HOW WILL HE BE REMEMBERED?

The whole "Manny Being Manny" universe came crashing down this past weekend. Manny Ramirez and his yearly antics, all of which are viewed at various times as cute, annoying, funny and infuriating have finally gotten the best of Red Sox management. Now, barring an unlikely trade by Thursday afternoon we are looking at the final few months of Ramirez in a Red Sox uniform. And what happens in that short span of time will play a major role in how Ramirez is remembered in Red Sox Nation.

We are all aware of the events that took place this weekend. As well as the numerous incidents with Manny in the past few months. He took a swipe at a teammate, pushed an elderly Red Sox employee to the ground and called into question the honesty of the Red Sox front office in connection with his contract status. As a result both sides have more or less declared that their relationship is about to come to an end. It appears to be a certain fact that Ramirez will become a free agent at the end of the season and leave Boston on the first plane out after the last out of the season is recorded.

All that remains is when that last out is recorded and if Ramirez will honor his contract and teammates by playing the season out at full throttle. The answer to the last part of that question will go a long way in determining how Red Sox Nation will remember Manny heading into the future. And the key fact to remember is Ramirez completely controls the outcome. If he shows up to play each game and works as hard as he can to help Boston try and repeat as World Series Champions his legacy in Boston will remain largely positive. Anything less and his status in the eyes of the fans will take a significant drop.

While that may seem to be a harsh assessment of a player who has played a major role in helping Boston earn two World Series titles you have to look closely at what has taken place with Manny since he arrived in Boston in 2001 after singing an eye popping free agent contract.

You first have to look at the incredible numbers he posted. He was the picture of what everyone wanted in a hitter. He hit for average and power while driving runs in at an alarming pace. Ramirez is a perennial All-Star and earned a WS MVP Award. He consistently was among the most feared hitters of his generation and as a result cemented his place as a future Hall of Famer. Secondly, Ramirez at times looked to be having more fun than any other player in baseball. He was fun loving with his teammates and he clowned in the field much to the delight of the Red Sox fans.

But his ride in Boston has been far from smooth. After signing with the Red Sox Ramirez reportedly tried to investigate some way he could return to Cleveland. He was moody and unresponsive to the media in a town where the spotlight shines bright. Twice Ramirez asked to be traded. There were numerous mystery injuries that took him out of the lineup and more than a few moments where he seemingly was not putting his best foot forward. In 2006, Ramirez took himself out of the lineup with over a month to play for an injury the club felt he could play through. And this all happened long before the most recent round of "Manny Being Manny" moments.

Arguments as to who or what party was at fault constantly raged when it came to Ramirez' more unflattering moments. Was the media to hard on him? Were they jealous of his superstar contract and status? Was the Red Sox front office leaking false information about the severity of his injuries to the press? Was Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein plotting to paint Ramirez in a negative light and trying to run the superstar out of town? There are more than a few other theories on the subject as well.

But none of that matters presently. Ramirez has more baseball to be played in a Boston uniform. Everyone understands that Manny will be gone once the season concludes. It's what happens in that time span that will determine if Ramirez is fondly remembered for his efforts or cast as just another superstar that could never be happy no matter the size of his paycheck or how he views the level of respect being paid to him. It's a fairly simple solution one hopes Ramirez can see. If Manny shows up for each remaining game and plays as hard as he can to help the Red Sox chase a second consecutive WS title his legacy will remain positive. Anything short of that and the memory of Ramirez in a Boston uniform will always require a look at both sides of the coin.