Manny gets busted

Well here we go again. Another potential hall of famer busted for a banned substance under the major league's drug policy that was implemented by baseball in 2004. In this case, it's the beloved Manny Ramirez, who dodger fans love and admire, but it's just another black cloud for baseball.

Manny tested positive for HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin). HCG is just one of dozens of substances that is prohibited under baseball's drug policy. HCG is also known to be used by steroids users to rebuild their testosterone levels, and people within the league also say that it's known to be taken by steroid users after they are done with the steroid cycle.

I think before we jump the gun on Manny. I think everybody from fans and people within baseball should forgive Manny. He has already said that he made a mistake and he's shown complete responsibility for his actions. That is not to say that it is all okay and done with, but it will be the first step in getting back on track and getting back to baseball, and also being able to rejoin his teammates.

Ramirez will be eligible to return on July 3rd. He has disappointed a lot of people, especially the Dodgers front office who invested 45 million dollars on him and 25 million dollars this year alone. Since he did get into this situation he will lose a little over 7 million dollars due to a contract clause.

Manny let down a lot of people here in L.A. and has a lot of apologies to make, first and foremost to his teammates. Manny is really popular in the dodgers clubhouse. Frank McCourt (Dodgers owner) has already met with Manny on the issue and has demanded he meet and apologize in front of his teammates.

Not to mention all the fans all over baseball, but all the dodger fans that absolutely go nuts when he's out there.

To make matters worse, the dodgers just started a promotion that is called "Mannywood". The package includes two box seats by the left field foul pole and two ticket vouchers for "Mannywood" t-shirts available at the stadium. The whole package cost $99, the number wore by Manny. That package has now switched to the "Dodgertown, California 90090" package. You get the same deal but instead of the "Mannywood" t-shirts you get two blue shirts with the Dodgertown zip code 90090 across the front of the shirt. That is not what the dodger fans want.

They want to see Manny.

I think what you're going to see when he comes back is similar to what we saw with Barry Bonds. He will get heckled by opposing fans of course, but I think dodger fans will support him all the way.

I think dodger fans will re-act similar to how Giants fans supported Barry Bonds during his scandal with steroids. It's just so fitting how Dodger fans for years, gave Barry Bonds and the Giant's fans such a hard time regarding the whole steroids issue and now the tables have turned.

As we know the Dodgers vs. giants is one of baseball's most heated rivalries. I for one will support Manny when he comes back and I hope all dodger fans do too. Manny is one of the most lovable players in baseball but I'm not so sure he is now. "Manny being Manny" is not so cute anymore and is not being tolerated by anybody, but he will have a chance to win his fans back by playing the game the way it should be played.