St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa was talking to reporters before Thursday’s game against Pittsburgh when a clubhouse attendant stuck his head in and said: “Manny Ramirez, 50 games.”
La Russa’s first reaction: “You’re kidding me.”
Then he checked the schedule to see whether the Cardinals would be playing the Dodgers while Ramirez is out.
Reaction ranged from shock to self-interest across baseball and other sports after Major League Baseball suspended Ramirez for 50 games for failing a drug test. The commissioner’s office did not say what the Los Angeles Dodgers slugger tested positive for; Ramirez said it was not steroids but a prescription medication that contained a banned substance.
“Under the policy that mistake is now my responsibility,” he said in a statement that was released by the players association. “I have been advised not to say anything more for now.”
list of stars who have been tainted by suspicion or proof of drug use. Barry Bonds is under indictment and Roger Clemens is wondering if he will be next; Alex Rodriguez is fighting allegations in a book released this week that his steroid use was more widespread than he has admitted.
“It’s a sad day for baseball,” said Seattle Mariners first baseman Mike Sweeney.
At Fenway Park, where Ramirez played through his prime and became Boston’s first World Series MVP, the writer of his authorized biography said her first suspicion was that the drug was marijuana. “Innocent until proven guilty, and I don’t have all the facts,” said Jean Rhodes, the author of “Becoming Manny: Inside the Life of Baseball’s Most Enigmatic Slugger.”
Ramirez’s quirky side made him a fan favorite for his early years in Boston, and it may have helped him become the Hall of Fame-caliber player who seemed unaffected by strikeouts, home runs and paychecks alike. But his uncaring attitude eventually wore thin on his teammates, and he was shipped to Los Angeles last summer.
He batted .396 with the Dodgers with 17 homers and 53 RBIs in 53 games and helped propel them to the playoffs.
they’re a different team without him in the lineup.”
Reaction spilled into other sports.
Shaquille O’Neal said on Twitter, where Ramirez was the No. 1 search topic: “Dam manny ramirez, come on man Agggggggggh, agggggggh,agggggh.” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said he thought players should be more concerned about the health effects of steroids.
“But it doesn’t tarnish my image of them. They’re still great players,” Rivers said. “I just hope it all goes away. I just hate anything that deflects from the game.”
—
AP sports writers R.B. Fallstrom in St. Louis; Pat Graham in Denver and Tim Reynolds in Miami contributed to this story.
Add A Comment