Should Manny Be Playing in Albuquerque?

Los Angeles Dodgers star Manny Ramirez has been cleared to play for the Albuquerque Isotopes while suspended from Major League Baseball. This short stint in Albuquerque, the Dodgers minor league club, is intended to help Ramirez rehab after testing positive for a banned substance earlier this season. This is a rule that was worked into baseball's collective bargaining agreement at the same time the 50 game suspensions were agreed upon. The caveat is that Ramirez will not be paid for his time, even though the Isotopes stand to make huge sums of money from additional ticket sales.

The main question is, should Manny be on the field? He has been suspended from Major League Baseball, but should he be allowed for a AAA while serving that suspension? I'm not totally sold on the idea.

The main reason to get him playing again is to ensure that when he comes back, he is playing at full game speed. The problem with that reasoning is a super star like Ramirez should tear through a AAA club. Furthermore, Ramirez will be playing in somewhat limited action during some of these games to minimize the chance that he gets injured in a game that is meaningless to his major league club. By the end of his suspension, Ramirez will have played less than forty innings of baseball, and theoretically be back to form when he is eligible to come back to the Dodgers.

So the question then becomes whether or not Ramirez should just be allowed to practice with his own team. If Major League Baseball is has no problem with him playing for an organized team like the Isotopes to get experience, then they should be alright with him practicing with his team to get back to game speed. The pitching, fielding and all around atmosphere is higher quality for a professional team, so the experience that he would be gaining during his suspension should also be higher quality.

On top of that, the fanfare that Manny will be receiving in Albuquerque has to be taken into account. Ramirez has the potential to double the Isotopes attendance for their next few games, and the fans that come out to see him will stand and applaud when he comes to the plate. There will be children in the stands who know that Manny is suspended because he used a banned substance, but is still see him being received like a king. Sports networks will show the at bats, talk shows will analyze his performance, and news papers around the country will run pictures of him in his new uniform. All of this for a player who has broken the rules, and is serving a suspension.

Practices for Major League teams during the season usually happen on game days with hardly anyone in the stands. Pitchers and batters take the field, stretch, and break off into groups, being coached by the same people every day. These coaches have a chance to fine tune little mistakes they have noticed over time, and players benefit from leaning from the more experienced coaches.

Placing a player in these practices should be much more beneficial, and then not letting them play in games would be much more of a punishment than what Ramirez is experiencing now. He is being praised by fans instead of being criticized by coaches. He is playing in meaningless (to him) games instead of practicing with his teammates. He gets to travel to Albuquerque and experience a new city and a new fan base, while his team continues on with their regular schedule. So even though he is not getting paid, this suspension sound much more like a vacation than a punishment. Ramirez should be grinding it out with his coaches. He should have to listen to the hazing of his team mates, read the local papers, and take what the home fans give him for breaking the rules. Instead, he gets to be a hero for the Isotopes, and praised for his mistake.