Red Sox Nation has released some of the greatest players in the history of the game because of dissatisfaction and/or feuds with the organizations front office. And after listening to LA’s 710am this morning, we were convinced that they’d pulled off another brilliant purge in releasing Manny Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Obviously the guy is a nutso, exclaimed the on-air personality whose name we honestly can’t remember. But what’s the other side of the story? The player’s story got a little light shed on it by Nomar Garciaparra today after he told reporter’s that Manny’s delcaration that Red Sox management wanted to paint him as “the bad guy” is a legitimate claim.

“There’s a lot of truth to what he said,” Garciaparra said at his Dodger Stadium locker Thursday, two hours after the Dodgers acquired Ramirez. “I can definitely understand and relate. Maybe he’ll be next to me [in an adjacent locker], and we can chat and laugh about it.” The Red Sox rid themselves of a contract dispute by trading Garciaparra at the deadline four years ago, and they rid themselves of another one Thursday.

Of course, the Red Sox were probably growing tired of Garciaparra’s injuries (a recently diagnosed genetic malformation is the root of all evil for No-Ma), but turning the fans on an All-Star is a great way to justify their release. Unfortunately, the Dodgers are a team that actually get rid of players fans love, so if the fans start hatin’ on Manny, he’s sure to have a home forever.

Nomar Garciaparra knows where Manny Ramirez is coming from [LA Times]
Image [MLB]