Knowing Manny being Manny wouldn’t be a big deal on the West coast it was easy to see that Manny Ramirez, plus his bat and dreadlocks, would carry the Los Angeles Dodgers to the playoffs. Dodgers’ manager Joe Torre got Manny to trim his dreadlocks and the team went into a temporary tailspin. The Dodgers have snapped out of their funk and are now trying to hold off the Arizona Diamondbacks for the NL West title. Maybe a Manny Ramirez lookalike contest will give the team some karma down the stretch.

I didn’t get to see enough of the contestants to say that the guy in the video was the best choice, but I have to believe that this cat gave him a run for his money.

Los Angeles Dodgers’ manager Joe Torre asked Manny Ramirez to cut his hair, and Ramirez has complied if you count an inch being taken off of his dreads as haircut. The before and after picture above doesn’t show a lot of difference but Joe Torre is cool with the trim up.

“He took a little bit off. In the initial meeting I had with him when I said, ‘How important is your hair?’ He said, ‘You want me to cut it?’ I said, ‘Well, I’d like you to clean it up a little bit.’ I think he was within the rules of cleaning it up a little bit.”

Unfortunately for Torre, Manny conforming by an inch made T.J. Simer’s prediction come true. At least for one night.

I haven’t come up with a nickname for Torre yet, but Delilah is under strong consideration.

Right now the Dodgers have Samson batting cleanup, and it’s just a fact, if he cuts his hair — he loses his strength and becomes Juan Pierre.

Manny Ramirez went hitless in his first game with his “new-do”. This could be the effect of cutting his hair or a coincidence. Ramirez had an 0-5 night on August 8 against the Giants, but he’s been a hitting machine other than that game. Joe Torre should publicly apologize to the Los Angeles Dodgers fans at the end of the season if Manny goes into a slump and the Dodgers miss the playoffs. Ruining Manny’s mojo for the sake of a rule is gonna seem stupid in hindsight.

Manny Ramirez, Joe Torre, haircut, Los Angeles Dodgers