Hanley Ramirez: Dog

Many times I have heard many Red Sox fans play the "What If" game when it comes to Hanley Ramirez, the talented shortstop of the Marlins the Sox traded to Florida in 2005 for Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell.

"What if" Ramirez had been our shortstop all these years instead of the Red Sox going out and getting somebody new every year. (Forget that the trade brought the Sox a 20-game winner and a World Series MVP. Ramirez has been putting terrific offensive numbers in Miami and many fans wonder what he would have done in Boston.)

Count me in the group that NEVER wants to see Ramirez back in a Red Sox uniform. Ever.

The guy is a dog. Period.

It is well known that Ramirez had a blow up with manager Fredi Gonzalez over his lack of hustle in a game in Florida last month and was benched for his (lack of) effort. You'd think that would wake the guy up. But tonight he cost the Marlins a shot at winning the game against the Mets, and at the worst possible time.

The Marlins had men on second and third and two outs in the 9th down by a run and Ramirez hit a ball down the third base line to David Wright that just stayed fair. Wright made a very nice play, threw the ball on one bounce to Ike Davis. I thought for sure that once Wright bounced the throw (and it was a good 20 feet from first) that the Marlins had tied the game because of Ramirez' speed. But the throw beat him to first by a good step and a half.

Ramirez basically watched the ball coming out of the batter's box before he finally turned on the jets. But it was way too late, and the Marlins lost, 4-3. I'm sure he would have beaten the throw had he hustled.

The guy is a disciple of the Randy Moss "I'll Give 100% When I Feel Like It" School of Professional Sports. And I'll take a different shortstop every year over this guy.

Would Ramirez have put up the same numbers in the fishbowl of Boston that he's putting up in front of nobody in Miami? It's impossible to say. He's also not a good defensive shortstop. He'll be in the outfield soon enough.

The guy is a dog, pure and simple. And it's a rep that is almost impossible to shake once you've earned it, and Ramirez has earned it with the crap he's been pulling like tonight.

Forget the daydreaming about what he would have done at Fenway. Let him stay in South Florida and enjoy his time in Fredi Gonzalez' doghouse. It's where he belongs.