If there is anything in the baseball world that is so obviously wrong, it has been Hanley Ramirez’s first three months in left field for the Boston Red Sox. For those unimaginative Red Sox fans out there still growling over the reality that the team probably isn’t winning the World Series, the only thing left to say is, Why so serious?
There is a growing contingent of observers (we’d estimate roughly 90% of the media; maybe 25% of fans) proving to be dead inside, who want to take it all away from us. They want to kill the laughter – they want HanRam and his bulky contract gone. They want the Red Sox to swallow a chunk of the deal and essentially pay one of the most entertaining players in baseball to DH for some other club. They say, “Cut bait now or pay the price later! He’s a clubhouse chemistry nightmare!”
They are what is wrong with modern professional sporting culture. If this is what this team is going to be, why not keep letting HanRam do what he does? Keep him where he is, in this awkward angular space, creating offense with his glove, teaching us all the joy of laughter during a season otherwise destined to be wrought with despair.
Fenway Pastoral 