Not a stand-up guy?

Those calling this a “sad day” because Manny Ramirez has been exposed as a doper are flat wrong. This is a wonderful day! A drug cheat has been exposed and, at least temporarily, removed from the game. Every time a doper is caught, it is a good day.

A sad day will be when he comes back in July and Dodgers fans rise to their feet and applaud.

Michael J. Kenney

Chatsworth

If Manny keeps playing with the team this season, anything the Dodgers win is tainted and should not be listed alongside those championships earned by the likes of Robinson, Campanella, Snider, Koufax, Drysdale, Garvey, Cey, Gibson, Hershiser, et al. To protect the integrity and reputation of this great organization, the Dodgers should cut Manny now, even if it costs them $20 million next season, and demonstrate they have no tolerance for those who break the rules.

Let me put it this way: Do you think Walter or Peter O’Malley would tolerate a player sullying the reputation of the Dodgers just to win the pennant?

Brian Greene

Monrovia

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“Oh Manny” (with apologies to Barry Manilow):

“Oh Manny, Well you came and you gave but were taking, Now they sent you away, Oh, Manny . . . “

Ed Lodgen

Los Angeles

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This wasn’t due to Manny being Manny, but rather Manny being Barry, Manny being Roger or Manny being Sammy.

Rich Sperber

Woodland Hills

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Hint for Mr. McCourt:

Please change Manny’s number to 86. You can take it from there.

David Pepper

Malibu

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OK, who ranks as the biggest suckers:

(a) the ones who laid out $50 to watch a grand total of four minutes of Pacquiao/Hatton.

(b) those who bought Galaxy season tickets to adore David Beckham, or

(c) the ones who just bought season tickets in “Mannywood”?

If you ask me, it’s too close to call.

Gordon Morris

Glendale

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Two things that are inconceivable:

1) Manny didn’t know it.

2) He’d admit it.

Richard De Santis Jr.

Tarzana

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After all the years of mocking Barry Bonds for alleged steroid use, Dodgers fans should give the same treatment to a left fielder who actually failed a drug test.

Mike Beever

Long Beach

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Manny tested positive and will return July 3. He has assumed responsibility and, like anyone, deserves the “benefit of the doubt” until he is fully heard.

He has no history of steroids that we are aware of, which brings added weight to the argument put to Major League Baseball that the results of the drug testing of the 103 players that included A-Rod need to be released, now!

MLB has a major credibility issue. It’s time to come clean with all the evidence, if we, the fans and baseball itself, are ever going to get past the steroid era.

Duane Mitchell

Escondido

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In the current economy, there are a lot of employers forcing workers to take unpaid time off to save some money.

But $7.7 million? Now that’s a stimulus package.

Eddie Padilla

Hacienda Heights

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For the millions spent on Manny Ramirez’s contract, Frank McCourt could have provided excellent shuttle bus service from Union Station.

Patrick Bailey

San Diego

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Since Manny was banished for taking a female fertility drug, will the players’ union demand that the slugger be paid while taking maternity leave?

Skip Usen

Santa Monica

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Somehow I think T.J. Simers would have written a much different article were Gary Matthews suspended for 50 games. Come on, T.J., let’s judge everyone on an even playing field and not just be an apologist to the athletes who suck up to you.

Tim Hoff

Huntington Beach

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In response to Bill Plaschke’s article about Manny Ramirez, all I am going to say is “stop.” You have to “stop” being so negative, “stop” changing your mind on every topic about L.A. sports teams and “stop” ripping Manny. Sure, he made a mistake, but he is the best thing that has happened to Dodgers baseball since Dennis Eckersley served up Gibson’s miracle over 20 years ago.

Is there a way to give Plaschke a 50-article ban? If so, please implement it yesterday.

Jonathan Braun

Los Angeles

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Joe Torre’s news conference about Manny’s admitted drug use would have been comedic if not so pathetic. His feigned shock at this revelation is reminiscent of Captain Renault’s righteous indignation when he learned of gambling at Rick’s Cafe in “Casablanca.”

Mark S. Roth

Los Angeles

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During his suspension, Manny’s numbers will still improve -- his testosterone level and sperm count will go up.

Jordan Austin

Port Hueneme

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I’m still trying to rationalize my feelings on the whole Manny fiasco. It is a terrible moment not only for the Dodgers, but for all of baseball. But please, for the love of God, do not portray Jose Canseco as some sort of vigilante for the game of baseball.

Canseco didn’t get the ball rolling on baseball’s cleanup, he’s the one who welcomed the steroid era to baseball with open (chemically altered) arms.

Keith Collins

Astoria, N.Y.

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Now that Manny’s syringe has officially punctured the tape-measure home run bubble of the last 15 years, can our sports columnists and Hall of Fame voters finally pull their collective heads out of the sand and start showing some long-overdue appreciation for the accomplishments of the clean players from a generation ago, like Steve Garvey, Andre Dawson, Dale Murphy, etc.?

Jim Patton

Manhattan Beach

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Does Ramirez’s suspension mean that an asterisk will be appended to the Dodgers’ record for consecutive home wins at the beginning of a season?

Ralph Shaffer

Pomona

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Red Sox fans must empathize with Dodger fans. For the next 50 games, we will get about the same production from Manny as they are getting out of David Ortiz.

John Thompson

Chino

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By the way, how much are “Pierrewood” seats, anyway?

Jeffrey A. Friedman

Sherman Oaks