Manny is going to be such a Fenway favourite just for offering to defer his salary for the Sox to keep Pedro. I know, it’s only a deferment, but it’s still a generous offer. At this rate he’ll approach Fisk/Yaz levels of Fen-love. You know, in between his website, his newfound willingness to talk to the media (and the quite-endearing humility he shows), his running out bases hard (okay, we’ll let occasional brain freezes go), Manny is doing everything perfectly. What happened? How does a guy get put on waivers, almost get traded away, and come back not just all right but a seemingly truly happy camper?? Maybe he just can’t hold a grudge. Maybe in the magic run of last October, for the first time since he’s been in Boston, he’s realised how great a baseball town Boston in the postseason can be. (I remember that night in 1999 when Pedro stepped to the mound in the ALDS and no-hit the Indians. I don’t remember a city ever feeling so electric.)
Or maybe Johnny Damon taught him to turn the other cheek. Lord knows, but I’ll take it. Now, if only we knew why he stopped hitting once Daubach got slotted behind him in #5… oh, for the lineup of Damon-Mueller-Nomar-Manny-Ortiz-Trot-Tek-Millar-Bellhorn.
And Bernie Williams’ statement on Pedro, “I think he would want an opportunity to play for a team that wins”, just sounds so snide that I’m now glad he’s in decline.