MLB announces Manny Ramirez is retiring (presumably related to a drug test)

MLB announces Manny Ramirez is retiring (presumably related to a drug test)

Is he a Hall of Famer? Obviously. In terms of offense, he's probably the second- or third-best right fielder in history, and the only guys better are Babe Ruth (for sure) and Hank Aaron (maybe). The only active player better offensively than Manny (154 OPS+) is Pujols. Nobody else. Period. Cabrera (146), A-Rod (146), Ryan Howard (141), Adrian Gonzalez (137), Josh Hamilton (136) and Mark Teixeira (134) are all great hitters, but are simply farther down the list. Berkman (145) was close in his prime, but was still a hair behind.

You know who is the only man to bat in more than 160 runs in a season since 1938? Manny.

The only guy since WW2 to knock in 300 runs in consecutive years? Manny.

He's won all three parts of the triple crown, plus he led in on-base percentage (three times) and slugging (also three times - and in three different years from the times he led in OBP!)

He wasn't just a good hitter. He was a monster.

BUT

Nobody tainted by steroids is going into the Hall soon. Not McGwire, not Sosa, nor Palmiero, not Bonds, not Clemens ...

and not Manny.