The 5 greatest Boston Red Sox hitters in franchise history

3. Manny Ramirez

To many, the phrase “Manny being Manny” means goofing off, being lazy, and not taking the game seriously. When Manny Ramirez messed up, it was just “Manny being Manny”. He made us laugh, and he made us angry.

For me, “Manny being Manny” means something different. It means playing the game loosely, having fun, and dominating. What most people don’t realize about Manny is that he was (and still is) one of the hardest working hitters in the history of the game. When it comes to hitting, Manny is Michelangelo and his swing is David.

"“Some people won’t believe this, but I’ve never seen a harder worker than Manny Ramirez,” Wrote Pedro Martinez in a Players’ Tribune article, “I’ve never seen someone more dedicated to understanding his body and the rhythm of hitting. If you ask David [Ortiz], he’ll tell you that he learned hitting from Manny.” More from Chowder and Champions 3 Midseason Chaim Bloom Decisions That Have Killed the 2023 Red Sox 10 Patriots Who Will Be Cut by Tuesday’s Roster Deadline MLB Screws Red Sox Fans With Broadcast for Mookie Betts Return 3 Most Underpaid Celtics Heading Into the 2023 Season Red Sox Continue Rollercoaster Season With Massive Win"

I could bore you with some stats, but I’d rather — actually let’s do some stats really quick. In his career, Manny batted .312 with 555 home runs (15th all-time) and a .585 slugging percentage (8th all-time). Oh, and with all his power, he still managed to win a batting title in 2002 (.349 BA).

Okay, now let’s get back to “Manny being Manny”. Ramirez was such an advanced hitter that he just toyed with opposing pitchers. It was Ramirez who introduced me to “baiting pitches”, which essentially means tricking a pitcher into throwing the pitch he wanted them to throw. For example, Manny would act fooled by a first-pitch curveball having seen it perfectly well. When the pitcher came back with the same pitch, Manny would put the ball over the Monster in left.

Partner his next-level approach with his beautiful swing? You’ve got a Hall of Fame caliber hitter. I’m just thankful I was able to witness him play during my lifetime.

It’s hard to make a top 5 hitters list and leave the greatest right handed hitter of all time off. Manny may have had his fair share of shenanigans during his career with the Boston Red Sox, but there’s no denying his hitting ability. The No. 3 spot is his.