Disgraced Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez should not be named an All-Star this year, Dodgers manager Joe Torre said.
Ramirez, who is serving a 50-game suspension after testing positive for a banned drug, is fourth among outfielders in the latest All-Star voting tallies.
“No I don’t [think he should], and if you ask Manny, he’d give you the same answer,” Torre told reporters on Friday before the Dodgers’ game against the Chicago Cubs.
“I understand a lot of it is a popularity contest and you want to give the manager the best players but, to me, the significance of the All-Star Game is to reward players who had a good first half.”
“They don’t always do that but I always feel it’s great to have young players [given] a chance to make the club. Manny’s popularity is why he’s gotten votes,” he said. “Realistically, he didn’t have, except for reputation, a right to be an All-Star. It probably isn’t the right thing for him this year, from the baseball aspect, I’ve got to think.”
Ramirez is eligible to return on July 3 against the Padres in San Diego. The All-Star Game takes place on July 14 and Ramirez is just 34,000 votes behind Carlos Beltran of the New York Mets for the third starting spot among National League outfielders.
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