The hype surrounding the reunion in Tampa Bay sure didn’t last long. When Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon were reunited with the Rays, I doubt if anyone saw it ending this fast.

Manny Ramirez abruptly retired this week when he was informed that he tested positive for performance enhancing drugs during Spring Training. Ramirez already served a 50 game suspension for taking a female fertility drug (a known PED masking agent) and would have faced a 100 game suspension this time around. Yes Manny retired and avoided the lengthy suspension but he did not duck earning our Bitch Slap of the Week.

With career numbers that include a batting average of .312 and 555 homeruns, Ramirez would likely be heading to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown if not for the recent PED issues.

Despite his impressive stat totals on the field, Manny was best known for his antics which can best be summed up by “Manny being Manny.” Manny was adored by Red Sox Nation for helping bring them the World Series title in 2004 and ending the so-called curse. He typically had somewhat funny on-field mental lapses and received lots of attention for going to the bathroom in the Green Monster during a game.

All didn’t end well for Manny in Boston however. He held the Red Sox hostage (refusing to play because of an “injured” knee) until they were able to ship him to the Los Angeles Dodgers. After a rocky stint there that included that failed drug test and 50-game suspension, he eventually ended up in a Chicago White Sox jersey at the end of the 2010 season and later signed a $2 million dollar contract to be with the Rays this year.

While Manny ends up with great career numbers, the positive test will damage his reputation. The first time he was suspended, there was room (albeit very little room) to believe that Manny wasn’t actually on PED’s. This time around, it’s been confirmed.

Instead of being remembered as one of the greatest right handed hitters of his generation who also made some comical fielding gaffs, Ramirez will be remembered along with Bonds, McGwire, Sosa and Palmeiro as cheaters who reached their star status with some outside illegal help.

Looks like yet another asterisk will be making its way into MLB record books and for that Manny, you get our Bitch Slap of the Week.

Used with permission of the author.

Along with contributing to Sports Climax, Brett Kettyle is the Atlanta Braves Community Leader on Bleacher Report and maintains a Braves column for MTR Media. Follow Brett on Twitter.

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