If you’d asked Placido Polanco to describe the play that would end his record-setting errorless streak, it’s safe to say the Tigers’ second baseman wouldn’t have outlined a situation where a hustling Manny Ramirez forced him to rush a relay throw to third base, hoping to prevent a triple.

Until yesterday, Polanco hadn’t been charged with a miscue since July 1, 2006,  a 186-game stretch that included 911 successful chances, among them dozens of situations that can typically create errors for second basemen, including 1) groundballs, 2) relays to first on double-play balls to the left side of the infield, and 3) relays to home plate or third base on extra-base hits to right field. For more than a season and a seventh (roughly), Polanco made all those plays, not to mention myriad plays involving pop-ups, rundowns, stolen bases and Carlos Guillen. And then to be undone by the surprising hustle of Mr. Stand-at-the-Plate-and-Posture, Manny Ramirez. I tell ya, sometimes I like baseball.

Red Sox left fielder Manny Ramirez, who immigrated to the United States when he was 13 and became a U.S. citizen in 2004, took personal exception to President Bush’s verbal jabs on Wednesday, saying Dubya’s taunts about “Manny being Manny” were over the line.

During a White House ceremony honoring the Sox’ 2007 World Series title, Bush said of the absent Ramirez: “I guess his grandmother died again,” according to the Associated Press. After laughing at his own unexpected witticism, Bush added, “Just kidding.”

Ramirez also missed the 2005 ceremony honoring the reigning World Champions, claiming he’d been visiting a sick grandmother. Apprised of Bush’s recent comments, the Sox left fielder winced, but then took the offensive.

“This clown used to own the Texas Rangers,” he said. “Team ain’t never made the (World) Series. Guy freaking traded Sammy Sosa. Now he’s telling me my grandmother died again? What does he know? I voted for him once, but not this time.”

Reminded that Bush, the two-term Republican president, isn’t eligible to run this November, Ramirez was nevertheless adamant. “My grandmother did not die again!”**

** In other news, this is not a true story.

On the face of it, Manny Ramirez hiring Scott Boras is like President Bush hiring a campaign manager. Really, what’s the use? Has all of Major League Baseball (both players and team ownership) decided to get together and drive Boras insane? A-Rod won’t talk to him, Sheffield calls him a bad person, and now Manny wants his representation. But for what exactly? And why now?

The Red Sox hold team options on Manny — $20 million per year in 2009 and 2010 — so he can’t opt out like A-Rod did last year. Meanwhile, Theo Epstein has said the Sox will wait until after the season before making a decision about Manny’s 2009 option. He didn’t, however, say the team would be unwilling to consider a new deal altogether. And really, when it comes down to it, why else would Ramirez need a negotiator like Boras?

Manny Ramirez.

The man…
The myth…
The legend…

Just the name alone, makes me smile… I don’t know why, but it just does. The perennial All-Star showed up at camp this week and he actually did so on time. It marked the first time since 2005 that the quirky left fielder reported by the scheduled reporting date. As it seems virtually every year, the much debated status of Ramirez’s contract should be an on-going theme now until the completion of the Sox 2008 season. Unless of the course, the Sox decide to go-ahead and pick up the 35-year old’s option before the season ends. However, that situation remains about as unlikely as Mike Huckabee winning the Republican nomination. All indications point towards the club waiting until the final pitch of the Sox season is thrown before a decision is made.