AL Wins The 2008 All Star Game...**Manny Ramirez On His Future Career Possibilities With Or Without The Boston Red Sox**

The most important statistic of the 2008 Baseball All Star Game was its length...four hours and fifty minutes, lasting well into the early morning. 453 pitches. Wow. The American League defeated the National League by a score of 4-3, their eleventh win of the last twelve All Star fests. There was a memorable tie within that span. Jonathon Papelbon pitched the eighth inning and gave up a very unearned run, but the game continued on and on and on and.....I could keep going, but you get the point. JD Drew, on the strength of his seventh inning two run tater, was named the MVP of the game, and deservedly so. Manny, Youk and Peds were hitless. OK, enough about that. Here's something more important for those of us who love the Boston Red Sox.

The subject is the Sox leftfielder, the beloved (MOST of the time) Manny Ramirez. He was in the Yankee (gulp!) clubhouse before the game and had a sitdown with the Boston Herald's Rob Bradford. Here's part of what he had to say when asked about his future plans. Life without Boston? I think you'll find this of interest, one way or the other, if you know what I mean...

“To be honest with you, I don’t know, I want to stay in Boston, but I want to sit down after the season with ownership and see what my future is going to be in Boston,” said a seated Ramriez, already dressed in his uniform with a bat propped on his shoulder. “Let’s see, but the ball is in my court. If they don’t pick it up, I’m a free agent and I’ll go play somewhere else. We’ll see. I want to know what’s my situation,” he added. “I want no more shit where they tell you one thing and behind your back they do another thing. I think I’ve earned that respect, for a team to sit down with me and tell me this is what we want, this is what we want to do. It’s not to protect myself. I just want to know what my future is going to be,” he said. “I just want them to tell me, ‘We’re going to take it year by year,’ or, ‘We’re going to do this.’ That’s fine. Just so I know what’s going on with my situation....I don’t want no more shit, like they always do where they tell you one thing and they do another,” he said. “I’m getting too old for that game.”

Peter here. I know that was a little lengthy, but so what! Those might have been (accent on "might") Manny's true feelings. As a fan of Manny and a huge fan of the Red Sox, I'll tell you how I feel. Manny is having a great year. He's been carrying the team at times while his buddy Big Papi has been sidelined. Where would the team be without him? But there have been two incidents, temper tantrums that might bely a growing feeling that deep down, Manny is not entirely happy. Why? My guess would be that he's unsure where his next year future lies, and he hasn't gone through something like this in ages. Literally! I'd say to Manny, if I had the chance, and I never will, that the fans in Boston love you out in leftfield, Yaz and Jim Ed territory, and we love it when you do what you do best...MASH the ball. I know what the fans feel and what the Sox ownership does are two very different things. I just hope you'll be signed to a lucrative two or three year contract, incentive-laden, if need be. How's that sound, Manny? We love you here, Manniness and all. Thanks for everything.

OK, I'm finished...back to reality, but that was fun. Click on the title of this post to be linked to a TREMENDOUS sports piece penned by the Hartford Courant's very own Jeff Jacobs, who can write about sports the way NO other person can. Enjoy your Hump Day Wednesday, and as always, BE WELL. Remember to title click for an unforgettable read...promise!