What are the root causes behind our fascination with steroid cheat Manny Ramirez? The boys from 619Sports.net try and figure it out.
The focus of the baseball media will be on Petco Park Friday night as Ramirez makes his return from a 50-game performance-enhancing-drug suspension, just in time for the Dodgers and Padres to open a three-game weekend series. More than 125 credentialed media members are expected to be in attendance (including 619Sports' Chris Ello)m and the game is totally sold out. Manny is the top story on SportsCenter, and his return has even lured the national TV cameras from Fox, who will nationally televise Saturday afternoon's game.
All this for a steroid cheat? Shouldn't people be turning their backs on Ramirez? That's Ello's take. He is disgusted by the attention given to Ramirez. But in a wide-ranging and thought-provoking 619Sports talk segment, Chris and Craig delve into the deeper issues behind Manny Mania. Is it a product of media attention? Have fans grown used to the idea of sluggers on steroids? And is the suspension (and resultant loss of Hall of Fame credibility) a strong enough punishment for Manny or other steroid offenders?
