Manny Ramirez Has Officially Jumped the Shark on Red Sox Nation

Note: On occasion, Liberty Alert will comment on events outside the world of politics, government, etc. These forays into other various topics will be occasional, and all fun. I've used this space before to discuss Manny Ramirez, so this entry is a sort of follow up to my previous entry.

OK, I've finally had it! I've been an apologist for Manny being Manny for a while now. I put up with the water bottle in the back pocket, the high fives while the ball is in-play, the bathroom breaks inside the Green Monster, the erratic fielding, the arguments with teammates, and even the phantom injuries. But enough is finally enough! In case you have not heard the latest, Manny Ramirez, perennial all star, World Series MVP, and future Hall-of-Famer has suddenly and mysteriously begged out of the last 2 games due to a supposed knee injury. What's worst is that his sudden unavailability came against the arch rival New York Yankees. The Red Sox have a $20 million team option on Manny next season that they have yet to exercise. Speculation is that Manny, who happens to be one of the top 5 highest paid players in the game, is unhappy with ownership for not yet picking up his option. Therefore, he is using this knee injury as the ultimate passive-aggressive revenge.
What does Manny Ramirez have to be upset about? Red Sox Nation has winced and looked away at all of the previous Manny-isms because the guy has produced at the plate. However, Manny has continued to show a lack of respect for his teammates, the Red Sox organization, the fans, and the game of baseball in general. In case you have not noticed (which I know that you have), Manny's production was significantly down last year. Red Sox Nation was able to look past it because Manny came through in the playoffs, followed by a decent first half this year. Regardless of his production, there comes a point when an organization and fan base needs to stand up for principles. Manny Ramirez is taking advantage of the good will of Red Sox Nation. It's a shame because he's one hell of a hitter, but he's finally gone too far.
I would not have said this a week ago, but I hope the Red Sox stand up and do not pick up Manny's option for next year. Instead of turning into a facsimile of the over-paid, over-arrogant Yankees, I would rather the Red Sox use the $20 million on a player(s) that cares as much about the team as the fans do. Let Manny be Manny somewhere else. What do you think?