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October 17, 2007
The Red Sox trail the Indians three games to one in the ALCS and Manny Ramirez isn't worry.
Prior to today's workout at Jacobs Field, as Boston prepares for Thursday's Game Five, Ramirez spoke with the media and seemed calm as could be.
“We’ve been in this situation before,” he said, referring to the 2004 postseason. “We’ve got nothing to lose. Everybody is playing great and we’re just going to go in there and see what happens.
“We’re not worried about 2004. We worried about Thursday. We’re just here to have fun and play the game. We’re going to play and if it doesn’t happen, we’ll come back next year and try to do it again.”
The Red Sox slugger extended his LCS-hitting streak to 14 games with his single in the second inning Tuesday night. The streak is the second-longest in LCS history, one shy of Pete Rose, who compiled a 15-game hitting streak from 1973 to 1983.
Ramirez didn't stop his record-setting pace there.
His homer in the fifth inning, his 10th career in the LCS, established a new record for most all-time to surpass George Brett. Still, Ramirez said he would rather focus on winning another World Series.
“It’s good,” he said of the postseason accolades. “If I would have known I was going to be in the World Series and not have those records, I would trade that in a heart beat. I don’t care about those records. I just want to have fun and win.”
Looking ahead to Game Five and his matchup against Indians' ace C.C. Sabathia, Ramirez was quite complimentary about his former club.
“C.C. is one of the best pitchers in baseball,” said Ramirez. "You have to give the other team credit. They are pitching great and playing great. They are a good team.”
Ramirez came of age here in Cleveland before he signed with Boston as a free agent in December of 2000, and he said he always enjoys coming back here -- albeit a different feeling being a visitor.
“I enjoy (being back) but once you play in Boston for a few years and come back, it doesn’t feel the same," he said.
When Ramirez smoked his solo home run the Red Sox were trailing by five runs, but he still pimped it up around the bases to the dislike of many Cleveland players. It's not the first time he's done that here, but he said he wasn't trying to shove it in anyone's face.
“I’m not trying to show up anybody,” he said. “I’m just trying to have fun. If someone strikes me out and shows me up, that’s just part of the game. I love it. I like to compete. It’s all good.”
Posted by Joe McDonald 
at 2:45 PM | Permalink
