One the greatest right-handed hitters of all time retired on Friday afternoon. Manny Ramirez goes riding off into the sunset after a career spent lighting up the scoreboard.
But it was also a career mired in controversy. After serving as one of the cornerstones of the team that finally brought a championship back to Boston in 2004, and then brought another in 2007, it was revealed to all the world that Manny had tested positive for steroids back in 2003, then did it again in 2009.
And Manny truly goes down in a blaze of glory: it has been revealed that Manny retired on Friday in lieu of going through a painful suspension and appeal process in conjunction with a second positive steroids test, one which would have resulted in a 100 game suspension.
In his final act, Manny makes it impossible for us to love, or pretend to think that steroids did not play a significant role in his career.
Let’s take a look at the 25 greatest right handed hitters of all time, a list that Manny makes, steroids or no.
Unfortunately, I do not think the Hall of Fame will be so forgiving.