"We still plan on being AL East champions," said Maddon, manager of, at that moment, an 0-6 baseball team.
That's how he felt, no matter his team's odious record, and no matter that slugger Manny Ramirez would not be joining them for the rest of the season. No matter at all.
Obviously inspired, the Rays scratched their way to victory for the first time in 2011, a rousing ninth-inning comeback against the Chicago White Sox. These guys would follow Maddon anywhere.
And Ramirez had about as much to do with this victory as he had the Rays' six losses. Not much.
In that sense, the post-Manny transition ought to be easy. It's like he was never here.
The idea seemed like a fun one for the dollar-conscious Rays; Cheaply bring in Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez, while trying to recapture some of the Boston Red Sox "Idiots" culture of bygone years.
A few months later, Damon is the only one still around and the only idiots left are those who thought Manny could help the Rays win even a game.
"I'm very shocked," said Damon, who could not possibly have been the least bit surprised that it turned out like this.
Rays brass could not have been surprised, either. GM Andrew Friedman is too good at his job to be surprised that Manny Ramirez would play in five games, get one hit and then hastily retire because of another positive drug test.
It was obvious that the Rays wanted publicity when they announced the signings of Damon and Ramirez. Only a cynic would have said that's all they were interested in. But that's what we're left with.
If the Rays had wanted to fill a gap with a bat, they would have signed Vladimir Guerrero when the opportunity came, and not just a goofy dread-locked story.
Imagine, wanting a DH who also could hit.
Don't be an idiot.
Stacy Keibler Rihanna America Ferrera Haylie Duff Talisa Soto
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