BOSTON — Manny Ramirez, who won two World Series with the Red Sox, was welcomed back to Boston Wednesday night as one of six honorees at the 2019 Tradition to benefit The Sports Museum.
During his media availability, Ramirez addressed his Baseball Hall of Fame candidacy and the candidacies of other players like him who are shrouded in the controversy surrounding steroid use, both alleged and proven through failed tests for performance enhancing drugs.
Ramirez said he'd be honored to join the Hall of Fame and feels many of the players accused of using or suspended for using steroids will eventually be admitted - "In 15-20 years."
He proceeded to say, "It's the same thing, like, with Pete Rose.That's it.Let the guy get in. That's it,: said Ramirez. "Everybody makes mistakes. I make mistakes every day. Everybody make it. But we gotta keep moving, so what else can you do?"
Ramirez was then asked if he ever questions why he got caught up in steroid use and his response was introspective.
"Not really," said Ramirez. "I ask myself - it was a good thing for me because it made me grow up. Maybe a lot of people didn't get caught and they were doing maybe some crazy stuff and they're not learning from it. So I think everything happens for a reason and everything is working for the good. I'm in a better place than I've ever been, even when I was playing, so I don't regret it because it made me grow up."