ESPN

Manny Ramirez doesn't seem like that bad a guy. Sure, he does some strange things. He'll loaf on ground balls. He'll mope and sulk on the field. He'll cause the walls of reality to become fluid and indistinct, challenging our notions of what exists and what does not. He also has really long dreadlocks. No big deal, right? People seem to love the guy. He's the ultimate entertainer in a sport meant to entertain.

Still, the man did take a banned substance, and served his punishment accordingly. That has to be worth at least a minor reprimand by the hometown crowd. You expect opposing fans to boo rival players, but judging by SportsNation's general opinion of players who use PEDs, you'd expect at least a few boos out of Chavez Ravine when Manny returned Thursday night.

Or would you? Mannywood was back and rocking hard on Ramirez's return, even though he managed only one hit and two strikeouts in a 3-0 loss to the mediocre Astros. Could it be that fans in Los Angeles are a kind and forgiving bunch? We hesitate to speculate, SportsNation, but it could have something to do with the fact that Manny is putting up BA/OBP/SLG numbers that rival another eccentric outfielder's.

• As usual, SportsNation was of two minds when it came to Manny. His minor league rehab during his suspension brought condemnation from many fans, but most still enjoyed seeing the man perform, regardless of the circumstances.
• Manny still hasn't returned to his old haunting grounds of Cleveland and Boston, but fans from both states would probably boo him. In fact, SportsNation thinks Manny would be booed loudly at Fenway Park.
• User Handyman5454 thinks that Manny is an incredibly talented performer, but that the Dodgers (and baseball in general) would be better off without him.

“

why would you boo this guy? your team is still in first place, he did nothing that hurt you, and the only people who still care about roids are 60 year old sports writers,

” -- NSLYNCH713

“

The point is that Manny Ramirez plays hard when Manny Ramirez feels like it. If you're lucky, he'll feel like it from April 1st right up through the team's final game of the season. If you're not lucky, he won't feel like playing hard all the time. And he doesn't seem to respond to any kind of positive feedback...but he DOES respond to negative feedback, without seeming to understand that the source of the negativity is his own actions.

” -- gotham77