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MLB

Notes From the Clubhouse: Manny's Quest for a Gold Glove Continues

Posted May 14, 2008 7:32PM By Andrew Johnson (RSS feed)

Filed Under: Boston, Red Sox, AL East, The Word

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Our MLB editor provides weekly dispatches from major league games in Notes From the Clubhouse.

Just when you think Manny Ramirez can't do something any more bizarre then, oh I don't know, relieving himself in the Green Monster or cutting off a throw from Johnny Damon in left field, he goes and proves everyone wrong. The Red Sox fell to Baltimore today, wrapping up an ugly 4-6 road trip, but it was Ramirez who provided the unforgettable memory, and it had nothing to do with his ongoing chase for 500 home runs.

Ramirez went back on a sharp line drive by Kevin Millar in the third inning and made a running catch in the gap. Then the fun began. In full stride, Ramirez leaped against the left field wall, high-fived a fan in the stands and then twirled and fired the ball back to Dustin Pedroia, who relayed the ball to first to double off Aubrey Huff. Too hard to follow? Watch the video evidence here.

I caught up with Ramirez after the game to ask him about his catch. "I just got a bad jump, but I never give up and I got there," he said of the grab. When another reporter pressed him on the high five Ramirez explained "it's something that came out."

Ever the showman, Manny joked (or at least I think he was joking) about the play. "It was fun. I love it. I think, you know, that's how you get your All-Star vote. I'm pretty sure that guy's gonna vote for me," said Ramirez. "It's one at a time, you know. Get your votes one at a time."

Manny's newest teammate, Jonathan Van Every, who joined the team hours before the game was amazed by the catch-cum-high-five. "That was great entertainment," said a smiling Van Every. Acting manager Brad Mills is in his fourth season with Ramirez and he's still flabbergasted by the slugger. "Manny, you just see something new all the time," said Mills. "I think someone in the dugout said 'I've seen it all now.'"

As for Ramirez, he's stated he wants to win a Gold Glove this year, but even after his sparkling play Wednesday he's not too optimistic about his chances. "I don't know," said Manny of his Gold Glove hopes. "Tito's [Terry Francona] got me playing eight innings. I'm never going to win one playing eight innings."

Ramirez, of course, is often pulled late in games the Red Sox are leading for a better defender -- usually either Coco Crisp or Jacoby Ellsbury.

Tags: aubrey+huff, AubreyHuff, coco+crisp, CocoCrisp, dustin+pedroia, DustinPedroia, jacoby+ellsbury, JacobyEllsbury, johnny+damon, JohnnyDamon, jonathan+van+every, JonathanVanEvery, kevin+millar, KevinMillar, manny+ramirez, MannyRamirez, notes+from+the+clubhouse, NotesFromTheClubhouse, terry+francona, TerryFrancona

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