Just Manny being Manny

I don't like the phrase much either, but I really don't care what he does as long as he continues to hit .292/.388/.594

Obligatory response to next comment: "Yes, but what about when he stops hitting?" Well, his contract will be up at that point, and he will be paid less than he is getting now, so it won't matter all that much.

1. He's one of the greatest and most consistent hitters of his generation.  When you produce the type of results he does, players tend to get some leeway.
   
2. He won a World Series for Boston, if the Boston press started ripping on the guy, the fans would revolt against them.  He won us a freakin World Series!
   
3. He's harmless.  Manny isn't a diva like Pedro, he isn't an a-hole like Bonds, he isn't psychotic like Carl Everett.  He's not malicious or rude or mean.  Yeah, he's an idiot, but he's a harmless idiot and you really get the sense he doesn't mean any harm.
   
4. Because he's Manny.
   

Hold him accountable for what?  What, exactly, is he doing to the Red Sox?  He keeps playing the game, he's not dogging any more than he usually dogs (that is to say, he doesn't give that much of a damn about playing LF, but since when did he?), and, again, being Manny at the plate makes up for a lot of drama in the press.  His teammates seem to range from tolerance to liking him as a guy to have around.  And he himself seems to understand that the Sox aren't just going to give him away and won't trade him if they not getting value back (and it's an implied compliment to his own value as a player that they won't trade him without getting value).

Miggy, like Arod, wanted to have their cake and eat it too.  Manny just wanted some frosting and ended up with the most ridiculous press you could ever find.  

But boy is it a pleasure to watch him swing the bat

The big difference is Manny never ever knocks the team, the players, or the organization.

White players are very very skilled at talking to the media (with a few obvious exceptions).  I've seen minor league players doing interviews for papers or News shows and seeming very humble, well natured, etc etc, and as soon as the tape stops rolling they're the biggest jerks of all time.  

Pinstripes, I suggest you not judge players on how the media portrays them, whether in a good light or a bad light.  The media is a group of people, and people have their biases, both positive and negative, and they will report through those biases.  

I feel confident in saying that Bernie Williams is a great, humble, courteous person.  I feel likewise confident in saying TO is a selfish idiot.  But in between is a gray area I don't think we should tread on.  

And I agree with whoever said that people are improperly remembering "The Good old Days".  Are you serious?  Baseball used to be played with the biggest jerks you could ever find.  There are plenty of a-holes in the baseball books: Cobb and Ruth are two of the greatest players ever, and they may be two of the biggest scumbags ever as well.  

And finally, can we all look in the mirror before we say "I wish these athletes would do XYZ" or be more humble or whatever?  I was at a bar recently when some big shot, late 20's stock broker waltzes in ( I happen to know the guy, play poker on occasion).  This dude is as cocky as can be and starts talking about how athletes should be more humble.  Pot calling the kettle black much?   Come on.  

As they say, let he who has not sinned cast the first stone

Rather unfortunate, if you ask me - I was looking forward to that lineup filled with 3 and 4 hitters, and frankly, Manny could probably use the games to warm up; it took him until June last year.