MVN: Most Valuable Network

Manny Ramirez.

What can be said?

Manny was working on a fourth straight 150+ games played in a season when his year was derailed last year, and he ended up with a .321/.439/.619 line. This year, he got off to yet another Manny‚Ñ¢ start, and ended up posting his second straight year of not even cracking 135 games played. He posted his lowest OPS since 1994, when he appeared in 91 games.

Does it matter?

We all know what happened. Manny stole the show with an absolute BOMB off K-Rod, one of the scariest closers in the game. The second that ball connected with the bat, the outcome was clear. It wasn't even close. I immediately exploded off my seat and started screaming.

He hadn't come through all game long. First came the misplay of a ball that did take a weird bounce --- but he was way out of position to play it. Even though the run still would have scored, Chone Figgins took second instead of being limited to first. Papi had four consecutive walks after singling in the first, and nothing could be made of it by Manny.

He was just teasing us.

Manny showed up in the bottom ninth to make winners out of Jonathan Papelbon and make the Red Sox the fourth team of the postseason to send the first round of the playoffs to a commanding 2-0 lead. Can you imagine if every single team ended up sweeping?

If that's the case, the Red Sox will owe the sweep to Josh Beckett and Manny Ramirez.

Manny announced to the world that even with his subpar year and his oblique strain, it would be silly to discount him. You might never see Papi walked four times in a game the remainder of the postseason. Why would you, when Manny has proven he can absolutely shatter a ball?

How tough is this Boston offense right now?

I'm not going to lie, I had a nagging doubt about this team. Who couldn't? The way the team played after the All-Star Break was shoddy. I consoled myself, saying that the injuries factored into it. I was right, but still, a part of me couldn't shake away how inept we looked at times.

We certainly don't look inept now.

From Beckett's postseason heroics that are now becoming the norm to David Ortiz's bomb into right field to the bullpen showing why it's the best in the American League to battling back to tie the game after a demoralizing start by the $103 million dollar man (mark my words, his best years are yet to come) to the bomb by our cleanup hitter that has been much maligned, possibly none more than yours truly ...

The Red Sox look like a World Series champion.

In the post-game interview with Manny, he uttered his usual confusing remarks --- "I always plan, but sometimes I'm gonna fail... but when I fail, it'll be with my plans." --- but he did mention that Jason Varitek told him that "you never leave Boston without a homerun."

Well, you were right, Jason. Even though you were one aggravating S.O.B. at the plate, gosh darn it, you were right. Manny will be flying to Los Angeles knowing that he left Boston with a homerun.

But it wasn't just any homerun.

It was a monster homerun, that sent a dagger through the Angels' hearts. It was a homerun that sent a message.

It was a homerun ... that put the Red Sox up 2-0 in the 2007 American League Division Series.

Savor this offday, fans. Savor this offday, Red Sox. We've seen a dominant pitching performance and a monster walkoff homerun that sent a message: the Red Sox are to be feared.

Manny Ramirez.