Handy Manny: Good Quote, Bad Fielder

This is going to pain our many West Coast followers, but we have three candidates for quote of the week — all out of Boston (as if having the best teams in baseball, basketball and football isn't enough).

"I’m shocked! ... Next thing you’re going to tell me is Brett Favre is coming back."

Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan, talking on ESPN’s "Sports Reporters,” following another Tour de France doping scandal.

“Wow, another win in L.A.”

Celtics guard Ray Allen’s opening to the acceptance speech for his team’s “Best Team” award at the ESPY awards ceremony in Los Angeles. He followed up that quip with a “what a difference a year makes ... last year I was parking the limos” for ESPY’s guests.
Pretty funny, but not as funny as Derek Fisher’s expression when they panned his way after the opening comment. ... Well, at least L.A. has someone on the Olympic team — which opens training camp Monday in Vegas by the way. (Wonder if Tim Donaghy will officiate any of their scrimmages? I hear he likes to hang at the MGM sportsbook when he's not pretending to be Joe Crawford.)

“I want to win a Gold Glove. That’s my goal this year.”

Boston Red Sox left fielder Manny Ramirez during the All-Star Game festivities. A couple days later, he made one of the funniest plays you’ll ever see on a lazy fly by Angels shortstop Maicer Izturis. You have to watch the YouTube if you missed it. Hilarious. Don’t think Manny will be sporting a Gold Glove in our lifetime. ... How about those Halos? Three-game sweep of the Red Sox. And the AL has home-field advantage in the World Series.

OK, just so people don't start mistaking us for the Boston Globe around here, the honorable mention bite comes from Reds outfielder Ken Griffey Jr., making light of not making the All-Star Game:

"If you can’t hit left-handers, you bunt. If you can’t hit righ-thanders, you bunt. If you can’t make the All-Star team, you go to the Bahamas."

I can’t do any of the above, including bunt, so where the heck does that leave me? On the sunny West Coast, where the Dodgers are tied for first place with a losing record. Eat your heart out Beantown.