Manny on Manny (a Chat About the Steroids Era )

With the return of Manny Ramirez to the LA Dodgers today, I thought it would be appropriate to post a conversation had with a good friend of mine recently about Ramirez' suspension for 'performance enhancing drugs' a few weeks ago.

This is transcript of our conversation:

[14:32] Manny: manny ramirez suspended for 50 games for being so maricon taken enhancement drugs fu** bitch me pissed now
[14:33] Alan: lol... i know!!!
[14:34] Manny: that's why I don't watch the game anymore
[14:34] Manny: lost faith in baseball
[14:34] Alan: but he says it was something his doctor gave him and neither him nor his doctor knew it violated the drug policy
[14:34] Manny: yeah Ok
[14:34] Alan: (and it wasn't confirmed to NOT BE steroids)
[14:34] Manny: like the rest of them
[14:34] Alan: i know... makes the average fan very cynical
[14:34] Alan: it's too bad but good that it's happening...
[14:34] Alan: in about 10 years there will be more confidence in the players as being more "natural" athletes
[14:34] Manny: im done with baseball
[14:34] Manny: long time i have my gloves in the attic
[14:34] Manny: inside a bag inside another bag
[14:35] Alan: haha!
[14:35] Alan: damn man!
[14:35] Manny: in another 10 years there will be another way to cheat the game that's untraceable
[14:36] Alan: that may be true but for as long as there has been sports (of any kind) there has been someone looking to find the one thing that would give them the competitive advantage
[14:36] Manny: credibility is down the toilet - i followed the game but I wont waste my time anymore
[14:36] Alan: nothing new in mankind's history
[14:36] Alan: will you abandon all sports because of this?
[14:37] Manny: credibility - I follow something to be true if it's not true then why follow
[14:37] Manny: it becomes a fictitious game
[14:38] Alan: so my question again is, will you give up on all sports?
[14:38] Alan: b/c they're really all the same no matter what era you talk about
[14:38] Manny: if they are not true yes
[14:38] Manny: i will - then just believe in my game and what I'm capable of
[14:38] Alan: I'm telling you there is no sport immune to the effects of mankind wanting to make themselves just a little better than the rest
[14:38] Alan: the issue is have they been caught or not
[14:40] Alan: the only game you can truly rely on and have 100% confidence in is your own
[14:40] Manny: just like the others - every single big player has something
[14:40] Manny: proven!
[14:42] Alan: true
[14:42] Manny: is like going to school to become a janitor@
[14:42] Alan: but big players and small alike are not immune to trying to find an edge somehow
[14:42] Alan: why don't we get upset at the scrubs that get caught but give up on baseball when manny and a-rod get caught?
[14:43] Manny: if you are a big player you don't need to try anything because you are already BIG
[14:44] Alan: HAHA.... ok so this argument only applies to players you like?
[14:44] Manny: A-Rod is a different case - didn't like the guy from the get go! So I don't care about him
[14:44] Manny: never did - has too much ego going on - But Manny? cmon ? is there a true player out there?
[14:44] Alan: lol... good to know
[14:44] Manny: nooo actually
[14:45] Manny: to all players
[14:45] Alan: i never liked a-rod but i respected his talent
[14:45] Alan: manny i liked and respected (even if he was a bit of a character)
[14:45] Alan: i mean let's be honest... the Rome that baseball built after the players strike in '93 is finally burning
[14:45] Manny: I always thought bout A-Rod using steroids
[14:46] Manny: just like McGuire and Sosa
[14:46] Alan: you know what? i actually NEVER did... i thought alex was clean from the beginning... so it upset me to learn he used steroids
[14:46] Manny: and Bond c'mon? Barry !

[14:47] Alan: dude... barry was obvious.... just like giambi and palmeiro
[14:47] Manny: my question is : What percentage of players you think are dirty?
[14:49] Alan: oh man... define dirty? do you mean based on what is tested for now? or anyone trying to find an edge?
[14:50] Manny: anything that gives you an edge is unfair to the game
[14:50] Manny: therefore dirty
[14:51] Manny: if you use anything on a test that helps you pass that test is consider cheating
[14:51] Manny: unless specified by rules - disclaimer
[14:51] Alan: ok... then i'll say this... other than mechanical adjustments and studying your opponent's behaviors, patterns, etc, focusing simply on injecting, ingesting, or in any way consuming some drug to help your game....
[14:52] Alan: i'd say it is more likely that batters would be dirty than pitchers
[14:52] Manny: watching the game is just like studying for a test so that's fair
[14:53] Alan: pitchers make up approx 33% of MLB rosters so looking only at batters... from the bench players to the stars.... i'd be willing to be roughly half of the batters are "dirty" which would mean about 1/3 of MLB is dirty
[14:53] Manny: injecting, ingesting or any mechanical help is dirty
[14:53] Alan: but i don't think it's more than that
[14:53] Alan: by mechanical i meant body mechanics (adjustments to body motions to be more efficient, etc)
[14:54] Alan: not like cyborg attachments, etc... lol
[14:54] Manny: that's adapting yourself to a movement to improve so that's studying
[14:54] Alan: right...
[14:54] Manny: corked bats falls under mechanical help
[14:55] Manny: bats LOOOL
[14:55] Alan: yes!!!
[14:55] Alan: ugh... i HATE that more than anything else...
[14:55] Manny: yeah that's f-up
[14:55] Alan: they should have one type of wood... and the ONLY difference would be weight/length....
[14:55] Manny: grease balls
[14:55] Manny: that's the worse
[14:56] Manny: or mechanical helps
[14:58] Manny: if I want an unrealistic game - just like the game of baseball we see everyday - then I would just turn my PS3 on and play any MLB game - at the end of the day I know for a fact that the players are going to be the same !
[14:59] Alan: lol... good point...
[14:59] Manny: and not even that -
[14:59] Alan: but you know what? why should we abandon the game when we have players that ARE out there playing the game the "right way"
[14:59] Alan: it's not fair to those players who ARE clean
[14:59] Manny: what makes you think they are playing the right way?
[15:05] Alan: the right way meaning the clean ones...
[15:05] Manny: credibility is an unknown word for the sport of baseball - I guess I go back to playing video games and spending my $50 baseball ticket money on something else
[15:05] Alan: they worked their way up to the majors with hard work, dedication, and love for the game
[15:05] Alan: and now they have to pay for the sins of the cheaters
[15:06] Manny: isn't that what happened when Adam and Eve?
[15:06] Alan: HAHA!
[15:06] Manny: not to be religious or anything
[15:07] Alan: no not at all... i understand
[15:08] Alan: but it's a fair point...

On an added note, I don't feel that Manny should be allowed to play in the All Star Game primarily because he was suspended for "cheating". MLB can always justify the decision to freeze him out of the big game by saying he didn't play that many games in the first part of the season to warrant being selected over other players who did play the majority of games this season.

Until next time, faithful reader......

Five Stages of Grief (2008 Mets fan version)

Dear reader,

As you may know, the past two seasons have not been good times to be a Mets fan. Granted, it isn't the 1990's (what I refer to as the 'Dark Years'), but it's been difficult to see so much money and talent going to waste. As the 2008 season came to a close, a possible sequel to the "Collapse of 2007" loomed. The end of this season was a nail-biter. My playoffs tickets had been purchased and sent via e-mail (permanently available in PDF format on my laptop) before the end of the season. Needless to say, the season did not end well as our hated rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies, not only made the playoffs but won the NL East.

This entry will chronicle my personal path through the Five Stages of Grief for the NY Mets 2008 season.

1. Denial and Isolation: At first, we tend to deny the loss has taken place, and may withdraw from our usual social contacts. This stage may last a few moments, or longer.
This pic was taken after the last game I attended at Shea Stadium (during the last week of the season). The writing was on the wall even at this stage. I witnessed yet another loss which brings the Mets to a record of 1-7 when I attended during the 2008 season. When will the pain end? Will they be able to come back? Who am I kidding!! I know they will and we're going to the playoffs!! No one can tell me otherwise... I have the tickets to prove it!! LET'S GO METS!!!

2. Anger: The grieving person may then be furious at the person who inflicted the hurt (even if s/he's dead), or at the world, for letting it happen. He may be angry with himself for letting the event take place, even if, realistically, nothing could have stopped it.
How the hell could the Mets win so dominantly with Johan on Saturday and NOT carry that momentum over to Sunday's game. And Ollie was pitching a good game (especially since he's pitched some stinkers this season!!). WTF!?!? I had these f'n tickets in my hand!! I was going to visit Shea one more time in a playoff game!!! AARRRRGGGHHH!!!!! Why did I have to bring them such bad luck this season!!?? I should have missed a few games and they would have won AT LEAST ONE of those games!!! No-o-ooooo!!!!

3. Bargaining: Now the grieving person may make bargains with God, asking, "If I do this, will you take away the loss?
Maybe the baseball gods will be kind to us and modify the qualifying rules for the postseason. They could find a way to add one more wild card team to the mix. Bud Selig could force MLB to pass the rule and put it into effect immediately. I mean, the NHL added a new rule in the middle of the playoffs last season... MLB can do it to right?? Please, oh great pantheon of baseball legends, give the Mets a chance to show that they are a good team and let us play this postseason... please... pretty please... I'm on my knees... Maybe the new rule can get the Yanks in too... (then again, maybe not... lol)

4. Depression: The person feels numb, although anger and sadness may remain underneath.
My visits to the Brooklyn Brewery became more frequent after the season (and my baseball loving life) ended. I even managed to sneak in to the distillery and tried to drown my sorrow straight from the fermenting tanks. It tasted awful but it took my mind off of the Mets for a few minutes. Moments later, while in the ambulance, I was told by friends that I was asked to never return again... especially since they found out I jynxed the team during 7 games. I opened the door and jumped out before we made it to the hospital so I think I managed to avoid a hefty bill. Who cares... it still won't change what the Mets did to me. I didn't even get a picture of the spot where Tommie Agee hit the HR in the Upper Deck at Shea. That place is gone forever... except in my memories... *sniff*

5. Acceptance: This is when the anger, sadness and mourning have tapered off. The person simply accepts the reality of the loss.
Yesterday, I finally realized that there would be no Mets appearance in the postseason. I realized that the tickets I had in my possession wouldn't allow me to actually enter the stadium since the games were never formally scheduled. I also found out that the playoffs did actually take place without the Mets and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays made it to the World Series against... some NL team.. I forget. At least there was one good story to talk about this postseason! So if the tickets are worthless, then I might as well get rid of them. Here you go Mr. Shredder. Enjoy them. I know I wasn't able to.

Here's to another postseason of wondering, waiting, uncertainty, hope, anticipation, and preparation. Spring Training can't come fast enough. I'll be watching this March as I do every season since my childhood. I plan to make my way to CitiField in April 2009 (yes, in person... inside... not just staring at it from the GCP).

This is still my team. And I still love them, win or lose. Let's go Mets!!

Faithful Mets fan til the end (despite the heartache, heartbreak, and heart attacks),
Alan G.

P.S. Can we have a winning record when I attend in 2009, plz? Do you hear me Mr. Ruth?