‘ ‘ ‘ Everyone needs to let go of the whole Manny thing. ‘ ‘ ‘ Manny Ramirez is the wacky and… ‘ ‘ ‘ Everyone needs to let go of the whole Manny thing. ‘ ‘ ‘ Manny Ramirez is the wacky and polarizing outfielder responsible for the majority of baseball’s stretch-run and post-season drama since the Boston Red Sox traded him to the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 31. ‘ ‘ ‘ Manny is one of history’s most prolific hitters and repeatedly put up monster numbers with Boston since 2001, but he certainly wore out his welcome there over the last several years. He’s been accused of not playing hard (not playing, even), arguing with teammates, not respecting the game and just general disruption and delinquency in the Red Sox locker room, all of which has seemed to be valid. ‘ ‘ ‘ And now, because Manny is raking again after a fresh start in L.A., it’s apparently remarkable? ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘It’s extraordinary,’ said Tim McCarver, the Fox broadcaster who will call the World Series, to the Philadelphia Inquirer. ‘ ‘ ‘ Is it? Manny’s numbers are better since joining the Dodgers ‘- .397 batting average, .489 on-base percentage, 17 home runs and 53 RBIs, as opposed to hitting .347 with a .473 OBP in his last month with Boston ‘- but so were Terrell Owens’ when he joined the Cowboys after his conflict with the Eagles. So were Randy Moss’ when he joined the Patriots from the Raiders. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘[In] every sport, there have been people who have held organizations hostage, whether it be Terrell Owens or Randy Moss or Manny Ramirez,’ added McCarver in the Inquirer. ‘ ‘ ‘ Exactly. There are eccentric and controversial personalities in every sport with money-hungry agents in their ears, and they’re not going to bow to management, even to a sacred organization like the Red Sox. They’re going to want theirs, and they deserve it. ‘ ‘ ‘ It shouldn’t be a surprise that Manny is killing the ball in Dodger blue. Look at Owens and Moss: The media and fans lashed both of them for their previous actions, but the two are now touted as the best at their job. It will be no different with Manny a year from now. ‘ ‘ ‘ But for now: – The Associated Press reported yesterday that a woman was charged with stalking the Lakers’ Luke Walton. According to the story, Walton said the woman ‘waited outside his home numerous times and wrote on his car with marker after he refused to sign an autograph.’ Walton later said he felt sorry for the woman, adding that he could tell that she wasn’t ‘all there in the head.’ I’ll say. Who wants Luke Walton’s autograph? – Barry Bonds made a rare public appearance in San Francisco the other day. Many initially confused it with a parade but later realized that the float was just Bonds’ head. – OK, I made that last one up. However, during our trip to Las Vegas this past June, my friend Andy, after failing to slip by the club bouncers in The Palms wearing tennis shoes, figured he’d gamble away his loneliness at the blackjack tables … only to find himself sitting at the table across from Barry Bonds himself (I have to trust him that this actually happened). He described his head as ‘decent-sized.’ – Michael Phelps did actually get a parade upon returning to Baltimore. I bet it was way bigger than Mark Spitz’s parade. – Heisman Trophy dark horse: Mitch Mustain. – Sports movie quote trivia question of the day: ‘Hats for bats. Keep bats warm.’ – The American Mustache Institute is holding the inaugural edition of The Robert Goulet Memorial Mustached American of the Year. You ca ‘- what? No, I’m serious. You can vote, but nobody nominated Dave Wannstedt, probably because they wanted a fair competition. – Oklahoma-Texas? LSU-Florida? I’m not going to leave my house on Saturday. – Steve Pede: Dog Whisperer. – Each clutch Jason Bay rakes for the Red Sox stings my eyes. And my heart. – Anyone who logged on to CNN.com during last night’s presidential debate might have seen this headline about a certain former president: ‘Ticker: Neither candidate showing ‘Clinton touch.” – Sports movie quote trivia answer of the day: Why, Pedro Cerrano in ‘Major League,’ of course. E-mail Pat at [email protected].