Ode to joy: Manny’s back

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Having Manny Ramirez back in a Dodgers uniform probably has made most L.A. fans pretty happy. Certainly watching him this morning at the team’s new spring training facility in Arizona was fun -- he was laughing, had others laughing, and that says a lot.

LAT’s Dylan Hernandez reports that there were more people watching the Dodgers’ pregame workout today in Arizona than on any other day. There clearly were more members of the media.

But I feel for those poor Red Sox fans who keep sniping at him for what he did to their beloved team before escaping to the Dodgers last summer. Although the ending in Boston was indeed disastrous, they conveniently forget he helped bring them two world championships. Before Manny Ramirez, they had zero.

Spring training should be synonymous with joy and hope. And that is what Ramirez brings. Oh, and he brings a big bat. I’ve said it before: He is the kind of hitter who gets me to drop everything just to watch at bat. There aren’t many who do. Welcome back, Manny.

-- Debbie Goffa