"I Don't Want to be a Distraction..."

Ramirez visits with Dodger teammates
ESPN.com news services
LOS ANGELES -- Manny Ramirez visited his Los Angeles Dodgers teammates before their game against San Diego on Tuesday night (06/09/09), popping into the clubhouse before a home game for the first time since his suspension for violating Major League Baseball's drug policy.
The dreadlocked slugger, who also talked to manager Joe Torre, told reporters he isn't going to formally address the media about what led to his 50-game ban because it's in the past.

"I don't want to be a distraction for this team," Ramirez said. "What happened, happened. I spoke to [owner] Frank McCourt, I apologized, I spoke to Joe, my teammates and I'm ready to move on.

"I didn't kill nobody, I didn't rape nobody, so that's it, I'm just going to come and play the game."

The fact that he spoke at all could be a problem, however. The terms of his suspension restrict him from addressing reporters, ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney reported.

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I think it's awesome and incredibly thoughtful of Manny to not want to be a distraction to his team, or to baseball in general. If it wasn't for such sensitivity, empathy and consideration, that whole situation could be a mess. After all, it's not like he disappointed anyone, let anyone down, or betrayed his team. And it's not like the Dodgers had spent a lot of money to center an entire marketing campaign around him. And really - there's NO reason for him to feel the LEAST bit of pressure to answer questions about his VOLUNTEERED EXPLANATION to the media.... the one that made zero sense at all. Naaaa.
The best part is that he's not allowed to speak to the media... so what does Manny do? He speaks to the media.

Because - you see - on HIS PLANET, things are different than here.
Doesn't anyone get that?