"For seven years we watched you play, in your inimitable 'Manny being Manny' way ... With or without you, Manny, we will go all the way!!!"
Janice Spina was in the shower thinking about the Manny Ramirez trade when rhymes like these started coming to her. As soon as she was out, Spina jotted down her thoughts and within a half-hour ended up with "Manny No More."
Since then, the Londonderry, N.H., Red Sox fan has spent her free time coming up with poems on her dugout favorites like Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, Terry Francona and David "Big Papi" Ortiz.
"Manny was my first," said Spina, a secretary for Methuen public schools. "I was really upset about him and what he did. He did not give us his all ... I sent the poem to him. He probably uses it as a dart board.
"Then they all started spurting out and it didn't stop. I had to write them down and get them out of my head," she said.
Spina said she's been a Red Sox fan since she was a little girl — about the same time she grew interested in poetry.
"I've always loved the Red Sox, but now that I'm writing, I pay more attention to the stats," she said.
Her poems resemble letters to the players, where she writes as if she is speaking to them.
About Pedroia, she writes, "Who knew that the little guy on the team, would get on the field and live his dream."
In Ortiz's tribute, she states, "Your generosity to children and others is a big part of who you are. All this to the fans makes you more than just a super star!"
Spina said not many people know about her Red Sox poems, besides her family and a couple of coworkers. She said she doesn't like to brag. But she did have to send one to the "big man."
"I sent it to the President of Red Sox Nation (Jerry Remy)," she said. "It's been such an incredible run for us. We have something to be proud of. Next is the Patriots."
If you know someone who should be The Eagle-Tribune's Red Sox Fan of the Day, please e-mail Gretchen Putnam at gputnam@eagletribune.com or call her at 978-946-2337.
MANNY NO MORE
For seven years we have watched you play,
in your inimitable 'Manny Being Manny' way.
In the dugout you always acted the clown,
and the cameras often caught you fooling around.
But back then when you were needed,
you did come through.
and with your great performance no one
minded you being you.
Then things changed and you slapped Youk across the head,
when he didn't do what you said?
Francona gave you a day free,
when you complained about your knee.
You were MVP with numerous assists, RBIs
and homeruns to show,
but no one could stop you when you wanted to go.
Red Sox fans (the greatest fans of all) supported you all the way, but Manny what else can we say?
We showed you the door,
and now there will be Manny no more.
So you are no longer with us today,
but we will do just fine because now we have Jason Bay!
With or without you, Manny, we will go all the way!!
