The Manny Ramirez All-Star Debate – Selig is no Goodell, Manny is no Merriman

June 2, 2009

(Site note: Look to the bottom of this post to find links to the other opinions and intro to this debate).

I have many qualms with Bleacher Fan’s rebuttal, just as I predicted I would. Let’s address them.

His comments regarding Shawn Merriman are useless in this case. You can’t compare the NFL to MLB and you sure can’t compareRoger Goodell and Bud Selig! There are different rules, different standards, and different procedures.

Last year is last year, Bleacher Fan. It has no relevance on this year’s All-Star game, per se. Mike Cameron was suspended last year, but not this year. His 2008 suspension does not impact the 2009 season. It’s the same with Manny. His 2009 suspension will not impact the 2010 season.

It is true that there is not currently a rule that says that Bud Selig can ban Manny Ramirez, or any other player, from playing in the All-Star game because of a suspension for a performance-enhancing drug. But, was there a rule when Selig suspended the All-Star Game in 2002 with the score tied up 7-7? Sometimes, there are extenuating circumstances that call for action. This circumstance is one of those times.

Let’s keep in mind that the All-Star game is also an exhibition. It isn’t a regular season game. Plus, there really is no precedent for this type of situation.

When all is said and done, the people will speak and not elect Manny Ramirez to the All-Star game. Many of his votes were tabulated before the suspension was handed down. With that in mind, I think you will see his place in the standings slip just as they have in the numbers announced yesterday, when he dropped from fifth to sixth.

But, if this numbers by some miracle do not drop, then perhaps Manny will bow out of the All-Star game gracefully. That would get him a lot of support throughout the inner circles of baseball. Hopefully he knows that he has no legitimate (there’s that word again) reason to play in the game.

Loyal Homer has spoken!!!

(Site note: to read the judge’s intro to this debate, click here. Read Bleacher Fan’s first argument in favor of Manny’s inclusion in the game here, and his follow up argument here. To read Loyal Homer’s argument about Manny being banned from the All-Star game should he be voted in, click here.)

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Posted by Loyal Homer

The Manny Ramirez All-Star Debate – The People Have Spoken!

June 2, 2009

(Site note: Look to the bottom of this post to find links to the other opinions and intro to this debate).

Just as I predicted, Loyal Homer wants to talk about whether or not Manny should play in the game, as opposed to whether or not he has a right to play in the game (which was the actual question).

Nevertheless, I’ll address his points before moving on…

Loyal Homer said, “If he is voted in, something will need to be done, either by Bud Selig or by Manny himself.”

Here’s where he is mistaken:

As an employer, MLB has the right to establish rules that govern the behavior of its players. That becomes a code-of-conduct. MLB can also impose punishments, as indentified within that code-of-conduct, for a violation of those rules. Those punishments cannot be changed after the fact, though, to better suit the needs of the organization.

The agreement made between Manny and MLB was simple. If you test positive for steroids, you will serve a 50-game suspension. It does not say, ‘you will be assessed with a 50-game suspension… and anything else we think of down the road.’ There cannot be any caveats where additional penalties are added after the fact.

When Shawn Merriman was named to the NFL Pro Bowl the same year that he tested positive, people were upset, and the NFL didn’t like it. But, Roger Goodell knew he couldn’t do anything about that situation because the rules were already in place. What he and the owners did, after the fact, was evaluate whether or not they should change the rule to make sure it doesn’t happen again. That was the right thing to do. That is the course of action that Bud Selig should take.

There is also the point that our friend Seezy raised in his comment to my previous argument. It’s important to think about the how this will impact the entire league. Do we reallywant Bud Selig to have the power to impose or change punishments on a whim, or as a result of pressure from the media? I don’t.

Consider Brewers outfielder Mike Cameron, who is currently 6th in NL outfielder voting. Cameron was suspended for 25 games last year because he tested positive for a “banned stimulant.” If voted in, should he be allowed to play in the All-Star Game? What about next year for Manny? Should he be allowed to play in the game ever again? By prohibiting Manny from his right to play in the All-Star Game, you begin to go down a very slippery slope which will call much more into question than simply, “does he have a legitimate right?”

Moving on, I think there is a bigger message being overlooked, which is the opinion of the fans. Fan voting for the All-Star Game is a great example of democracy in action. It’s what makes America great, because the people get to decide what should happen! If the fans really don’t think Manny should play in the game, they won’t vote him in. It’s as simple as that.

Right now, though, that voice is saying that they still want Manny to play, despitehaving tested positive. They’ve already moved on, so maybe the rest of us should, too!

Baseball is supposed to be for the fans. Fan voting is a way to reward fans by allowing them to see their favorites(not the best) play on the same field for one game. Manny still appears to be a favorite. The people have spoken, so let him play!

(Site note: to read the judge’s intro to this debate, click here. Read Bleacher Fan’s argument in favor of Manny’s inclusion in the game here. To read Loyal Homer’s argument about Manny being banned from the All-Star game should he be voted in, click here.)

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Posted by Bleacher Fan

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