SoCal really lets Manny have it . . . with love

[Elano]

Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez signs autographs before playing in a minor league game with the Inland Empire 66ers in Lake Elsinore on Sunday.

Ramirez returns to the Southland to play in a minor league game, and Dodgers fans are out in force -- but to cheer, not boo. Drug suspension? What drug suspension?

We arrived in hilly Riverside County on a scorching Saturday afternoon, the fertility drug fatale and I, same game, different missions.

Manny Ramirez was here to play for the Class-A Inland Empire 66ers on his first phony rehab assignment in Southern California.

I was here to find a Dodgers fan brave enough to boo him.

Surely it would happen, right?

Surely, somebody will hold him accountable for a 50-game suspension for violating baseball's drug policy?

Surely somebody would let him know that, because he has yet to offer any true remorse or explanation since his May 7 suspension, somebody was going to publicly wonder why?

He had appeared in two games at triple-A Albuquerque, where he was showered with love, but folks down there rarely see a celebrity that didn't come out of a UFO, so they can be excused.

Dodgers fans are tougher, right?

Ramirez was going to be, um, needled, right?

Even here in this gorgeous gem of a ballpark known simply as The Diamond, against a team wearing wonderful throwback San Diego Padres uniforms, Dodgers fans surely wouldn't be afraid to hold their best player accountable to the same standards they apply to themselves.

This was my hope as I walked over to a dozen blue-jersey-wearing fans lining a white fence that led from the parking lot to the visitors' clubhouse.

It was 2 1/2 hours until the first pitch, and in pulled an SUV, and out stepped Ramirez, and up perked my ears.

Surely they would boo him because the driver was the Dodgers' roving strength coach, Mike Winkler.

This made Ramirez perhaps the only drug offender in baseball history whose employers gave him his own chauffeur during the suspension.

Or surely they would boo him because he was accompanied into the clubhouse by Rico Perdomo, a relative who was in the gym with Ramirez this winter.

Again, this made Ramirez perhaps the only drug offender in baseball history allowed to bring previous workout buddies into the clubhouse and dugout with him during his suspension.

Hey commissioner, are you watching this? Any of it?

Lots of reasons to boo the entrance. But nobody booing, everybody cheering "I love you Manny!" again and again.

OK, fine, I gave the people a pass because they had waited in subhuman heat to see their hero, maybe their heads were as mottled as Ramirez's testosterone levels.

So I checked again later after batting practice, in the stands of the 6,060-seat ballpark, seats filled with Dodgers fans in pressed blue Ramirez bandannas and freshly laundered white Ramirez jerseys.

Ramirez had already stood out during the hitting session because he was the only one on the field violating team rules by not wearing a uniform. They all wore hot blue jerseys; he wore a cooler white stretch T-shirt.

Ramirez was also standing out in the clubhouse where players had heard of how, while in Albuquerque, Ramirez became that rare major league millionaire who did not buy his minor league teammates dinner.

Surely somebody would see through the braids and bull and boo?

Not the guy running up the aisle wearing a Dodgers jersey and waving a freshly inked baseball.

"No way," said Vince Castro of Buena Park. "Look what Manny did. He signed my autograph."

Indeed, Ramirez was signing autographs, something that Angels slugger Vladimir Guerrero did not do when he appeared here earlier this season.

"There is something about him that makes him different from Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, all those guys," said Tony Cruz of Lake Elsinore. "It's his personality. His personality overcomes all of his wrongdoings."

It overcomes them so much, Castro was wearing a Ramirez jersey that read "I'm back," and he was making a bold pregame prediction.

"I know Manny, and tonight he is going to hit a home run, you just watch," he said.

I scoffed and moved on to the next potential boo birds, a family of six, the Riveros of Hemet, only two Ramirez jerseys among them.

But, again, no boos.

"Aren't they all on something?" said matriarch Lizette Rivero. "If we don't cheer for players who are on something, then we can't cheer for anybody."

Her husband Jesse agreed, saying, "Everybody is allowed one mistake, aren't they?"

The mistake here is all mine, thinking that one of these thousands of Dodgers fans among the crowd of 8,099 would act a little, I don't know, angry?

How about this serious-looking, Dodgers-jersey-wearing fellow taking a serious look at batting practice?

"I don't think I'm cheering for him, I'm cheering for the Dodgers," said Scott Willens, who made the trek from Santa Clarita. "I love baseball, and I love the Dodgers, and so I cheer for them all."

Besides, he said, he and Ramirez have something in common.

"My wife also used a female fertility drug," he said. "Manny got suspended, but we got twins!"

On this note, I settle in for the first pitches of the game, from the Lake Elsinore Storm's Nick Schmidt to leadoff-hitting Manny Ramirez.

Huge cheers. Strike. Huge cheers. Boom.

Boom?

Line-drive home run over the left-field fence.

Standing ovation.

I give up.

"I told you, I told you!" shouted Tony Cruz, dancing and high-fiving.

Yeah, he told me.



Well, folks, Manny Ramirez can still hit -- at least he can still hit Class-A pitching.

Ramirez went deep for the first time in his weeklong tour of the minor leagues, launching an 0-1 changeup by former San Diego Padres first-round pick Nick Schmidt over the left-field wall in the first inning at the Diamond in Lake Elsinore.

Batting leadoff as the designated hitter for the Inland Empire 66ers, Ramirez was two for two with a walk and two runs. He left the game in the middle of the fifth inning.

Ramirez fell behind in the count, 0-2, in the third inning but managed to draw a walk. He went from first to third on a double by Pedro Baez and scored on another double, this one by Scott Van Slyke.

Ramirez singled up the middle in the fifth inning. He sprinted to second and was headed to third on a hard-hit ball by Trayvon Robinson but was doubled off at first after the ball was caught by Lake Elsinore center fielder Brad Chalk.


Inland Empire Manager Carlos Subero said Ramirez probably would play left field today when the 66ers open a three-game series at their San Bernardino home against the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. Ramirez is tentatively scheduled to play the entire series, but two sources in his camp said he would probably skip the finale on Tuesday, which will start at 11 a.m.

Minor league assignment to date: Two for five with a home run, two runs and a walk in three games.

Next: Will play for Inland Empire tonight in San Bernardino against the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes.

Quote of the day: "No gracias," Ramirez said as he made his way back from batting practice into the clubhouse. Ramirez said nothing else to reporters.

Etc.: Ramirez played in front of his third sellout crowd in three minor league games, this one counted at 8,099. . . . Playing in the park of a Padres affiliate, some boos were mixed into the wild cheers Ramirez received when he was introduced for his first at-bat. . . . Ramirez received a police escort out of the park, as he was mobbed by a group of about 100 fans who were waiting for him at the back exit of the clubhouse.

[J.D. Wykid, Esq.]

im not going to boo him or anything..what, am i supposed to be angry when he hits a hr for us?  or boosts us into the playoffs? 

if they would just do the 1 strike and youre out, we wouldnt even have to worry about any of this.  but its not that way, and manny will be with us for the remainder of the season, and next year, too.  after that, ill boo the fuck out of him.   

also, i dont think he should be in the HOF, and he should have his MVP title taken away from him.  

being barred from entering the HOF will probably hurt him the most.  

[you gon always be my latin queen bitch]

these muffuccaz pray for his downfall but dont say shit bout other "fuck ups"
IMO shaq fucked jus as bad as manny did wit that shit he said to kobe
shaq should be killed jus as much as manny should if not more
they want muffuccaz to fail like theres no tomorrow so they can sell their story
FUCK YOU

[S P I C E]

im not going to boo him or anything..what, am i supposed to be angry when he hits a hr for us?  or boosts us into the playoffs? 

if they would just do the 1 strike and youre out, we wouldnt even have to worry about any of this.  but its not that way, and manny will be with us for the remainder of the season, and next year, too.  after that, ill boo the fuck out of him.   

also, i dont think he should be in the HOF, and he should have his MVP title taken away from him.  

being barred from entering the HOF will probably hurt him the most.  

I dont know man that all sounds a bit harsh.  This is the steroid era, should Clemens, Arod, Manny and Bonds be singled out because they are the best out of hundreds and hundreds of players that have used steroids in this era?? What about all the pitchers who have juiced?  Seems like to me that pitchers in the steroid era get off so easy, people act like it is only positional players that use performance enhancing drugs.

[J.D. Wykid, Esq.]

im not going to boo him or anything..what, am i supposed to be angry when he hits a hr for us?  or boosts us into the playoffs? 

if they would just do the 1 strike and youre out, we wouldnt even have to worry about any of this.  but its not that way, and manny will be with us for the remainder of the season, and next year, too.  after that, ill boo the fuck out of him.   

also, i dont think he should be in the HOF, and he should have his MVP title taken away from him. 

being barred from entering the HOF will probably hurt him the most. 

I dont know man that all sounds a bit harsh.  This is the steroid era, should Clemens, Arod, Manny and Bonds be singled out because they are the best out of hundreds and hundreds of players that have used steroids in this era?? What about all the pitchers who have juiced?  Seems like to me that pitchers in the steroid era get off so easy, people act like it is only positional players that use performance enhancing drugs.

pitchers dont get off easy...its just easier to know when a hitter is taking them...when they put up 50+ homers, its pretty easy to tell whos juicing.  (pujols?) 

pitchers who used should also be excluded from the HOF....if shoeless joe and pete rose get banned from being in the HOF, then so should these players.  just the way i feel. 

[Rick McCrank]

I'm against steroids 100%     it fucked up the game forever

Manny = scumbag      it sucks because it used to be fun to root for him


but that being said, I'm getting older now and frankly, don't give a fuck about professional athletes

I really don't give a fuck who tries to cheat for themselves anymore, and I've learned over the years not to take sports seriously

I'll root for the Dodgers and want Manny to succeed only because it's the Dodgers

fuck him and all the steroid users though

[you gon always be my latin queen bitch]

why fuck manny and the players when the owners and others were in on this all along?
 (they were werent they?)

[J.D. Wykid, Esq.]

why fuck manny and the players when the owners and others were in on this all along?
 (they were werent they?)

im sure some owners knew the deal..i mean, COME ON! lol

i forget who, but a retired player said that the team had a 'trainer' come in, AND TELL THEM HOW TO INJECT STEROIDS PROPERLY!!!  lol

[you gon always be my latin queen bitch]

aite so why is it fuck a-rod, fuck manny, fuck these cats for lyin when they could have been forced or told to do that and they did it for the money, or whatever
fuckin haters

why fuck manny and the players when the owners and others were in on this all along?
 (they were werent they?)

im sure some owners knew the deal..i mean, COME ON! lol

i forget who, but a retired player said that the team had a 'trainer' come in, AND TELL THEM HOW TO INJECT STEROIDS PROPERLY!!!  lol

[J.D. Wykid, Esq.]

aite so why is it fuck a-rod, fuck manny, fuck these cats for lyin when they could have been forced or told to do that and they did it for the money, or whatever
fuckin haters

why fuck manny and the players when the owners and others were in on this all along?
 (they were werent they?)

im sure some owners knew the deal..i mean, COME ON! lol

i forget who, but a retired player said that the team had a 'trainer' come in, AND TELL THEM HOW TO INJECT STEROIDS PROPERLY!!!  lol

LMAO..no one was forced to do anything. 

they did it cause they wanted to be the "best", but by doing that, theyve tarnished their careers.  i dont care if "everyone was doing it, so its not cheating"...thats bullshit.   if every man is a faggot, does that make them less gay?  NO. 

[you gon always be my latin queen bitch]

but the hate is toward the players and the players only but seems like they are at fault jus as much as others so but muffuccaz only sayin fuck a-rod, fuck manny, etc...
nah im not sayin since everyone was doin their not at fault but damn they gettin hate but when they was scorin and bringin in them hr's it was all good, and the owners dont even defend them or nuthin (at least in the public)

[J.D. Wykid, Esq.]

but the hate is toward the players and the players only

wrong.  

everyone knows that its not just the players.  everyone whos been following all of this, at least.  

i cant count how many times i, and other baseball heads, have said that the true problem lies within the commissioners office.  if bud selieg would of put his foot down, it probably wouldnt even be an issue.  but he say the ratings and attendance go up when people were hitting homers, so he looked the other way and played dumb.  

and the fans are to blame, too.  they WANT to see homers in every game..they want to see players hit 40+ homers in a season.

look at my boy james loney..he is playing great.  he only has like 5 homers, but 40-50 rbi...thats not the greatest, buts its certainly not the worst.  he is up there in RBI..but people still complain about hit because he only has 5 homers.  but then when manny, or arod, or whoever gets caught using roids, they get mad.  so wtf?  

they want someone who can hit 50 homers a year...and do it clean.  yeah fucking right.


the fans, the officials, the trainers, the players...everyone has their share of the blame.

[you gon always be my latin queen bitch]

exactly so its not that im wrong cuz i know im not wrong its what you said

the fans, the officials, the trainers, the players...everyone has their share of the blame.

but what im sayin its like FUCK MANNY OR FUCK A-ROD
in the same vein of manny or a-rod bein slammed and executed selig should be executed
he hasnt come out to defend the players that play for the sport in which he is the boss off
aite its not completely his fault, but like you said its everyones fault but how come the players are payin alotta the price
how come they dont take his pay away?
how come he dont get suspended? (lol)

[J.D. Wykid, Esq.]

exactly so its not that im wrong cuz i know im not wrong its what you said

the fans, the officials, the trainers, the players...everyone has their share of the blame.

but what im sayin its like FUCK MANNY OR FUCK A-ROD
in the same vein of manny or a-rod bein slammed and executed selig should be executed
he hasnt come out to defend the players that play for the sport in which he is the boss off
aite its not completely his fault, but like you said its everyones fault but how come the players are payin alotta the price
how come they dont take his pay away?
how come he dont get suspended? (lol)

because ultimately its the players choice whether they inject themselves with PED..no one is forcing them. 

and right now, they should all know better.  this aint 1995 or even 2000. 

[you gon always be my latin queen bitch]

nah again im not tryna clear them but at the same time its insane the amount of hate the players get when they were others involved
aite they werent forced, but others were involved
when someone is inovolved in a crime, everyone that was involved in that crime will be tried (dependin on the color of the jury lol)  so this isnt any different IMO
the bosses, the players, managers etc.. are all at fault
and for them not comin out and defendin the players they should be executed (doesnt matter whos at fault more, who did it, who was forced, THEY WERE ALL INVOLVED but only one person is bein pinned down)
FUCK BUD SELIG

exactly so its not that im wrong cuz i know im not wrong its what you said

the fans, the officials, the trainers, the players...everyone has their share of the blame.

but what im sayin its like FUCK MANNY OR FUCK A-ROD
in the same vein of manny or a-rod bein slammed and executed selig should be executed
he hasnt come out to defend the players that play for the sport in which he is the boss off
aite its not completely his fault, but like you said its everyones fault but how come the players are payin alotta the price
how come they dont take his pay away?
how come he dont get suspended? (lol)

because ultimately its the players choice whether they inject themselves with PED..no one is forcing them. 

and right now, they should all know better.  this aint 1995 or even 2000.