Manny Ramirez is Underrated.

     Manny Ramirez underrated?  Is that logical?  Manny Ramirez has been glorified for many seasons now, especially after he joined the Red Sox.  People constantly refer to Manny as being one of the greatest right handed hitters of all time.  There is no one, at least that I’ve come across, that doubts his greatness, or that he is a Hall of Famer.  Maybe I am missing the point Bill Simmons.  I know what you are saying, you seem to think that teams that don’t want to pay him $25 million are undervaluing him.  On this market, a 37 year old player should get paid $25 million a season for multiple seasons?  It doesn’t mean that Manny is underrated, it means that Manny is asking for too much, in a time when the economy is struggling, and even baseball teams seem to be feeling the effect. 

     Bill Simmons is actually an entertaining writer.  Bias?  Yes.  Ill-informed at times?  Yes.  But the way he mixes in popular culture with sports is a talent that I respect.  Simmons, ever since Manny was traded, has sided with Manny, rather than with the Red Sox.  I guess he thinks that the Red Sox treated him poorly by not letting him know whether or not they were going to pick up his option.  Simmons, if you think that, then so be it.  But there is no one out there that denies that Manny makes any team better.  But is that “better” worth $75 million over three years, or $50 million over two?  Whatever the figure is, it is very logical for a team to pass on it.  That much money tied up in one player isn’t exactly the best route, especially one that is 37 AND has a history of self-motivation, and is somewhere in the same arena as being a “defensive liability.” 

     I will always appreciate Manny Ramirez as a baseball player.  And I will continue to read Bill Simmons’ sports column because I find them entertaining–although lacking sports logic at times.  But I have to say that Bill is wrong on this subject.