Ramirez suspension sends shocks through Mannywood

For The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) -A few month ago, during the deadlocked negotiations between dreadlocked slugger Manny Ramirez and the Los Angeles Dodgers, catcher Russell Martin boldly insisted the team could win without him if necessary.

Now, the Dodgers will get a chance to prove it.

Mannywood was rocked Thursday when the All-Star outfielder was suspended for 50 games for using a banned drug.

"Do I still think we can win without him? I think he makes us a better team when he's with us, but without him we still have a good team and we're still capable of winning us some ballgames,'' Martin said before Thursday night's game against Washington.

"He's one of the best hitters of all time, so it's definitely going to be tough. But what can you do? You've just got to move on and keep plugging away. You have to take it either as a challenge, and that's what we're going to do,'' he said.

Even before the first pitch of the game, Ramirez's penalty had a noticeable effect. The Manny-style dreadlock hats that had been on sale at the concession stands at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night had been pulled off at least one shelf. Other Manny-related memorabilia was missing, too.

The Dodgers said there may have been a misunderstanding with the Ramirez merchandise, but that it still was for sale.

Los Angeles manager Joe Torre said he called Ramirez and that the 36-year-old star called him back.

"He feels very badly. Right now he's trying to gather his thoughts,'' Torre said.

"The worst thing I think a person can be is a disappointment to somebody else, and Manny feels like a disappointment,'' Torre said.

The defending NL West champions held a 6 1/2-game lead on San Francisco when the penalty was announced. Ramirez is eligible to return July 3.

"Manny's not in our lineup, so we can't be concerned about Manny right now,'' third-base coach Larry Bowa said. "There are 25 guys on the roster, and that's what we're worried about right now. Hopefully when Manny comes hack, we're still playing good baseball and he can contribute. But we've got some good players here. He hasn't won all 21 games by himself.''

Ramirez is batting .348 with six home runs and 20 RBIs through the first 27 games of the season. Acquired from Boston last July, his big bat propelled the Dodgers to the division title.

Ramirez ranks 17th all-time with 533 home runs. His carefree attitude made him popular with many local fans, and there was evidence all over the city how much the image-conscious Dodgers were marketing him.

At the corner of Figueroa Street and 8th Street, for example, is an above-ground parking garage with a gigantic sign, big as life, with "MANNYWOOD'' covering one entire side of the structure.

His presence loomed equally large in the lineup. With him leading the way, the Dodgers set a major league record with its 13th straight home win from the start of the season Wednesday night.

Seven players from the 1959 Dodgers were on hand to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their World Series title in a pregame ceremony Thursday night.

"Hey, players know the consequences. You have the wrong decisions, you've got to pay,'' Bowa said. "I'm turned off by players who try to test the system. It just doesn't make any sense. When a guy makes a decision like that, he has to live by it. There's too many people you can go to for advice, like the team doctor or the trainer. And if you have any kind of doubt at all, you've got to go to them.''