I can't help but wonder if Red Sox fans are wondering if the true northern blight in the entire Manny Ramirez fiasco was his new agent Scott Boras.

"Manny being Manny" was a fact of life in New England. While Ramirez's fielding and base running often gave new meaning to words "vapour lock" his incredible hitting covered a multitude of sins. How it affected or offset the offense he provided is a question for people with far more acumen regarding statistical analysis than yours truly but if the name of the game is winning and championships, it is undeniable that Manny Ramirez's presence in the Boston lineup was of immense value.

Flags fly forever as the saying goes and after a World Series drought spanning the years 1919-2003, the Red Sox hoisted two championship flags in the seven full years Ramirez spent in Beantown with four post season appearances in all. When he left the Red Sox for the Dodgers at the trade deadline, the Crimson Hose were on top of the wild card standings with a good shot at the fifth invitation to the post season prom during the "Manny being Manny" era.

The bottom line is this: The "Manny years" in Boston were nothing short of a resounding success.

Every year of course there was the same dance: The Red Sox wanted to be rid of the contract, Manny wanted out, Manny wanted to stay--check in tomorrow to see if the winds changed yet again. Regardless, every April there he was in left field at Fenway Park in the shadow of the Green Monster.

However, this year something changed. Even were you to completely dismiss what occurred with his shoving to the ground Red Sox traveling secretary Jack McCormick--there was something off about his behaviour. His gaffes were more pronounced--he was louder, more disruptive; instead of being a flake there was something more insidious about how he was acting.

The only major change in his life was that he was retaining Scott Boras as his agent.

Boras had a dilemma in having Manny as a client--he wasn't getting paid. In fact, if the Red Sox picked up the two option years in Ramirez's deal boras wouldn't see a nickel from his representing the future Hall of Famer. The only way Boras could profit from the relationship was to get the slugger into free agency as quickly as possible. Not only was there no money to be made were the options exercised, Manny could be two years older, two more years into his decline phase and two years of age-related performance drop off before he could be shopped as a free agent and a commission secured for the agent.

Is it a coincidence that Ramirez was making such a stink about the option years being picked up by the Red Sox? Is it a coincidence that he was making such a stink and acting up on the field in the middle of a pennant race with Boras as his agent? Comments in the aftermath of the trade certainly would make one suspicious. The The Boston Globe reported that if the team dropped the option years on his current deal (something they had agreed to do in the event of a trade) Boras said Ramírez would behave for the remainder of the season. Boras denies this and of course, he'd never lie or say anything to further his agenda. It would be a first in all his years in the business.

Not.

Boras made a direct link between Ramirez's behaviour and the option years.

Adding to all this is what was reported by Steve Henson that Ramirez was quoted as saying as a Dodger that "They got some rules here, and I don't want to be treated differently than anybody else ... You've got to follow the rules."

With free agency mere months away now he's going to be a model citizen?   

It seems that the integrity of a pennant race took secondary importance to being rid of option years on the contract and reaching free agency in time for one last big payday. Now that it has been secured, we can expect to see better, more focused Ramirez since he's playing for his next contract.

Something smells in all this.

Under Boras--"Manny being Manny" became "Manny being meany." What was the genesis of this change of actions and attitude by Ramirez? How did a pennant race and helping your team win ballgames become of secondary importance to being rid of $40 million of potentially guaranteed money in order to secure even greater riches?

This new side to Ramirez surfaced in conjunction with the simple fact that his agent would not receive a payday unless the former World Series MVP could get out of his option years. It seems that a great deal of time and effort went into ensuring that either through trade or a guarantee from the Red Sox that they would not be exercised--it being the key to improved behaviour and attitude from the player.

Was Ramirez's conduct orchestrated by Boras? Well, what are the three elements to establish whether something underhanded has occurred: means, motive and opportunity. Well, Boras had all three--means: Ramirez was always known for flaky, offbeat behaviour. Any additional "eccentricities" could be written off with the simple "Manny being Manny" explanation. Motive: money, obviously. Ramirez would earn a lot more than $40 million (the value of the option years) as a free agent at age 36 than he would at 38--plus Boras has a target in mind (we'll deal with this later). Opportunity: if the option years are dropped--Ramirez becomes a free agent still young enough for one last big contract. Chances are good that he couldn't hope to get a long term deal two years from now--especially if his performance declines due to age.

Ramirez is hardly innocent in all this--he hired Boras and generally there is only one reason to retain him ... to hit the jackpot. Nobody questions why somebody hires a hitman--in a similar vein, nobody wonders why somebody asks Scott Boras to represent them.

The actions of both men deserve sanction--especially if other aspects of Ramirez's game improve noticeably over the season's final two months. To sabotage a pennant race in order to better one's finances is too close to what the Black Sox did for the sport's comfort. Manny signed a contract with two option years and was obligated to accept the consequences of that decision. Had he been struggling the last two seasons chances are good he'd be raising a stink for the Red Sox to exercise those options--however since more money is in the offing they're viewed as a problem--an obstacle to be shunted aside by any means (ethically or otherwise) possible.

Little action can be expected in all this simply because everybody got what they wanted: the Red Sox divested themselves of Ramirez and plugged the hole with a younger option and a more well-rounded player. The Dodgers are content since they're now poised to win a weak division and have a draw in a city where stardom counts. Ramirez and Boras are happy that the slugger is headed for free agency at season's end.

There's more to this than meets the eye. We'll get into PART 2 next week.