courtesy of wikimedia commons

The 911 calls made by former baseball star Manny Ramirez’s wife, Juliana, after the player allegedly hit her in a domestic violence dispute was obtained by TMZ.

The call recorded Juliana saying, “Hi my husband just hit me.”

The case is still under investigation.

Manny Ramirez, Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Former Boston Red Sox player, Manny Ramirez, was arrested today on charges of a domestic incident, according to TMZ.

TMZ reports that according to witnesses, police removed Ramirez from his Weston, Florida home at about 7 p.m. in handcuffs.

The player’s wife, Juliana, was in the home and the two were believed to be in a fight.  She left shortly after Ramirez was taken away.

He is currently in custody.

Baseball superstar Manny Ramirez has tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs and has been suspended 50 games, starting Thursday.

Ramirez released a statement acknowledging the suspension.

“Recently I saw a physician for a personal health issue. He gave me a medication, not a steroid, which he thought was ok to give me. Unfortunately the medication was banned under our drug policy. Under that policy, that mistake is now my responsibility,” he said. “I’ve been advised not to say anything more.”

Some reporters, especially a vocally and clearly angry Bill Plaschke, who ranted on ESPN Thursday afternoon, don’t believe the “doctor” story.

“Was there a Dominican cousin mentioned in there? Who in their right mind would believe that?” said Plaschke.

Plaschke called the situation “devestating to this city’s (Los Angeles) baseball culture, absolutely devastating.”

“How many times are we going to keep believing players who say ‘I didn’t know what it was?’” said Plaschke. “Get the guy out of a Dodger uniform. Get this guy out of baseball.”

Ramirez asserts that in the past, he has successfully passed 15 drug tests.

“Los Angeles is a special place to me, and i know everybody is disappointed. So am I. I’m sorry about this whole situation.”

The Los Angeles Times is first reported the story Thursday morning.

The times reported that Dodgers told AAA outfielder Xavier Paul to be ready to report to Los Angeles.

The Times says that Ramirez will say the test results are because of medication he received from a doctor for a medical issue.

If the report is true, it is a brutal blow to baseball. Manny Ramirez was widely considered one of the last “clean” superstars and was an absolute first ballot hall of famer until today.

Ramirez would be the second of his superstar ilk to fall this season, behind Alex Rodriguez.

Ramirez led the Boston Red Sox to two World Series championships. He leads the Dodgers this season with a .348 batting average and has six home runs so far.

Ramirez has previously denied steroid use.

Chris DeMatteo, one of the original Blast launch issue staffers, weighs in on the Manny Ramirez trade.

Friends, readers, websurfers, lend me your eyes.  I write to bury Manny, not to praise him.  His legacy in Boston will live after him.  A legacy that includes two World Series titles and a series MVP. 

I have been a Red Sox fan my entire life and a Manny Ramirez fan since before he arrived in Boston.  I will continue to be a Manny fan through his tenure with the Dodgers and wherever he goes and finishes his career.  I am not saying “good riddance,” but I am not denouncing the trade and I am not condoning his recent behavior. 

As a writer and a fan, I believe that Manny Ramirez represents the best and the worst in baseball.  He plays like a god but always reminds us that he is human.  Although this has become a trade deadline tradition, I spent much of today awaiting the news.  If Manny stayed with the Red Sox, I probably would have titled this column “Mo’ Manny, Mo’ Problems” and speculated on what would and should happen for the rest of the season.  For better or worse, the Manny Era for the Red Sox is over.  For better or worse, the Manny Era for baseball is far from it.

“Manny Being Manny.”  We have heard it, read it and quite possibly said it, but have we really thought about it?  Manny has been decried as a “man-child” and an “idiot savant of hitting.”  He has also-and accurately-been called the greatest hitter of his generation and a first-ballot Hall of Famer. 

In recent days he has been called “spoiled,” “bratty,” “whiny,” “insulting.”  He is portrayed as a clown, a slacker who is able to get by on his natural talent of hitting and not always try his hardest.  His teammates however, tell a different story.  They have said in the past that no one works harder in the cages than Manny (Julio Lugo recently said that Manny is the first one to the park).  They say that he has an aggressive personal workout.  They have said, for the most part and that may change now that he is no longer with them, that he is a great teammate in the clubhouse.  Manny Ramirez is not a man-child, brat or savant.  He is an enigma.  He is a baseball player.  We mortals cannot comprehend how someone can be so good at anything.  We cannot comprehend the money he makes.  We cannot understand him. 

Major League baseball is not the pure, innocent game that father and son enjoyed so idyllically at the start and end of “The Natural.”  There are big bucks and big egos.  We have seen drugs, gambling and cheating tarnish our game.  We also see tremendous talent and amazing games.  Baseball is a game.  Major League baseball is a business on both sides-the owners and players-and we have the strikes, disputes and contracts to prove it.  Manny’s departure comes in the wake of what has been called his annual “tantrum.” 

This is not the first time he has asked out of Boston nor is it the first time Theo Epstein and management tried to trade him.  (Before the 2004 season, he was placed on irrevocable waivers and was then tentatively traded for A-Rod).  This season was the last of the eight-year contract he signed with the Red Sox but the team had two $20 million options for 2009 and 2010.  While Manny did say at the start of the season that he hoped his options were exercised and that he wanted to finish his career with the Red Sox, he apparently changed his mind and decided he wanted to become a free agent.  There is nothing wrong with trying the open-market.  Now-former teammate J.D. Drew hit payday when he opted out of his contract to sign with the Red Sox for $75 million over five years.  His New York counterpart Alex Rodriguez opted out of his contract only to re-up with the Yankees for more years.  Manny wants to play more than two years and wants a longer contract.  I would hardly call it greed.  The league and owners make billions-it is only fair that their workers who help them earn their fortunes be paid what they are worth. 

While Manny without question dug his own hole, none more than this week, I do feel he was unfairly vilified by the media-both national and local.  Maybe it is because he did not talk to them.  Maybe not.  He is far from the first or the only player to do the things he did and even worse things. 

Manny never fell out of shape, went to another team, demanded a trade to a World Series winner so he could win a ring, sign a contract that allows him special travel privileges, play only half a season, then audition his suitor teams like he was on a dating show.  If he did, would his team’s radio announcer lose it on the air?

Manny has never been linked to steroids or any other performance enhancer.  He did not have any abnormal spikes in homeruns (his 1998 total was actually below what he hit most other years) nor did he suffer a mysterious drop after the league’s new testing policy took effect.  If Manny did admit to taking steroids, would growing a mustache make everything better again?

Manny’s trade was not caused by a feud he had with a teammate.  If that did happen, which player would go to Miami? 

Manny never gambled, corked his bat or ripped his teammates (note the word teammates and not team or management) in the media.  

There are different rules for different people.  Manny was always given a lot of leeway because of his talent.  Whether it was ducking into the Green Monster during a mound conference, not running out groundballs, watching and celebrating homeruns, showing up late to spring training, taking time off, demanding trades or any of his other antics, Manny lived above the law.  The elite do.  Manny’s incident with the team’s traveling secretary in Houston is reprehensible.  Unfortunately, unlike what another Boston writer said at the time, that what Manny did would not earn him an arrest if he were not a baseball player, is not true.  Manny is an elite player-he can only be compared to other elites.  Elite lawyers, surgeons, politicians, scientists, musicians?  It is doubtful one of them would have been punished for pushing one of his or her organization’s employees.  If you are that good, you can get away with a lot.  It is the same in every sport.  Who is to blame?  Everyone. 

Because we cannot comprehend the immense talent or the money that it deserves, we fall in love with the so-called “lunchpail” players like Trot Nixon, Kevin Youkilis and Jason Varitek.  While they are still far better at baseball and far richer than we are, we still think they are like us and love that they had to work hard.  The truth is that they are also blessed with amazing talent as much as superstars like Manny do in fact work hard.  In life as in baseball, getting one’s uniform dirty only goes so far.  Talent and performance ultimately win out. 

While Manny at his worst represents the worst in baseball, when he is at his best, there is nothing better in or about the game.  As much as we have seen his business side, we have seen him at his playful side.  We saw him having fun and making the game fun.  Although it was only in 2007, one of my favorite Manny moments was his homerun off K-Rod in the Division Series against the Angels.  As soon as he hit the ball, Manny raised his arms and the ball soared into the sky to win the game for the Red Sox.  In the ALCS against the Indians, Manny did the same thing when he hit a homerun even though his team was still down three runs and lost the game.  That was Manny being Manny: he went up there doing what he always did-hit.  He hit and he hit it far and that was what he celebrated.  For that moment in time, it wasn’t about the money, management or even winning.  It was about hitting.  When the Red Sox fell down 3-1 in that series, Manny drew ire when he said that it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if the Red Sox lost.  He was right.  As much as it pains the players and fans, there are far worse things in the world than losing a baseball game or a play-off series.  If only more people knew that.  Then the Red Sox came out playing loose, came back and won the series four games to three.  All because Manny was what he was, a baseball player, doing what he did best, hit.  There is nothing better than watching Manny hit.  It is the other things he does that cause issue. 

Manny will be remembered for a lot in his career, especially in his almost-eight years in Boston.  He will be remembered for his great moments, his funny moments and unfortunately, his departure.  The Red Sox won two titles in his eight years and those will go a long way in healing wounds.  Only time will tell how they do without him.  I wish he could have stayed and more importantly, I wish he wanted to stay.  He will return to Fenway.  If not as a Dodger in the World Series or interleague play or with another team during the season, then as a Hall of Famer when 24 is hoisted over right field near the worthy company of 1,4,9,8,27,42 and, by then, hopefully 14.  Until then, I’m surely going to miss him.

After years of Manny Ramirez trade rumors on deadline day, one finally went through.  The Red Sox sent Manny to the Dodgers, relief pitcher Craig Hansen and outfielder Brandon Moss to the Pirates, and received leftfielder Jason Bay from the Pirates.  The Dodgers sent the Pirates third baseman Andy LaRoche and pitcher Bryan Morris. 

This was as good a deal for the Red Sox as there could be in giving up one of the best hitters in the game and the best on their team.  It was a great deal for the Dodgers.  For the Pirates, maybe it will eventually make them a buyer at deadline day. 

Jason Bay will step right into leftfield for the Red Sox although he might not fill Manny’s cleanup spot in the batting order just yet.  Francona is very good at integrating players into a lineup and he may very well bat Kevin Youkilis or Mike Lowell fourth and Bay lower until he feels he is comfortable in the lineup.  Bay is not the hitter that Manny is (although his numbers this year are close).  He is however a better outfielder and baserunner (he can steal bases), younger, cheaper and definitely less of a distraction.  His runs and RBI will likely increase in the more-potent Red Sox lineup.  He does have the power that is needed to fill the Manny void.  Most importantly, he is under contract for only $7.5 million next year and may be locked into a long-term deal if he impresses this season and next.  Not to mention, he is a right-handed power hitter playing in Fenway.

Craig Hansen and Brandon Moss can hardly be considered losses.  Hansen has a live arm and high hopes but has yet to deliver for the Red Sox.  To his credit he was rushed, but still, he has had difficulty in pressure situations and when you are on a perennial contender, every relief situation is a pressure situation.  Now the Red Sox will not have the option to use him and that may in fact make their bullpen better.  He will probably do well in Pittsburgh.  Moss is a solid outfielder but he was never going to play regularly in Boston.  He does not have the power to take over for Manny in left, will not play center with Jacoby Ellsbury likely a fixture and will not supplant J.D. Drew in right.  For the Red Sox he was at best a fourth outfielder.  He can be an everyday player for a smaller team and may very well step up like former Pawtucket teammate David Murphy (who was traded to the Rangers with Kason Gabbard for Eric Gagne last year).  He was nothing more than a trade chip and now will benefit by receiving more playing time. 

Manny is one of the best hitters in baseball.  He will definitely help the Dodgers and will still hit homeruns in a more-spacious Dodger Stadium.  His defensive liabilities will show more but great hitting beats weak defense every time.  A new environment will also contribute to what will likely be a tear in August and September.  Manny always hits but he hits better when he’s happy and he should be happy in California.  The Dodgers are also a better landing spot than the Marlins.  There are more veterans-including former teammates Nomar and Derek Lowe-and a manager, former foe Joe Torre, who knows how to deal with larger-than-life players.  Moreover, the Dodgers are a big-market team that can afford to sign Manny when he becomes a free agent.  On top of that the Red Sox are paying the rest of his salary this year.  Despite the crowded outfield situation at Chavez Ravine, Manny will not be sharing time with anyone.

Andy LaRoche has played only a little in the majors but has shown he can get on base and may develop power.  In Pittsburgh, he will be able to play across the infield from his brother Adam who is the Bucs’ first baseman, currently on the DL. 

Bryan Morris is a 21-year old right-hander who has only played in the minors but is doing well in A-ball after missing last season due to Tommy John Surgery.  He was the Dodgers’ first-round pick in the 2006 draft and is considered a good prospect. 

Although trading Ramirez was a pressing need, it is hard to say that the Red Sox are better, mostly because they are not.  It is possible that the trade will inject some much-needed energy into an underperforming team but with a roster of veterans and professionals such as Mike Lowell and Jason Varitek, it is doubtful Manny’s antics were responsible for its woes.  The trade failed to address the bullpen and catching situation which are both pressing needs this year and next.  Still, a waiver deal or call-up can rectify the pitching situation.  Justin Masterson is already in the pen and the team may call up Michael Bowden.  If Bartolo Colon comes back, Clay Buchholz may be moved to relief duty where he might even be more effective.  While the Red Sox are paying the rest of Manny’s salary this year, it is only money. 

The Pirates have traded away their best players the past few weeks and have gotten even younger.  While the moves signify rebuilding, it must be stated that the Pirates have been “rebuilding” for years.  Maybe they will be buyers at the deadline.  One would think that if they had this much talent to trade away, they would have enough to use and augment with a trade for a veteran in their own stretch run.

The Red Sox, in a three-team deal, sent embattled slugger Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers.

The deal sends Jason Bay to Boston and the Pirates get four minor leaguers. Pittsburgh gets young talent from Boston in Craig Hansen and Brandon Moss, third baseman Andy LaRoche from the Dodgers and AA Dodgets pitcher Bryan Morris.

The $20 million club options on Manny for 2009 and 2010 were dropped, so he will become a free agent next year.

Bay is a two-time All-Star with a .376 career on-base percentage and .282 lifetime batting average. He’s hitting .282 with 22 homers and 64 RBIs this season. The British Columbia native was the NL Rookie of the Year in 2004, when he hit .282 with 26 homeruns and 82 RBIs.

Ramirez, one of baseball’s greatest hitters, was the 2004 Word Series MVP when he helped end an 80+ year “curse” in Boston.

Blast Magazine staff writer John Guilfoil contributed to this report from Boston

Unsung hero.

Workhorse.

Veteran.

In 1991 Mike Timlin, 41, broke out with the Toronto Blue Jays. He appeared in 63 games and finished the year with a 3.16 ERA. He bounced around — Seattle, Toronto, Seattle, Baltimore, St. Louis, Philadelphia, back to St. Louis. He was perfect in four World Series games between 1992-93 with the Blue Jays, allowing no runs and only two hits.

He came to Boston in 2003. In the heart-breaking American League Championship Series against the Yankees, Timlin was perfect. He appeared in five games, allowing no runs on one hit before Aaron Boone flopped a homer to left field off Tim Wakefield in the dreaded 7th game.

He appeared in 76 games for the 2004 Red Sox — five more games in the comeback effort against the Yankees in the ALCS and three games in the first World Series victory in 86 years. The tall Texan was there to break the curse of the Bambino.

This year, he was perfect in three ALCS appearances, allowing just one hit and no runs. Tonight it was Mike Timlin, who manager Terry Francona turned to to hold the lead in the clinching game of the World Series while the powerful and determined Rockies threatened in the late innings.

And hold that lead he did.

Congratulations are due to the MVP of the series, Mike Lowell for his amazing performance.

To Josh Beckett for his seamless starts throughout the post season.

To Jon Lester, who beat cancer and a stacked Colorado Rockies roster in game four.

To Jonathan Papelbon, for four saves in the post season, each of which went over an inning and stretched his arm beyond normal closer-role limits.

To Curt Schilling, who is the best post season starting pitcher ever.

To Jason Varitek, the captain who held the team together.

To Dustin Pedroia, who will be the 2007 American League rookie of the year.

To Jacoby Ellsbury, who may be the 2008 American League rookie of the year. (He didn’t have enough at-bats this year to be considered a true rookie)

To Coco Crisp, who accepted his defensive role for the good of the team.

To Manny Ramirez, who should always be Manny being Manny.

To Kevin Youkilis, who hit .388 in the postseason this year.

To J.D. Drew, the most criticized player on the team, for busting out with a grand slam in game six of the ALCS and showing us his true potential.

To David Ortiz, who is a good first baseman.

To Bobby Kielty, who never could have imagined, after the Oakland Athletics cut him this year, that he would hit the game-winning home run in the World Series in a few months.

To Julio Lugo, for never giving up.

To Doug Mirabelli, Erik Hinske and Alex Cora for being there.

To Manny Delcarmen, Javier Lopez and Erik Gagne for being ready in the bullpen.

To Daisuke Matsuzaka, for being worth every penny.

To Kyle Snyder, for staying ready and taking Tim Wakefield’s place on the roster when he realized he couldn’t pitch.

To Tim Wakefield, for putting the team first at all times.

But most of all, I thank Mike Timlin — not only for his pitching, but because he took the bullpen relievers and turned them into the next great American band. He was the ringleader behind the clanking and chiming in the outfield that created a motivational tune from the workhorse bullpen, started by the head horse, Mike Timlin.

Fellow baseball veteran, Tim Wakefield was being interviewed by the NESN television network during the celebrations early this morning when Timlin butted in and took the microphone.

“I just wanna say one thing. This guy right here, this win is for this man right here,” he said, Champagne dripping down his shirt, “because he was not on the roster and he showed so much heart by saying ‘I can’t be on the roster and it was good for the team.’ This is what kind of person is standing right here. I love this guy. I’m proud of this guy. It’s the hardest thing to do to take yourself out of the game for someone else, but he did it and I’m proud of him.”

Wakefield had to wipe away tears before his next interview.