Dear Manny Ramirez,

Well haven't you had quite the postseason thus far? Two homers in two games against the team most people expected to win the whole darn thing... quite impressive.

You're 4 for 8 in the first two games of the series with 3 RBI's and have had a dramatic impact on a lineup that couldn't hit a ball if Carlos Silva was pitching before you got there. Furthermore, you seem to be completely healthy for the first time in years (it's been so long after watching you in Boston, I didn't think I'd ever see your knees back at 100 percent) and have hustled under your favorite manager, Joe Torre (I'd have bet on your knees coming back to full health before I saw this). Way to be!

Funny story, though. Upon your departure, the Sox got some guy named Jason Bay who played in virtual anonymity in Pittsburgh. This guy had similar stats to yours, but I don't think Red Sox Nation was expecting that this kid could contribute like you down the stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs.

Ah, but he filled your shoes quite nicely, homering in just his second game with the BoSox and continuing to smash the ball like it had a Yankee logo on it throughout the last two months of the season.

But there's no way he could live up to your legacy in the postseason, surely. I mean, he had played zero games in October prior to this fall, whereas you're the all-time leader in the HR category among playoff ballplayers. Surely, he couldn't carry the team you carried to two World Series before quitting on us. Surely, we were left for the dead for the Angels to do away with in the ALDS.

Then again, Manny, this is all he's done in his very first two playoff contests.

Game one: 2-for-4 with a game-winning two run home run in the sixth and a double later in the game.

Game two: 3-for-5 with a three-run shot in the first inning to stake the Sox to a 4-0 lead.

Let's compare the two of you for just a sec to make sure I've got this right.

Batting Average:

Ramirez- .500
Bay- .556

Advantage: Bay

Home Runs:

Ramirez- 2 (solo, solo)
Bay- 2 (2-run, 3-run)

Advantage: Bay

Total Bases:

Ramirez- 10
Bay- 12

Advantage: Bay

SLG percentage:

Ramirez- 1.250
Bay- 1.250 (but in one more AB)

Good luck getting a double or better in your first AB vs. Harden

Advantage: Bay



Anyway, hope you read this between now and the last week of October. Should be fun for you to come home to Boston and have to play in the shadow of our new left fielder, who has outperformed your very good numbers through two games (even against better pitching).


Take care (of that knee),

Dylan