Oct 18, 2007 7:14 am US/Eastern
Manny Ramirez: 'There's Always Next Year'
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WBZ) ―
Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez is going to be taking some serious heat from Red Sox fans who refuse to lose the faith, for some comments he made Wednesday to reporters.
"If it doesn't happen, so, who cares?" Ramirez said. "There's always next year. It's not like it's the end of the world."
The shrug-off was part of his response to WBZ's Dan Roche's question about Manny's confidence in the group of guys in this year's clubhouse.
"We're confident everyday. It doesn't matter how things go for you, you know, we're not going to give up. We're just going to go and play the game like I said and move on. And if it doesn't happen, so, who cares?..."
The Red Sox are down 3-1 to Cleveland in the best of seven ALCS. That means they need to win three in a row - no room for error.
While some might dismiss the comments as another infamous case of Manny being Manny, there are plenty in Red Sox nation who beg to differ. In an exclusive WBZ Fast Track, 58% of those polled said they believe the Red Sox can come back and win three games in a row. A sentiment apparently not shared by their left fielder.
WBZ viewers weighed in on Manny's comment, and overwhelmingly defended him.
Ruthi Wurth from Salem wrote, "I agree with Manny, it will be great if we win, but there are more important issues in life. He can not say much without being put under a microscope."
Jeannie from Boston said Manny has a "healthy attitude, saying, "I think that what Manny said was just a very honest comment. Why do people have to take each other so seriously? …When it really comes down to is, if they are not able to win three games in a row, what can one do about it? Nothing, that's life, move on."
Other fans argued that Manny's attitude is not the right one to win a Championship series.
"So who cares?" said Vinnie of Burlington. "Let's play Jacoby Ellsbury in left. I bet he cares and for a lot less money."
Other fans defended him, saying it was just Manny being Manny, demonstrating that Red Sox nation still has faith in the team.
"Manny Ramirez has said some stupid things in the past. He is just saying these things now because the Red Sox are down 3-1 in the ALCS," said Griffin from East Sandwich. "If he had said this when the Red Sox were tied 3-3 it wouldn't have gotten all of this media attention."
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