Manny Being Manny

I have had a pretty decent sized stack of Manny Ramirez cards next to my desk for quite sometime. I have been putting off this post for quite some time, but I have not had the time (or money) to buy any cards recently and I haven't done much trading as of late. So I guess it's time to clear out a small space next to my desk and get down to business. 

I rarely start out my posts with my favorite card, but I am bucking the trend today. This is by far the best Manny card I have in my possession. I don't know if this would unanimously be the best Manny rookie out there, but it is the best in my collection. I love it when players are smiling like this for some reason, especially a player like Manny. 

As I was looking through these cards yesterday, I realized that I never saw Manny in an Indians uniform. By the time I got interested in baseball (2001) Manny was already a member of the Boston Red Sox. Thanks to Evan (Uncle Charlie and the Public Enemy No. 1), I was able to add this sweet card of Manny in Indians garb. 

Manny may have started his illustrious career in Cleveland, but his most memorable seasons were spent in Boston as a member of the Red Sox. You can see one the earliest Manny cards I pulled back in 2005 above. I have mentioned this before, but I bought baseball cards off and on in 2004-2005, but most of my cards from those days are either gone or damaged due to how I stored them. This sweet Cracker Jack card isn't in the best shape, but was definitely worth a scan. 

Manny is most memorable to me as the Dodgers left fielder, but his most noteworthy cards come from his time in Boston. Take this awesome card designed like a magazine cover for example. I wish there were more cards like this produced today.

I know some people out there aren't very big fans of sketch cards, but I love them. The players don't always look spot on, but at least we won't see the same picture in every Topps release the rest of the year. 

The best years of Manny's career came with the Red Sox, but the best half season came with the Dodgers in 2008. In 53 games with the Dodgers, Manny hit .396/.489/.743 with 17 homers. It actually got him into the MVP discussion if I recall, but my memory is not all that great. 

However, Manny was suspended in the 2009 season for PEDs, but I don't need remind you of that. PEDs in baseball can create quite a stir, so I try my best to avoid the conversation. I personally don't have a big deal with PED users from the past, but now that it is outlawed I don't like seeing players get caught. I actually just wrote a 7 page paper on PEDs and the Hall of Fame for my English class, and not to brag, but I got a 100%. :)

Manny's career quickly went downhill after the whole PED fiasco, and he last appeared in a major league game with the Rays in 2011. I am not an expert, but this may be Manny's "sunset" card. But I will have to refer to Nick (Dime Boxes) to know for sure. He seems to be quite the card expert around these parts.

When it is all said and done, I have 33 different Manny cards in my collection. My next step is to inventory them and stick them in a binder along with my other tertiary guys. I have 2 more tertiary guys to highlight, but my I have so few cards from both that it may be awhile before I get around to it. 

If you have any extra Manny cards laying around, let me know. If you happen to have any Manny autos/relics laying around, all the better.