He was pleasant enough as photographer Kathleen Flynn and I approached him as he stepped off the tram after flying in from Phoenix, and actually asked if I was there to pick him up. When I told him I’d seen a limo driver waiting for him downstairs, he laughed and said he didn’t need a limo, that was just a “humble” guy.
Ramirez was polite in a short chat as he rode the escalator, saying he “feels great” about playing for the Rays, talking about how he was in tremendous shape after extensive workouts at the Athletes Performance Institute in Arizona, and smiling when reminded of his exceptional numbers at Tropicana Field (48 extra base hits, 72 RBIs and 1.003 OPS in 77 games).
Ramirez played in the AL East for a long time. Topkin has covered the Rays forever, and is a very distinctive looking guy. Ramirez has likely been in Topkin’s presence scores of times, and has almost certainly been asked questions by the guy. In light of that, it cracks me up that Manny thought that Topkin was there to pick him up.
Someday I’d like to live in a world as magical as the one in which Manny Ramirez lives. I bet everything there is fresh and new and wonderful all the time.
