I'm Calling It

Time to give Manny Ramirez the boot. Today it was announced that the Dodgers' slugger had tested positive for the second time this calendar year for "performance enhancing drugs" and has been suspended for 50 games starting today. Ramirez chose not to appeal, so he will sit out until July 3rd and lose nearly $8 million of his $25 million contract. But here's the thing: this does nothing more or less than re-taint the game of baseball for all players in the eyes of the fan base. After the issues with Rafael Palmiero of the Orioles back in the day, followed by the smarmy Jose Canseco putting a big black eye on the sport, and with the unquestionable questionability of Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Alex Rodriguez, and not this, baseball's in for a big hurtin'. Commissioner Bud Selig has been trying to do some good with getting drugs out of baseball, but ultimately it's the players and their managers who need to be held accountable. Manny's suspension is only the first step. He needs to be made an example of; banned from baseball for a year or two at least. I'd also call for the resignation of Dodgers' Manager Joe Torre, too. First A-Rod under his tenure, now Manny? Come on folks, I think it would be hard for the manager NOT to know what's up. All we can hope is that players wise up. You can't expect to be paid millions of dollars and not be held accountable for your poor decisions. Why do something like this so monumentally stupid as to affect your entire career, pre-suspension and post-suspension? The world may never know, but it has got to stop.