Who do you believe in the latest "Manny being Manny" saga?

Life in the Red Sox clubhouse is loose and tame for this close-knit group of teammates, so the current version of this Sox ballclub is no comparison to the Bronx Zoo Yankees of the 1970s that featured the absurd antics of George Steinbrenner, Billy Martin and Reggie Jackson among others. However, since 2001, Boston has seen its share of shenanigans from one Manuel Aristides Ramirez.

Most of Manny's quirks and eccentricities can be chalked up to that famous phrase, "Manny being Manny." Manny relieving himself in the hallway toilet behind the Green Monster. Wasn't that a hoot? Manny catching a ball, high-fiving a fan and then throwing the ball back to the infield to double up a runner. Wasn't that hilarious? How about Manny peering out of the Fenway Park scoreboard chatting it up on a cell phone during a pitching change? Now that was comical.

Of course, there is the less embraceable side of "Manny being Manny." We haven't chuckled at the times when Manny's lack of hustle has allowed a catchable fly ball to drop in for a base hit, and we have never been amused at watching him lolligag down the first base line after hitting a ground ball. The end of the 2006 season - when Manny looked at the standings, realized the Red Sox were not headed for the playoffs, and decided to take the rest of the year off - was not pleasant, either. Most disturbing, at least in my mind, is that Ramirez shoved Jack McCormick to the ground after the elderly traveling secretary said he could not accommodate the slugger's request for 16 tickets in Houston on the day of the game.

After the incident, the Red Sox front office was publicly assailed for not taking action against the left fielder. According to a report in today's Boston Globe, former WBZ sports director Bob Lobel told WEEI that Ramirez was fined six figures (that was donated to charity), but the story doesn't end there. Lobel alleges that Ramirez intentionally took three strikes against Mariano Rivera during a 4-4 game between the Red Sox and Yankees at Yankee Stadium on July 6. The Yankees eventually won, 5-4 in 10 innings.

Lobel said that Ramirez was sending a message to the Red Sox front office regarding his displeasure about the fine.

"The thing that most people are forgetting and haven't talked about is the strikeout in Yankee Stadium," Lobel was quoted as saying in today's Boston Globe. "The bat on the shoulder for the three pitches from Mariano Rivera. That was a big [expletive] to the Red Sox after the fine. I'm just telling you ... there are things in the front office that are perceived ... I'm saying that there is a strong feeling that that [three-pitch strikeout] was the message to the Red Sox and it's a strong feeling that that's unacceptable ... there's a feeling that he didn't give it his all, let's put it that way ... I'm just saying the front office has not forgotten that moment. It's akin to Nomar sitting on the bench. It's the same thing. It's an at bat that resonated very strongly in the front office."

Before you rush to judgment about these comments, consider the source. Like many members of the Boston sports media, Lobel has little credibility. Much like Dan Shaughnessy does with his written words, Lobel stirs the pot with his mouth, speaking before thinking. In fact, Lobel's words have already been dismissed by one of the few credible Boston media members, Gordon Edes of the Boston Globe. According to Edes' 3:46 p.m. post on the Extra Bases blog, Ramirez' fine was wildly overstated.

Edes wrote, "According to industry sources, Ramirez, in addition to apologizing to McCormick, paid a fine of between $10,000 to $15,000, with the money going to an agreed-upon charity. The fine is at the lower end of that range. Reports that Ramirez had been assessed a six-figure fine are not true, and Red Sox officials have not raised the issue that Ramirez's strikeout against Mariano Rivera in a pinch-hit appearance July 6 was in any way related to the discipline administered.

Also, while Ramirez expressed some frustration this week about his contract status, all parties involved have recognized that the Sox do not intend to address the issue of his 2009 and 2010 option years until after the season. The Sox hold $20 million options on Ramirez for each season."

In the last week, Ramirez and Red Sox owner John Henry have traded barbs in the media.

Ramirez told the Boston Herald that he would like to remain in Boston after this season, but that he will play elsewhere if the Sox do not pick up his $20 million option. Ramirez expressed his desire to meet with team officials and told Boston Herald reporter Rob Bradford, ""I want to know what's my situation. I want no more (expletive) where they tell you one thing and behind your back they do another thing. I think I've earned that respect, for a team to sit down with me and tell me this is what we want, this is what we want to do."

Henry responded in an e-mail to Bradford by saying, ""I find remarks that we have been anything other than completely straightforward to be personally offensive. Manny has been a crucial part of two world championships. I do not believe we would have won either without him. He has never played a more important role than he has thus far this year."

Based on the Lobel's report, Edes' post and quotes from Ramirez and Henry, here are my opinions about these matters:

1. You can't believe everything you read and hear. As I previously mentioned, consider the source. Lobel lacks credibility while Edes is one of the most respected writers in baseball. As for Lobel's allegation that Ramirez took three strikes from Rivera to send the Red Sox front office a message, that is conjecture. Personally, I could not imagine a Major League Baseball player intentionally making an out, especially because he is pouting about being fined, which is what Lobel alleges. Of course, I was stunned when Ramirez did not take the bat off his shoulders and was called out on strikes after just three pitches.
2. Ramirez is well-liked by his teammates and is valuable to the Red Sox, so there should be no fears that these issues will disrupt the team's quest for a third World Series championship in five years.
3. It is not a given that Ramirez will remain in Boston beyond this season. Remember, it was Theo Epstein who placed Manny on irrevocable waivers a few years ago. As he demonstrated by trading Nomar Garciaparra - and letting Pedro Martinez, Derek Lowe and Johnny Damon leave via free agency - the Red Sox general manager is not afraid to make decisions that are contrary to public wishes.
4. I am a Manny Ramirez fan. He is one of the best hitters in the history of the game, and his defense in left field is underrated. He delivers in the clutch, unlike guys such as Alex Rodriguez (as I wrote yesterday). And he is popular in the clubhouse because of his personality and his tireless training regimen. That written, I don't think it would be detrimental to the Red Sox if they don't pick up Ramirez's 2009 option and bring in someone like Matt Holliday.
5. Despite their flaws, the Red Sox are the team to beat in the American League. Chances are, they will be playing deep into October, and Ramirez will be a key reason why Boston repeats as World Series champions.