Manny Ramirez – 3rd year on ballot (22.0% in 2018)
it is probably a good think that Manny Ramirez could hit a baseball. One has to wonder what he would have done otherwise.
He was always an adventure. From disappearing at the start of an inning because he was using the bathroom in the Fenway scoreboard, to cutting off a Johnny Damon throw in the outfield, to getting into a fight with a clubhouse attendant, Manny was Manny. One had to take the good with the bad when it came to his time on the field.
When he was on, few players were as good with the bat as Ramirez. A 12 time All Star and nine time Silver Slugger, he produced a .312/.411/.585 batting line, hitting 555 homers and 547 doubles. One of the great run producers in the history of the game, Ramirez had 1831 RBI, 19th most in MLB history.
The problem with Ramirez is that he was suspended for PED usage twice. The first time came during his time with the Dodgers in 2009, and the second one, with the Rays in 2011, ended his major league career. Although he bounced through three different organizations in the minors, and even had a stint in the Chinese Professional Baseball League, Ramirez did not return to the majors after his “retirement” in the wake of his second PED suspension. He also was arrested for domestic assault, giving Ramirez the triumvirate of being a difficult figure in the locker room, PED suspensions, and domestic violence.
Based on the numbers, Manny Ramirez is a Hall of Famer. Based on his character, he is not. Right now, the character clause is winning out.