Editor's Note: Manny's Earned His Rehab

Call me biased, but I'm with the people who support Manny's rehab stint with Triple-A Albuquerqe. Men like Bill Plaschke will claim that the rules allow Manny to skirt his punishment, the 50-game suspension delivered for violating MLB's drub policy. Plaschke talks like Ramirez is enjoying some kind of evil plan, as he sits in his posh penthouse, sipping Dom Perignon and laughing at all the Dodger fans who continue to support him even though he breaks rules. Playing in the minors brings no joy to Manny. This isn't some kind of escape clause that turns a 50-game suspension into a 42-game suspension. Manny is a player that lives for competition. He won't enjoy hitting a home run off some minor-league pitcher. For him it's just like batting practice, as Jon Weisman stated in his blog. Nobody cared when J.C. Romero rehabed with Philadelphia's minor-league system, but when it's Manny, everyone becomes outraged. And just like Weisman, I would not be outraged if any player who is suspended serves a rehab assignment. They have the right to make sure they are gameday-ready, and whether or not Plaschke supports that, that's the rule.