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Big League Stew

Thu Oct 09, 2008 11:35 am EDT

Sensing turn in spotlight, Tim McCarver bashes Manny Ramirez

By 'Duk

Oh, that silly Tim McCarver. Doesn't he know everyone else has  moved on from bashing Manny Ramirez to showering him with unconditional love? 

Hey, the Man-Ram is in LA now, taking the city by storm, helping sweep the Cubs with two homers in three games and allowing Dodgers fans to think about their first title since '88.

Meanwhile, even the Boston fans I know are moving on, perfectly content with the bangup job Jason Bay is doing in left as Manny's replacement.

End of story until the two teams meet in the World Series, right? 

Well, not quite, because you can always count on McCarver to insert himself into a controversy as his playoff work begins — sadly, he'll be on the mike for tonight's Game 1 in Philadelphia with Joe Buck, who could care less — even if he's just rehashing things Curt Schilling said a month ago and basing most, if not all, of it on on "facts" the stats don't back up. 

McCarver, as quoted in the Philadelphia Inquirer: 

"It's extraordinary — the dichotomy between what he was in Boston and what he is in Los Angeles. I mean, talk about wearing out your welcome in a town, and it was a long welcome with the Red Sox. But some of the things he did were simply despicable, despicable — like not playing, refusing to play. Forgetting what knee to limp on. And now it's washed, it's gone."
"A rejuvenated Manny, I think it would be fair to say. More than old Manny. Manny's doing things that even Manny doesn't do, [like] scoring on a double to right field from first base."

McCarver said yesterday on ESPN that he doesn't regret using the word "despicable" regarding the way Manny Ramirez acted in the month of July before he was traded to Los Angeles. As expected, Manny just shrugged off the comments in usual fashion and I'd be surprised if he responded the way Deion Sanders did so many years ago. He just doesn't seem to care what other says about him. 

However, Joe Sheehan of Baseball Prospectus came forth with the best counter to McCarver's comments
in an article that a FOX producer should have printed out and waiting for McCarver when he arrives in the booth today. Lest this silliness continue well into what should otherwise be a fantastic matchup with the Philles, of course.

Related: 2008 MLB playoffs, 2008 NLCS - Dodgers vs. Phillies

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53 Comments

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  1. G.O.A.T.
    1. Posted by G.O.A.T. Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:50 pm EDT

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    McCarver is right, Anyone living in the Boston area the past 8 years knows it. If the dodgers re-sign Him they will soon know it too. He is fine for awhile, then he turns into a 5 year old special needs child once things don't go his way...
    The best thing about what McCarver wrote was when he said he forgets which knee to limp on, That was classic...
    You Dodger fans beware, You don't know what you're asking for when you say Re-sign him...
  2. random content generator
    2. Posted by random content generator Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:14 pm EDT

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    McCarver got something right? TIM McCarver?
    Well even a broken clock is right twice a day...
  3. Matt H
    3. Posted by Matt H Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:07 pm EDT

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    As a life long Redsox fan, I am happy to see Manny go. The move was great for both teams. He has reinvented himself in LA and Jason Bay has reinvented himself in Boston and the rest of the Sox have stepped up to fill Manny's shawdow. Whether or not Manny decides to be Manny in LA or he's learned his lesson about burning bridges is yet to be seen. I know one thing is for sure, when his stats start to decline. (He'll be 37 early next season) Regardless of what city he's playing in, people will not be so thrilled with any Manny be Manny without stats.
  4. debby m
    4. Posted by debby m Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:39 pm EDT

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    Manny is a disgrace to baseball and an all round lunatic.However,Matt H is right about his age and the level of big money play left in him. with any luck at all the Manny Show will be over soon.I hope the Yankees get stuck with him for the final act.Go Sox!
  5. Red Sox Nation
    5. Posted by Red Sox Nation Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:15 pm EDT

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    McCarver is a bad announcer. He makes tons of errors in the things he says and seems to get confused a lot. Joe Buck needs to find a new partner. I wish he could get Harold Reynolds to join him. That would be a great combo.
  6. YANKEES FAN
    6. Posted by YANKEES FAN Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:13 pm EDT

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    HAROLD REYNOLDS?!?!? Have you listened to him during the ALDS? He still doesn't know that The Tampa Bay Rays play in St. Petersburg. But in all fairness to him.....neither did any of the other commentators. If I heard "back in Tampa" one more time I was going to scream.
  7. John N
    7. Posted by John N Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:36 pm EDT

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    ya all is wrong, Manny has been a proven winner with every team he's been on. Quit ya all hatin!!!!!
    Dodgers all the way......with Manny gettin sun by the bay.......
    L8ter haters
  8. dtrujillo44@...
    8. Posted by dtrujillo44@... Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:49 pm EDT

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    Manny being Manny is a ballplayer of his time? I mean to say in another era Manny would be banned from the game for throwing/not performing in a game for his club. An entire Sox team was banned for during the very same thing Manny did. It's extremely sad that the league allowed Manny to do his 'goat act' in Boston without fining him big bucks. Amazing how fast he was cured when he arrived in LA.
    The ugly side of baseball.
  9. shawn.norsworthy
    9. Posted by shawn.norsworthy Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:17 pm EDT

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    Does anyone really listen to McCarver? When that guy is announcing my volume goes off....He thinks he knows exactly what the players and coaches are thinking every single play, like he reads their minds....horrible announcer. Just announce the freakin game.
    Go Manny and LA, I'll put up with the bs for him to motivate others like he does.
  10. TK
    10. Posted by TK Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:12 pm EDT

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    I'd want out of Boston too if I had to be on the same team as Curt Schilling!
  11. Billy
    11. Posted by Billy Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:06 pm EDT

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    Manny is a great player, he is also a egotistacal baby who was being out shined the last few years by Ortiz, & Youk, and now Dustin he couldn't live with that so he wanted out and the brass needed to make a statement so when he left he couldn't come back to haunt the soxs I just hope he doesn't now. Who would have ever thought the dodgers would get this far
  12. Nicholas
    12. Posted by Nicholas Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:45 pm EDT

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    From post #6: "The Tampa Rays play in St. Petersburg." Oh, no, no, no! Not another trend in sports: teams playing in a town which is NOT on their jerseys. Isn't the "Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim" enough for a laugher? Must have something to do with the sun beating down on their heads 365 days a year in both areas. How come the Yankees have never been called the New York Yankees of DeBronx, and the Dodgers were never called the New York Dodgers of Brooklyn?
  13. John
    13. Posted by John Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:34 pm EDT

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    Out here in Sunshine land we'll turn off the sound-of-flubber & listen to Vinny.
    By-the-way ... does Timmy Mc pay them?? Plz tell me they don't pay him.
  14. YAZ67MVP
    14. Posted by YAZ67MVP Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:19 pm EDT

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    Excuse me John N (#7)...........What language are you speaking???!!!!! "Ya all is wrong"?????????? No wonder.
  15. teeeeee-booooooow
    15. Posted by teeeeee-booooooow Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:23 pm EDT

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    HEY I am a phillies fan BUT let manny go c-mon u havent been in a relationship u wanted out of mc carver probalbly hasnt he has the best of life GO PHILLIES!!!!!!!!
  16. teeeeee-booooooow
    16. Posted by teeeeee-booooooow Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:23 pm EDT

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    OH by the way how manny home runs does MCcarver have in the post-season!!!!!!!
  17. DCheney
    17. Posted by DCheney Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:53 pm EDT

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    The Red Sox should sue Ramirez for breach of contract.
    His contract called for him to play for the Sox through the 2008 season, which is still going on.
    He signed that contract.
    Faking injuries, slagging down the line and generally engaging in behavior detrimental to the Red Sox was a clear and continuous violation of his contract. He does not deserve to be paid. In fact he could lose damages.
    The Players Association should not support him.
    Win or lose, in the end he is a man without honor or integrity.
  18. Robert
    18. Posted by Robert Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:54 pm EDT

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    Hey Teee, In case you did not realize it, Tim McCarver was a very good catcher who hit a huge homerun in the 65 World Series when he was with the Cards. I believe it led to the Cards defeating the Yanks.
  19. LUKESKYWALKERDUDE
    19. Posted by LUKESKYWALKERDUDE Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:27 pm EDT

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    Remember Deon in the playoffs and Deon showered Mc Carvers wet with champagne ? Mc Carver is a big cry baby . No one would know him if he hadn't been Steve Carltons catcher with the cardinals and phillies. I know the people in St Louis can't stand Mc Carver, my brother lives there and says the local radio shows always point out all his mistakes in broadcasting. I heard when he was traded to the phillies during his career he wasn't like either for spouting off when he shouldn't. Don't you love it when he over analyses when he explains a play. I wonder whose pictures he has of, to have this cushy broadcasting job?
  20. Robert
    20. Posted by Robert Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:54 pm EDT

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    Correction. Make that a homerun in the 64 World Series.
  21. rayjkel
    21. Posted by rayjkel Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:31 pm EDT

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    MCcarver is a A__H the man has no brain manny is twice the player that MCcarver ever was tim you just need to shut your mouth and call the game if you can you ant even good at that GO MANNY and koolmuse shut your pie hole the red soxs sold that contract out to the dodgers and while i am at it the red sox suck
  22. normie101_99
    22. Posted by normie101_99 Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:41 pm EDT

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    You know what, I tried to defend him to my folks and blame Boras after reading Bill Simmons article, and in typical old school traditional baseball fan fashion they saw right through all of it. The truth is, all the dogging and whining aside, and the newfound hussle and teamwork, the truth is he shoved a 68 year old man to the floor because he somehow botched a set of tickets or a hotel room or something. 68 years old. Indefensible. I loved Manny for years, I have his jersey, it's getting retired. Good riddance. Despicable!
  23. G.O.A.T.
    23. Posted by G.O.A.T. Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:50 pm EDT

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    #16,18 I love it when people prove that most of the Tards that post on here are clueless...Thank you for your post.
    It seems the only people defending Manny are the LA fans, Like I said watch what you ask for.... Good luck with that.
    My question is once you get beat by Philly and you blame him, how do you think he will take it? Besides crying and saying you disrespect him, My guess is he'll say so long suckas and hello New York...
  24. G.O.A.T.
    24. Posted by G.O.A.T. Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:50 pm EDT

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    #20 The maximum allowed tickets was 15 I believe, he was told this by that gentleman and he got mad more or less said I'm Manny I can have what I want, and shoved him to the floor. All because he couldn't get more than 15 tickets.
  25. Neil S
    25. Posted by Neil S Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:35 pm EDT

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    Slight correction to post # 20. Manny wanted 16 free tickets to a game and the Sox routinely let each player have 4. Manny threw the old guy to the floor. He is a thug from the Bronx. He should have been suspended without pay for a month. As for his fielding, we laugh when he would try to catch a pop fly in left field. We never knew if he would catch it or the ball would hit him on the head. He let in almost as many runs as he drove in. We are glad we got Jason Bay...he is a complete ball player.

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Big League Stew is an MLB blog edited by Kevin Kaduk. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.

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