from any person covered by a court order sealing information about the case. The New York Times, ..."

With David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez on 2003 steroids list, Boston's 2004 title is tainted

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July 31

New York Daily News

columnist Filip Bondy

"We don't want to hear it anymore. We don't want to hear the boos, or the chants about A-Rod, or the self-righteous chatter on your talk radio. The Red Sox are as dirty as the Yankees now, and Boston has nothing to lord over us anymore. People in plastic syringes shouldn't throw stones. The Manny Ramirez suspension this season was one thing. You could disown him easily enough, claim that maybe he just started cheating at the sight of Joe Torre in his own Dodger dugout. But now your precious David Ortiz - your beloved Big Papi - is also on that 2003 steroids list, according to the New York Times. Ortiz said the players union Thursday confirmed that his name was on the list. It's like Derek ..."

Ortiz and Ramirez Said to Be on 2003 Doping List

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July 30

New York Times

"Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz, the sluggers who propelled the Boston Red Sox to end an 86-year World Series championship drought and to capture another title three years later, were among the roughly 100 Major League Baseball players to test positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003, according to lawyers with knowledge of the results. Some of baseball's most cherished storylines of the past decade have been tainted by performance-enhancing drugs, including the accomplishments of record-setting home run hitters and dominating pitchers. Now, players with Boston's championship teams of 2004 and 2007 have also been linked to doping. Baseball first tested for steroids in 2003, and the ..."

Manny Ramirez (the bobblehead) is on the market

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July 24

Los Angeles Times

"From grand slam to grand sell, Manny's a hit on EBay. By Thursday afternoon, more than 260 dreadlocked Manny Ramirez bobbleheads were being auctioned, each going for close to the same price as four Dodger Dogs, a couple of beers and a bag of peanuts. Perhaps best known for sitting on car dashboards, bobbleheads come in many shapes and sizes. But one that really stands out in a crowd -- especially a crowd of 56,000 -- is the one that was given free to those who attended Wednesday's game against the Cincinnati Reds. After Ramirez's game-turning grand slam in the sixth inning, on his own bobblehead night, plenty of fans weren't even going to take the doll out of the box. They had a different ..."

Time Warner whiffs on Manny Ramirez's grand slam

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July 24

Los Angeles Times

"It was only 54 seconds. That's how much of the Dodgers game some Time Warner cable customers missed Wednesday night. Hardly worth complaining about, except here's what happened in those 54 seconds: Manny Ramirez, on Manny Ramirez Bobblehead Night, hit a pinch-hit grand slam, a game-winner actually, into the part of Dodger Stadium called Mannywood. Reconstructing from reports from dozens of angry e-mailers, more than a few Time Warner customers experienced a frozen screen followed by back-to-back commercials followed by re-entrance to the game when Ramirez was waving from the dugout, the crowd was still going berserk and the Dodgers were ahead. Time Warner spokesman Darryl Ryan said that ..."

Manny out of lineup with bruised hand

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July 23

MLB.com

"Manny Ramirez wasn't ready to play a full game Wednesday, but he was ready to play around. "The bobblehead is playing left tonight," Ramirez said, before being limited to pinch-hitting duties on his Manny Ramirez Bobblehead Night giveaway with a hand still sore after taking a 95-mph fastball off it Tuesday night. Ramirez's hand looked fine in the sixth inning when he pinch-hit for pitcher Chad Billingsley and delivered his 21st career grand slam. The shot proved to be the deciding blow in the Dodgers' 6-2 victory. X-rays were negative and Ramirez was diagnosed with a bruise of the side of his left hand. He originally was in the lineup Wednesday night, but only because of a miscommunication ..."

Manny's slam sinks Reds

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July 23

Cincinnati Enquirer

"From the Dodgers' perspective, it could not have been any better. Bases loaded, one out in the sixth inning of a 2-2 game. Manny Ramirez pinch-hitting on Manny Ramirez bobblehead night. The Reds brought in reliever Nick Masset to face Ramirez, pulling starter Bronson Arroyo after 100 pitches. First pitch: gone, for a line-drive grand slam. "Grand slam on your bobblehead night, that's as dramatic as it gets," Reds manager Dusty Baker said after Cincinnati's 6-2 loss Wednesday night. From the Reds' perspective, it could not have been any worse. Ramirez's slam sent them to their fourth three-game sweep at Dodger Stadium in four years. "Seems like any time we face a big hitter, he kills us," ..."

Manny Ramirez wasn't up to starting

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July 23

Los Angeles Times

"Manny Ramirez took one look at the lineup posted on the wall and shouted across the clubhouse. "Change the lineup, Joe!" he hollered as he laughed. Over the next 10 minutes, Manager Joe Torre drew up a new alignment, this one without Ramirez's name. Hit on the left hand the previous night by a fastball from Cincinnati Reds starter Homer Bailey, Ramirez said he expected to be back in the lineup when the Dodgers open a three-game series against the Florida Marlins on Friday. X-rays taken of Ramirez's hand were negative. The left fielder didn't take batting practice and was fitted for a protective pad for his left hand by the training staff. Torre said that Ramirez told him he would be ..."

Manny Ramirez gives fans a did-you-see-that moment

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July 23

Los Angeles Times

columnist Helene Elliott

"You couldn't make this up. Manny Ramirez, held out of the Dodgers' starting lineup Wednesday because of a sore left hand and visible until the sixth inning only in the form of a bobblehead doll given away to fans, strode out of the dugout to pinch-hit with the bases loaded, the score tied and the crowd roaring. Despite skipping batting practice, Ramirez stroked the first pitch from reliever Nick Masset into -- yes -- the Mannywood section in left field. It was one of those did-you-see-that moments in a season increasingly full of the small joys of close victories and great joys of dramatic deeds, like Ramirez's 21st career grand slam in the Dodgers' 6-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. "I ..."

Ramirez hits pinch-hit grand slam in Dodgers victory

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July 23

Los Angeles Times

"Dodger Stadium was probably never louder this season. But the roar of the capacity crowd turned into something that pierced eardrums the moment Manny Ramirez drove the only pitch thrown to him on Wednesday night and sent it screaming into the section of seats named in his honor. Grand slam. The four runs Ramirez drove in with that single stroke in his pinch-hit at-bat did more than break a sixth-inning tie and send the Dodgers on their way to a 6-2, sweep-sealing victory over the Cincinnati Reds. The home run off reliever Nick Masset, the first long ball ever hit by a Dodger on his bobblehead night, turned the ballpark into a madhouse. Fans lured to Chavez Ravine by the promotional Ramirez ..."

Dodgers' Ramirez gets to enjoy his bobblehead

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July 23

L.A. Daily News

"Unable to start on his own bobblehead night because of a bruised left hand, Manny Ramirez had a compromise. Holding his ceramic likeness, Ramirez offered: "Don't worry, he's going to be in left field with Juan Pierre." But his pinch-hit grand slam in the sixth inning into the Mannywood section in left field was what the sellout crowd came to see. Jokes came a lot easier for Ramirez knowing that he was not seriously injured. After taking a fastball off the hand from the Reds' Homer Bailey in Tuesday's game, X-rays revealed no broken bones. His hand was wrapped on the outside of his batting glove. A communication gaffe led to Ramirez being in the original lineup before that plan was redrawn. ..."

Dodgers have visions of grandeur, thanks to Manny

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July 23

L.A. Daily News

"Some 21 years after the original, Manny Ramirez pulled off a Kirk Gibson sequel Wednesday - minus the World Series stage, of course. On Manny Ramirez bobblehead night, a sellout crowd of 56,000 at Dodger Stadium came for some free memorabilia and to cheer on their flawed hero, who returned earlier this month from a 50-game suspension. Ramirez might not have started the game against Cincinnati because of a bruised left hand, but he didn't disappoint, launching a pinch-hit grandslam in the sixth inning to break a 2-all tie and give the Dodgers a 6-2 victory over the Reds. "I was just trying to get a good pitch to hit and I drove it," Ramirez said. "It was great, one of my best moments of my ..."

Dodgers win big but still get a little scare

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July 22

Los Angeles Times

"Dodgers Manager Joe Torre later confessed he was concerned at that moment. So did pitcher Randy Wolf. Manny Ramirez was holding his left hand. Dodger Stadium was silent. "It's scary," Torre said. "It's so easy to break a bone." Hit by a 95-mph fastball from Homer Bailey, Ramirez had to be replaced in the third inning by Juan Pierre, followed by a trip to Huntington Hospital in Pasadena. But by the time the Dodgers completed their 12-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night, they were told they could exhale. The X-rays on Ramirez's hand came back negative. "Obviously, the concern is about Manny," Wolf said. "We need him in the lineup." Ramirez was listed by the club as day to ..."

Manny Ramirez promotion doesn't sit well with sponsor

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July 22

Los Angeles Times

"The Dodgers' series finale against the Cincinnati Reds tonight has been sold out for three days. The likely reason: fans in attendance will receive a free Manny Ramirez bobblehead. But not everyone wanted to be a part of the promotion. The original sponsor was Kaiser Permanente, which signed a deal to become the Dodgers' "official health insurance partner" this spring. Kaiser Permanente remains a partner of the Dodgers, but dropped its sponsorship of this particular giveaway soon after Ramirez was issued a 50-game ban. "As a health-care organization, we thought it was necessary to pull out of our sponsorship of the promotion when he was suspended for violating baseball's drug policy," ..."

Manny Injured In Dodgers Victory

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July 22

L.A. Daily News

"The most obvious reason why Juan Pierre isn't expected to go anywhere by the July 31 trade deadline was made clear Tuesday. Manny Ramirez was hit on the side of the left hand by a pitch from the Cincinnati Reds' Homer Bailey and left Tuesday's game in the third inning of a contest where the Dodgers eventually rolled to a 12-3 victory at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers moved a season-high 26 games above .500 at 60-34 and have the club's best 94-game start since the 1974 team went 62-32. El Camino Real of Woodland Hills graduate Randy Wolf pitched well, earning his first home victory of the season. But it was Ramirez's injury that took center stage. X-rays were negative, but he remains doubtful ..."

Dodgers, and their fans, get their Manny's worth

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July 22

L.A. Daily News

columnist Tom Hoffarth

"Before getting any deeper into Manny Ramirez's business, pay attention to the Business of Manny Ramirez. Days before tonight's Dodgers-Cincinnati Reds game, dozens of amateur entrepreneurs activated their eBay accounts in an attempt to shop around something they didn't even have their grubby hands around yet. The limited-edition Manny Ramirez bobblehead is to be given out to more than 50,000 at the Dodger Stadium game that was announced as sold out four days ago -- the only other sellout this season that far in advance was Opening Day. It could be a real tipping point in testing true-blue Dodger fan loyalty for the dreadlocked, and often brain-locked, left fielder. How do you separate ..."

Manny passes Mickey on HR list

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July 21

Toronto Sun

"Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez moved past Mickey Mantle and into 15th place on the career home run list last night, hitting a two-run shot off Cincinnati's Micah Owings for the 537th of his career. Ramirez, who tied Mantle on July 10, drove a 2-0 pitch into the left field pavilion in the second inning to give the Dodgers a 6-3 lead. Ramirez's next target is Mike Schmidt at 548. Pedro says he's 'ready' CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Pedro Martinez is moving closer to getting back on the mound. The Philadelphia Phillies' new right-hander took the first step yesterday toward making a rehab start as he prepares for a return to the major leagues. "I'm ready," the three-time Cy Young Award ..."

Dodger fans cheer Manny

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July 17

Toronto Star

"Slugger Manny Ramirez played at Dodger Stadium last night for the first time since his 50-game suspension for violating baseball's drug rules ended and was greeted by fans for his first at-bat with hearty applause and chants of "Manny! Manny!" Batting third, he flied out to Houston right fielder Hunter Pence, who made a diving catch to end the inning. Manager Joe Torre figured the fans would be in Ramirez's corner because they attend games to enjoy themselves and forget about their own problems."

Lefty takes luster off Manny's homecoming

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July 17

Houston Chronicle

"It was expected to be Manny's night at Dodger Stadium, a homecoming of sorts as Manny Ramirez played his first home game since coming off baseball's suspended list earlier this month. The 3-0 victory Thursday, however, belonged to lefthander Wandy Rodriguez and the Astros, who beat the team with the best record in baseball to move above .500 (at 45-44) for the first time this season in their first game after the All-Star break. Ramirez, who was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts against Rodriguez and 1-for-4 overall, didn't get on base until he led off the eighth with a single to right off LaTroy Hawkins before a boisterous crowd of 45,970. Rodriguez (9-6) held the Dodgers to five hits and two ..."

Dodgers expected to stay on top with Ramirez back for full second half

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July 16

L.A. Daily News

"Can the catalyst of last year's electrifying run to the National League Championship Series end up taking the heat if the Dodgers stumble in the second half? It seems ludicrous to think that Manny Ramirez would be anything but a positive influence the rest of the way, especially after what he's shown in his brief time since returning from a 50-game suspension. In the nine games since he returned (eight starts), Ramirez has gone 11-for-29 (.379) with three home runs and 11 RBIs. "He's really a good hitter," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. "The more he uses the whole field, the more comfortable I'm getting that he's getting back into the good timing and conditioning." But the facts remain ..."

Manny draws ire of Selig

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July 15

Denver Post

"The idea that suspended Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez prepped for his big-league return in the minor leagues bothered commissioner Bud Selig. So much so, in fact, he will push for rules to be changed after the collective bargaining agreement expires in December 2011. "I believe that should be changed," said Selig during a one-hour question-and-answer session with the Baseball Writers Association of America at the Hilton on Tuesday. "Their logic was OK - guys get hurt and they can go out on a rehab (assignment). But I think that's really something that should change." Ramirez drew sellout crowds in two minor-league stops. The attention that Ramirez has received - of the 2,400 tests ..."

Putting the pieces together

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July 9

Boston Globe

"Picked up pieces while waiting for 'Sheed to pick up his first "T.'' Until I saw the Dos Equis commercials, I thought Schill was the most interesting man in the world. Wonder how many of the Tour de France leaders are cheating? The price for Roy Halladay will be too high, but the Sox better hope the Toronto ace doesn't end up in the Bronx this summer. It would alter the balance of power in the American League. Big time. I love the way NBA superpowers are loading up for next season. Shaq to Cleveland. Vince Carter to Orlando. Ron Artest to the Lakers. Rasheed Wallace to Boston. Maybe Grant Hill, too. Feels like those Red Sox-Yankees winter wars. Manny Ramírez returned to New York this week. ..."

Manny Ramirez has two hits, three RBI and is ejected in Los Angeles Dodgers' 8-0 win over the New York Mets

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July 8

Trenton Times

"In his first trip to New York since returning from his 50-game suspension, Manny just couldn't help being Manny. Manny Ramirez had quite an eventful first game in Citi Field Tuesday night, barging into Flushing with a 2-for-4, three-RBI performance before being ejected in the Los Angeles Dodgers' 8-0 laugher over the reeling Mets. Ramirez, playing his fourth game since coming back to the NL West-leading Dodgers, struck out looking in the first and fifth innings, sandwiched around a two-run broken-bat single in the second and an RBI single in the fourth. He made an early exit when home plate umpire John Hirschbeck threw him out of the game after his second strikeout for throwing his bat, ..."

Hit and Run Return For Manny

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July 8

New York Post

"Forgive Manny Ramirez if he's a bit emotional these days. Pregnancy does strange things to your hormones. Ramirez, the fertile fielder, was tossed from last night's game at Citi Field after striking out to end the fifth inning with the bases loaded. Home plate umpire John Hirschbeck threw Ramirez out after the Dodgers slugger protested the called third strike by flipping an elbow pad over his head toward home plate. The ejection ended Ramirez's first game at Citi Field since serving his 50-game suspension for taking a women's fertility drug often used by steroid users. He inflicted plenty of damage on the Mets before he left, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs. "I was coming out in the fifth ..."