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Manny & Foxy Love Their Hair
With the 2008 baseball season headed into the home stretch there are many interesting things going on. Perhaps the biggest recent event was the trade of one of baseball's best hitters, Manny Ramirez, to my Los Angeles Dodgers.
I received several e-mails upon the completion of that transaction and took a lot of good-natured kidding from several friends. Oh, my, what would Tommy Lasorda have done if he were the manager? The Dodgers have been one of the neatest-looking teams in baseball. Their haircut policy has been in effect for years, and now along comes Manny to test all that.
No doubt about it, Manny can hit the baseball -- when he feels up to it. But the Steve Garvey look just doesn't fit Manny's idea of a fashion statement. It took Manny time to cut some of those dreadlocks, but he finally relented yesterday.
But his hair still goes down to his shoulders. Not exactly what Walter O'Malley and Walter Alston had in mind years ago. I guess for the rest of August and all of September, and, okay, into the World Series the Dodgers will just have to let Manny be Manny, as everyone seems to say.
What worries me, though, is that with the snipped dreadlocks, Manny went 0-for-3 last night. Is there some Samsonesque connection that we Dodger fans now have to worry about?
Perhaps a sixty-year-old male blogger with a ponytail has no right to talk about or worry about Manny's hair. After all, I'm just Foxy being Foxy.
Comments
Vin Scully better be careful what he says. Manny likes to push around old men.
Dodgertown is quickly turning into a dumping ground for unwanted Bostonians.
(Foxy's note: True, Rick K, but not a dumping ground. How about a re-birthing ground? Nomar wins a game with a homer, Manny keeps finding the fences, Lowe will have the September of his life! Want to send us Pedroia? And if Beckett has another game like yesterday, we'll grab him off waivers. How about the Los Angeles Blue Sox?)
Posted by: Rick K | August 18, 2008 8:22 AM
The 3 times I've watched him in Dodger Blue, he's done well. I even saw him this past weekend run out a fly to right, after giving it some thought. But 99? Gretzky playing the outfield? I used to go see the LA Kings when I lived out there in lalaland.
Posted by: Miney Rowlson | August 18, 2008 7:34 AM
Foxy,
There's an old baseball saying that goes something like this. If you hit 35 home runs and drive in 135 every year, you wear your hair as long as you want.
When Lou Piniella was traded to the Yankees he was told by George Steinbrenner to get a haircut during spring training. Lou argued that since Jesus Christ had long hair he should have long hair.
George pointed to the motel swimming pool and said, "Piniella, as soon as you can walk on that water, you can wear your hair any way you want."
Craig Mathews
Posted by: Craig Mathews | August 16, 2008 12:14 PM
Foxy-
I've had the pleasure of following the whole 'Manny being Manny' thing for years, since he joined the Sox. It was a wild ride while it lasted. Manny was my favorite Sox player & I loved his quirkiness. While they tried to get rid of Manny a couple of times first in a trade of ARod for Manny, before ARod went to the evil empire -- & once putting him on waivers -- thankfully no takers.
My view-obstructed Orioles game seat in Fenway on Sept. 2 just won't be the same..
One consolation, I'd love to see the Dodgers in a World Series with the Sox. A long shot worth dreaming about....
Gary 66
(Foxy's note: Yes, Gary, a Manny in Dodger Blue at Fenway Park would be something to see!)
Posted by: Gary | August 16, 2008 10:45 AM
Forget about the hirsute hyperbole concerning Manny and others. In the past, perhaps not baseball, many men with long locks and tresses have made history. It is the times we live in and expectations from athletes to be humble, honest and drug free. That is why the American public have shunned the likes of Barry Bonds and Jose Canseco to name two. You could probably add more.
Manny was traded because of his ego and self indulgence rather than his dredlocks.
Bill Veeck would welcome him with open arms to baseball's Barnum and Bailey team. Can you think of any other players who would fill the roster?
Posted by: skip zatonski | August 16, 2008 8:27 AM
I miss Manny. It was Manny being Manny, Pedro Martinez and his bad attitude, Kevin Millar with his shaved head and bad dye jobs, and Johnny Damon with his long hair that drew me to the Sox. These guys didn’t quite seem to conform to the old school rules but were so darn good that that they got a pass.
I was reintroduced to baseball in 2002 living in Colorado watching the Rockies. Rockies fans are Loyal but not the rabid, die hard, never say die Red Sox and Yankees fans I grew up with.
Art Harris who owned the Grocery Store on Elizabeth St is possibly the craziest Red Sox fan I ever knew. He was known to chase Yankees fans out the door hurling fresh produce and screaming curses after a loss. The Crazy fans and non conformist players of the Red Sox brought me back to baseball. So if a Little attitude and Long hair are what it takes to bring new fans to baseball I’m all for it and actually prefer it. Manny will always be Manny and has even got me watching Dodger highlights to see him hit. Good Luck Manny wherever you go as long as it’s not to the hated Yankees. We burned Johnny Damon's Jersey and threw the ashes in a deep dark hole and after relieving ourselves filled it in.
Go Sox!
Posted by: LaPoint | August 16, 2008 4:32 AM
What in the world is a Manny? Just kidding guys - I do know, I just don't care.
Anyway, I just finished reading "Flying High Again" which depicts PARC's redevelopment of the Air Base property from base closure to present. It is a fabulous book that I think most of the Blogeteers would enjoy...it is a true trip down our infamous "memory lane." Wonderful pictures and commentary abound and I see interesting fodder for a future blog.
Hope all is well with everyone and you are enjoying the summer (between the rain drops!)
Always, miss d
Posted by: miss d | August 15, 2008 9:35 PM
Foxy; Manny does give the Dodgers a much needed power hitter! The problem with Manny is Manny! Did you see the look on Joe Torre's face and the coaches the other night when his entire team took the field minus Manny? No one knew where Manny had gone and finally Manny comes from out of the locker room to the dugout and picks up his glove and goes to the outfield. It makes for great team spirit! Maybe he was styling his hair or calling Poppy to get the score of Red Sox game! I don't know if the baggage he brings with him is worth Manny's hitting ability.
Posted by: Lenny Smallacombe | August 15, 2008 4:13 PM