Manny Ramirez Says the Red Sox 'Don't Deserve Me' and Punches Ticket Out of Town

The Manny Ramirez Will He or Won't He Get Traded Saga, which has reached such ridiculous proportions that people were discussing a swap of ManRam and Brett Favre (please? pretty please?) was taken to a whole new level on Wednesday evening.

Ramirez has always had the "Manny Being Manny" card played for him (he doesn't actually play it himself) but given the latest shots he took at the Boston Red Sox organization that refuses to satisfy his contract demands, it's hard to imagine anyone taking this with an aloof grin and head shake.

"During my years here I've seen how they [the Red Sox] have mistreated other great players when they didn't want them to try to turn the fans against them," Ramirez said in an interview with ESPNdeportes.com

"The Red Sox did the same with guys like Nomar Garciaparra and Pedro Martinez, and now they do the same with me. Their goal is to paint me as the bad guy," Ramirez added. "I love Boston fans, but the Red Sox don't deserve me. I'm not talking about money. Mental peace has no price and I don't have peace here."

Yeah, so, that's reasonably awkward. It also means that Theo Epstein has about 18 hours to deal him. Which might mean less than full value. We know he's not going to Philadelphia and while the Florida deal (Josh Willingham or Jeremy Hermida)seemed a little strange ... well suddenly it has caterpillar legs.

And, as Prez mentioned today, there's always the (strong?) possibility that Pittsburgh jumps in the middle of the fray to pick up prospects and provide Boston with much less of a left field drop-off in Jason Bay.

However it happens though, it's going to happen tomorrow. It kind of has to. Theo isn't afraid to ship out a popular player and I'm pretty sure he won't let ManRam sabotage Boston's shot at a championship.

Manny Moments

For 15 years Manny Ramirez has been making coaches, fans, and teammates shake their heads in amazement from both his jaw-dropping skills with the bat and his untimely mental lapses. With Ramirez's position in Boston as tenuous as ever, relive some of the more memorable "Manny Moments" from his career.

Charles Krupa, AP

With his future uncertain, Ramirez has been in a very public spat with Boston management over recent weeks. He pulled himself out of the lineup late for a key game with the Yankees Friday, then told reporters he wouldn't block a potential trade. "I'm tired of them, they're tired of me," said the slugger of his relationship with Red Sox brass.

Jim Rogash, Getty Images,Getty Images

Ramirez has had several encounters with the "Green Monster" scoreboard in left field of Fenway Park. Ramirez, seen here peeking out through the door in the "Green Monster," has disappeared into the scoreboard on several occasions during pitching changes, reportedly to make phone calls or relieve himself, despite the fact that there is no bathroom behind the scoreboard.

Charles Krupa, AP

The game on June 5 between Boston and the Rays will probably be better remembered for the bench-clearing brawl, but it also had a "Manny being Manny moment". After the brawl, Ramirez and first baseman Kevin Youkilis had to be separated by teammates in the dugout after the left fielder reportedly told Youkilis to "cut that [expletive] out."

Getty Images

Ramirez turned a routine fly out into a memorable play when he reached into the stands to slap hands with a fan during a game in Baltimore. Ramirez then threw to Dustin Pedroia, whose relay to first doubled off Aubrey Huff. Manny joked about the play after the game. "It was fun. I love it. I think, you know, that's how you get your All-Star vote. I'm pretty sure that guy's gonna vote for me," said Ramirez. "It's one at a time, you know. Get your votes one at a time."

Nick Wass, AP

Ramirez has also been featured in a few strange auction advertisements on eBay. In May 2007, he appeared in a listing that tried to sell an expensive BBQ grill. He later posted a custom Chrysler 300M up for auction.

Winslow Townson, AP

During the 2005 season, the Red Sox faced heavy speculation that Manny would force a trade. But Ramirez erased those doubts when he chopped an RBI single as a pinch hitter versus the Twins, and received a standing ovation 54 minutes after the four o'clock trading deadline had passed. After the game, Ramrez said "It's great, man. They love me here, man. This is the place to be. 'Manny being Manny,' he's great, man."

Charles Krupa, AP

In 2002, while rehabbing with the Pawtucket Red Sox, Ramirez lost his diamond earring sliding into third base. After the game, 13 PawSox players and the Syracuse grounds crew combed the third base area and found the stud, but not the diamond that was reportedly worth $15,000.

Michael Dwyer, AP