What does Manny Ramirez, an eight-track tape and a penny have in common? They’re all worth about the same amount - valueless.

The Dodgers offered Manny $25 million for one more year. What would they get in return? A homerun-hitting cry-baby who throws tantrums in the dugout, walks at his own pace on the field and shoots his mouth off as he pleases. His baseball cards aren’t even worth .25 cents!

He teaches nothing to youngsters about the way the game should be played, and athleticism displayed. His work ethics, sloppy fielding and attitude are a disgrace to the game of baseball.

Is the hitter worth the dough? Manny seems to think he’s worth much more. I would take a young hard-working hitter and fielder over Ramirez any day. In the early days of baseball, young men played the game for the sport of it.

Here’s what I would offer him - the pennies in my desk - both of them. And, only if he can keep his mouth shut around his teammates. After the season is over, if he played hard, like a real pro athlete, he may receive a bonus - the nickel I found in the parking lot!

So, like crabgrass in my yard, he’s gotta go. The Red Sox were smart enough to send him off to the other side of the country last year. Maybe the next team to make the monitary mistake of signing him, will be even further away.

-Bob Hammerstrom

Tags: Baseball, Dodgers, hitter, homerun, Los Angeles, Manny, MLB, outfielder, pro, Ramirez, team