15,000+ people showed up to watch Manny Ramirez play a tune-up game with the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes. Manny went 0-2 in the game, but the folks didn’t seem to care. They were just tickled to see Manny who will soon be reinstated to the Dodgers, having served his 50 game suspension for taking performance enhancing drugs.
I don’t blame the fans for being geeked – it ain’t every day you can see a player of Manny’s caliber go through the motions for what it costs to get into a minor league baseball game. It also ain’t every day you can see a guy who is supposedly suspended go 0-2, unless you’re watching him play a video game.
I personally had no idea it was within the rules for a guy to get tune-up at-bats in an actual minor league game ahead of being reinstated. I had this funny idea in my head – no clue where it came from – that being suspended meant, you know, you were suspended. You learn something every day, I guess.
Tags: albuquerque isotopes, los angeles dodgers, manny ramirez
