Manny Ramirez, HOFer? I don't think so

Now that Manny Ramirez is apparently (watch that word, with his volatile mind) retired, is he a Hall of Famer?

Given that his retirement is apparently based on what would have been a second "bust" by MLB for performance-enhancing drugs, his retirement is the most problematic to date on the hitters' side, topping previous winner Rafael Palmeiro.

Raffy was not outstanding, in terms of a peak, with his seeming roiding. Factoring out steroids and adjusting his career stats, but not looking to excise moral punishment, I have ruled him out of the HOF running.

Manny? Way ahead of Raffy on all the batting stats except base hits. Top 20 in HRs and RBIs. Top 25 in adjusted OPS. But, such a horrible fielder that Raffy's actually ahead of him on career WAR.

And, that, along with the roiding that was apparently so bad that he got busted a second time at age 38, unable to either be more skillful at using or to detach more from the tail end of a rapidly waning career, is why I'd be ready to vote him out, too.

The man was/is arguably baseball's biggest head case since Dick Allen, if not worse than him at times.

So, contra David Schoenfield at ESPN, and I'm sure others, I'm not ready to crown Manny yet.

As Jeff Passan puts it, Manny was the "ultimate flake," and also, in the header, a "colossal waste." Beyond the petulance, beyond the deliberately "indifferent" outfield play, he had many other "issues." I won't miss him quite as much as Passan apparently will.

Jon Paul Morosi agrees with me on Manny's HOF chances, and his deserving, or not.