Terry Francona, David Ortiz Fondly Recall Manny Ramirez’ Heyday in Boston

BOSTON — Speculation has run rampant as to how Manny Ramirez will be received when he returns to Fenway Park on Friday night, his first appearance here since he was shipped away at the 2008 trading deadline.

Those who were alongside him while he established himself as one of the greatest offensive players in Red Sox history have chosen to leave that to the fans, who will be judge and jury for a guy who was so successful, yet so polarizing, in his seven-plus years with Boston. But they are not shy about offering up their own take on what Ramirez meant to the franchise.

"I think people gotta keep in mind, we’re talking about a guy that had a lot to do with two World Series that we won here in the first place," said David Ortiz, so closely linked with Ramirez through those years as the two halves of one of the most fearsome offensive duos in baseball history. "This organization has had tons of players coming through the years and so long as this organization wants to win a World Series, having a guy like Manny. … He deserves a lot of respect for doing what he did."

What Ramirez did between 2001 and 2008 with the Red Sox was hit .312 with 274 homers, plus earn one batting title, one home run crown and eight All-Star appearances, all while mystifying onlookers with an array of illogical acts both on and off the field.

The oddities often overshadow the remarkable production, from the Green Monster bathroom break to the high-five of an unsuspecting fan in Baltimore to the never-ending excuses for late arrivals in Fort Myers to the mysterious injuries that Ramirez himself couldn’t keep straight when talking to the media.

"A lot happened," Sox manager Terry Francona said, before he, like Ortiz, chose to talk about the on-field production. "He did some remarkable things on the field. Sometimes, especially early, there were times when he would make an out and I’d sit here and think, how did he do that? How’d he make an out?

"He was so good and so dangerous that sometimes when he made an out you’re like, that shouldn’t have happened. That’s not fair, but that’s how good he was."

That’s not to say Francona was unaware of the antics. He said that the July 2004 night that Ramirez cut off Johnny Damon’s throw into the infield, allowing Baltimore’s David Newhan to race around for an inside-the-park homer, was perhaps the only time he could laugh after a tough loss.

"I remember that night on SportsCenter, they were all laughing and it was hard not to laugh," Francona said. "I mean, he was so proud of himself. He left his feet and made a great play."

Ortiz had a different memory when asked what came to mind when he thought of Ramirez. It was during the 2007 American League Championship Series, when Ramirez, after being asked about a 3-1 deficit to the Cleveland Indians, uttered these infamous words:

"It doesn’t happen, so who cares? There’s always next year. It’s not like it’s the end of the world."

Many took the line as an indication of an aloof individual who did not care for the feverish fan base that was itching for another title, not to mention his teammates giving their all. Others, including Ortiz, took Ramirez’s words as a cue — play relaxed, have fun and maybe it will all work out in the end.

When Boston rallied to win the series in seven games and then swept Colorado in the World Series, the Ramirez legend — the good part of it — only grew.

"It just tells you," Ortiz said, "there’s no way you can put pressure on the guy."

Ortiz said that he learned from that ability Ramirez had to not let too much get to him. He also admired the way Ramirez worked every day to become a better player, even if his wackiness made that seem hard to imagine.

"He can turn things around in an organization and the way he works, his work ethic is very impressive," Ortiz added. "People don’t get to know too much about that but if you look around and see the way he put himself together to play the game, it’s amazing. … He’s one of the best in the game not just because it’s just a gift that he got from God; it’s something that he earned on his own."

So, too, will be whatever reaction Ramirez gets on Friday.