Could Former Red Sox Great Manny Ramirez Play Ball in New England Again?
Manny Being Manny
For the eight years that Manny Ramirez was in Boston as a member of the Red Sox, other than hitting the crap out of the ball and becoming an easy fan favorite because he helped the team win (including two World Series titles in 2004 and 2007), he was also loved because he could be so unorthodox.
Name another player who, mid-inning during a mound visit, would step into the Green Monster to go to the bathroom and walk out just as a pitch was being delivered? Red Sox Nation just chalked that and things like it up to "Manny being Manny."
Does Manny still have "it?"
In a recent video posted by MLB Insider Hector Gomez, Manny was recently in a batting cage taking some hacks, crushing balls off a tee. According to Hector, Manny believes he still has what it takes to play ball.
And that's when Maine news anchor with Channel 8 WMTW, Terry Stackhouse, came up with an idea that could lead to us seeing Manny play ball in New England this summer, mentioning in a tweet that Manny would be a perfect fit for the Savannah Bananas.
There’s a place for Manny. The @TheSavBananas have proven such a successful model of competitive / entertainment baseball. They could expand and use guys like this in cameo spots. Imagine Manny playing when they’re at Hadlock this summer…
Savannah Bananas in Maine
Like Terry mentioned, the Savannah Bananas (think Harlem Globetrotters, but for baseball) will be coming to Maine this summer, playing two games at Hadlock Field on Friday, August 18 and Saturday, August 19.
There's no direct link to buy tickets for either game yet, but you can sign up to be put on the waiting list to access tickets on the official Savannah Bananas website. The good thing? Once they're on sale, tickets will only be $25 with no hidden fees or tax.
And since they've not only had former MLB players appear, but former members of the Red Sox specifically, will the Bananas take Terry Stackhouse's advice and open up a cameo spot to Manny or someone else like "Big Papi" David Ortiz?
Or maybe both!