Joe Says "No" To Manny Playing In The All-Star Game

Suspended LA Dodger Manny Ramirez should skip the 2009 Major League All-Star if he voted in by fans, Dodger manager Joe Torre said.

When asked if Manny should play in the July 14th spectacular Joe Torre said "No". "I think if you asked Manny, he'd give you the same answer."

Manny Ramirez is currently serving a 50-game suspension for violating baseball's drug policy but is currently fourth among outfielders in the All-Star voting. Ramirez has received over 450,000 votes and is about 35,000 votes behing Mets' Carlos Beltran for the third starting spot for the game in St. Louis on July 14.

Ramirez hit .348 with six home runs and 20 RBIs in 27 games before he was suspended May 7. He is set to return to the Dodgers on July 3.

"To me, I think the significance of the All-Star Game is to reward players who have a good first half," Torre said. "We don't always do that, because it's a popularity vote, for the most part. If you want to include the fans, that's how it's got to be."

First of all the voting of Major League Baseball All Stars needs to be taken out of the hands of the fans to remove the favoritism and popularity vote. Gvie it back to the coaches and players to decide.

And even more important, MLB must act, and act now - to prohibit any player, suspended in the second half of the previous season or first half of the current season, from participating in the All-Star Game - no exceptions! Otherwise, what kind of message is MLB sending?

MannyWood To MannyHood

Manny Ramirez, the star slugging outfielder for the LA Dodgers will still be spending his time on the coast, just not the West Coast. After being suspended 50 games by Major League Baseball for failing a drug test, Manny will be holed-up in his home in southern Florida.

Manny disappeared from sight on May 7 immediately after discovering he had failed the MLB drug test. He learned of the failed test during a Dodgers game and asked manager Joe Torre to take him out for personal reasons. For nearly a week Manny did not address his manager or teammates. He did however, meet twice with Dodgers owner Frank McCourt last weekend. McCourt encouraged Ramirez to apologize to teammates "eyeball to eyeball."

Manny Ramirez took McCourt's advice and met with his Dodger teammates at their waterfront hotel on Friday before the team opened a three-game series against the Florida Marlins. The meeting was brief, no more than 10 minutes. Manny hugged his teammates and coaches and said "I'm sorry".

According to sources familiar with the details of the suspension, Ramirez used the female fertility drug HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin). HCG is popular among steroid users because it can mitigate the side effects of ending a cycle of the drugs.
Ramirez denies he took steroids and said he was given medication by a doctor that contained a banned substance - Whatever!

Manny is expected to remain in South Florida for the duration of his suspension but will continue to workout. It's plainly obvious that Manny is ashamed and embarrassed over the whole thing.

Ways To Make Attending A 2009 MLB Game Affordable

The economic climate in America has everyone worried. In times like this, entertainment is the first thing that families will cut in order to save money. So what kind of attendance can Major League Baseball expect in the 2009 Major League Baseball season?

MLB is confronted with two major issues as we approach the 2009 MLB season. A bad economy and the "steroids in baseball" issue raising its ugly head again. But realistically, regardless of the steroids issue, families are just not going to come out to the ballpark like they have in previous years.

If you do plan on attending a major league baseball game in 2009, here are a few tips for doing it cheaply:

1. Check out your teams web page and search for discount ticket days. Most teams run some type of family day, half price ticket day, reduced hot dog day, anything. Search the promotion section and plan your day at the park around one of these days. The first way to save money is by taking advantage of lower tickets.

2. Bring your own snacks because food at ballparks can be very expensive. If you can eliminate the cost of food, your overall cost can be reduced by a large percentage. Check your team's website to see what the rules are for bringing in food to the stadium. You may want to bring some sandwiches and eat them in the parking lot before the game - make it a tailgating episode.
3. Parking is another large cost. For most ballparks there is parking very near the stadium, but you will pay for it. If you have young kids, it might be worth paying the price, but if your kids are older find an alternative. The further away you go from the stadium the cheaper. One option is to park in a parking garage away from the stadium and hop a bus. Or take public transportation from your home, eliminating parking cost altogether.

4. Limit the number of souvenirs you purchase. If your kids want a jersey, buy that prior to the game. Convince them this way they can wear it to the game. Also, if you know months in advance you are going to the game, have your kids earn money by doing chores. This money then can be used for any purchases they may want. This will limit the amount spent and make them feel proud of their purchase and accomplishment.

5. Limit the number of alcoholic beverages. At $7 - $10, beer is probably the bigger cost at the game.

6. One of the best ways to make a major league game affordable is to see the minor league affiliates. Prices for tickets can be had for as little as $10 for a really good seat. And the minor league baseball parks cater to the family. They will stage events that entertain the kids and the mascots are always interacting with the crowd. If you go early enough, the players are more than happy to sign autographs for the kids. And there is always a minor league ball club close to home.

So even though it is a tough year economically, you can still enjoy the national past time. To make it even more fun for you and the kids keep score at the baseball game - the memories of that day will be priceless.

source: ehow.com, howtoscorebaseball.info, bestbaseballebooks.com