Manny Ramirez has been involved in plenty of controversies and other circus like actions throughout his career, particularly as a member of the Red Sox. However, over the weekend these two little bon mots appeared in the respective Boston newspapers, from the Boston Herald, “Ramirez has talked about his new commitment to yoga and meditation at the urging of his uncle. He is reading “The Secret” (Spanish version).” And then from Nick Cafardo in the Boston Globe, “Apropos of nothing…4. Something I never thought I’d see: Manny Ramírez sitting in the clubhouse, engrossed in a book that he’s marking with a pink highlighter.”

Now, call me crazy, but Manny, known more for his reticence in speaking with the media and his bizarre antics than for being a voracious reader doesn’t strike me as the type of man who is reading multiple books at any given time. Therefore, we can safely presume that the book he was so engrossed in and highlighting was the one and the same, The Secret.

It turns out that this is not something new in Manny Ramirez’s life, every year he arrives at spring training with a helpful new tome to guide him that season. As he wants to stay in Boston for the next few years, he has released some of this information to us, in the hard-hitting media of blogs for public consumption and I present it to you now

Before spring training had begun in 2007, Manny had already stirred up some controversy after reports that he was planning on attending a classic car show in Atlantic City instead of showing up on time, but that was only because he’d been listening to this audiobook and desperately wanted an autograph from the guys in person.

But Manny didn’t stop there, he also placed a barbecue grill from his home in Miami up on eBay, which would have been simply impossible had he not been so into this book…

In 2006, when MLB was all excited to highlight the World Baseball Classic and its stars, Manny Ramirez pulled out at the last minute from appearing on the Dominican Republic team, no one knew at the time his reasons. Thanks to his new openness, we found out that it was because he misunderstood the situation, and thought all the foreign players were going to come and take his job, all because of this book…

2005 Manny reported without incident, thanks to his winter reading of

which he really took to heart. Albeit only for a few months.

2004 saw Manny make a prediction to his wife that that would be the year the Red Sox would break the Bambino’s curse and finally win the World Series again. That wasn’t just a random boast though, Manny had been very whelmed from perusing this non-fiction piece,

alas, Manny thought he really was a psychic after he turned out to be correct he attempted to open his own psychic boutique, but after he caused 3 divorces and one man to lose his business, his agent shut it down.

The 2003 offseason was a turbulent one for Ramirez, and when his reading-to-better-himself campaign began. Nearly traded to the Texas Rangers for Alex Rodriguez, and forlorn about the whole affair, Manny picked up this book for some consolation and advice,

Greg Berhandt’s witty prose and strong words helped Manny reclaim his pride and become a better, stronger man, and ultimately a better player.

It wasn’t long after that that the “Manny Being Manny” phrase picked up in popularity. That was Manny’s doing, owning his own life and taking control, not needing the men who run baseball to approve his life. Manny was in control of his own destiny.

Having seen this reading list, I for one am totally confident in the Red Sox success this season. At least, presuming that is the thing Manny was seeking in The Secret, he may have just been thinking about this…