Manny Ramirez has one chance - just one chance - at redemption. As reports surface that the savior of the Dodgers tested positive for steroids and will be suspended 50 games effective immediately, the slugger must follow the footsteps of past perpetrators and apologize NOW!Don't go down the road that Roger Clemens took, firm denial with a dash of rage. Don't try to shut out the outside world like Barry Bonds and as a result become vilified. Don't even attempt to move on without talking about it because it happened in the past, a la Mark McGwire.
No. Manny must apologize - even if he's not specific - to his fans, to the Dodgers, to baseball for letting them all down.
As my girlfriend, a Dodger-diehard said this morning upon hearing the news, "I'm just disappointed. ... It's like finding out Santa Clause isn't real." How true that is.
The man who seemingly single-handedly lifted the Dodgers from the middle of the pack to the champions of the NL West last summer after a blockbuster trade is now on the fast track out of the game unless he can do the necessary damage control.
Look at how Andy Pettitte or Jason Giambi and others were able to bounce back from similar reports. Learn from that and repeat.
Mannywood will never again have the same glitz, glamor or glory that fans came in LA came to enjoy last season. At this point, Ramirez can only diffuse the situation by coming clean, taking his lumps, and admitting what he did.
Just because Santa Clause isn't real doesn't mean you can't celebrate Christmas. But it certainly ruins some of the magic.
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