In recent years, Manny Ramirez has become a forgotten star. Just a little while ago, it would have been unfathomable to see Manny on waivers and joining another team mid-season, as he now embarks on the next portion of his career with the Chicago White Sox. "Manny Ramirez wasn't a star, he was a supernova," says Ray Ratto at CBS Sports. But Manny's story unfortunately, doesn't end with success on his terms (as he'd carried himself for much of his career). "Then he landed, hard, and face-first," says Ratto.
What changed? He had injuries, for starters. But unlike most other aging veterans who find themselves landing on the D.L., Manny had to also shoulder the weight of scrutiny over a past with performance enhancing drugs. He'd gone from one of the most beloved members of the baseball clubhouse to someone we shied away from, even shunned. Then it got even worse for Manny: The Los Angeles Dodgers figured out how to play without him in their lineup. Young players started to hit their strides, and eventually Manny wasn't all that missed. He became expendable, and he's on his way out now.
It wasn't a sudden development by any means. Manny came to L.A. just a few years ago to help give the team an identity, someone who could bring fans to the seats and to their feet. He was a character, a personality unmatched by any other. Everyone put up with his antics because the upside made it worth it, in much the same way Dennis Rodman proved his value to all of those championship teams. But once Manny wasn't the obvious, appointed leader of this team anymore, his aura faded and he lost his place with the franchise.
Now, with Chicago, Manny's going to expect a fresh start where he can compete for an everyday position. However, Manny has to be careful about how he conducts himself there. We won't expect him to be the youthful, mischievous star we fell in love with when he played for Boston. That's asking too much of him. What he must do, though, is figure out what he has left and what he's after with this move. He's playing well past his prime yet still commands the media attention he once had, a troubling combination. The bottom line is: what does Manny think he's got left to prove with this change of setting?
He'll have to check his ego at the door and recognize that this isn't his team to carry. He'll get scrutinized for not delivering, anyway. He can't control how fans and reporters will treat him as he tries to hang on and repair his image. Walking away was an obvious option, but that might have seemed like a cowardly move. There's always something admirable about veterans who stick around until they truly have nothing left in the tank. It'll be sad to see him go when the time comes. What he can best hope for is that, when that time does come, we remember him for his non-Dodger days when he was on top of the game. He's playing, it seems, for his legacy now.
This post originally ran on The Sports Nook blog.