He's a hitting savant!   Feels no pressure, as he's oblivious.

Well, he's never ever boring, and probably the smartest hitter I've seen for the Red Sox, smarter than Boggs even- has brute power plus a high average, makes lots of quick adjustments and is simply a great hitter with an 0-2 count. Defensively, he's not good- he'll certainly not remind anyone of a Dwight Evans when he played right field nor a Yaz in left, but on the other hand, I wouldn't say that he is of Babe Herman or Ron Kittle quality either. The 500  homers plus his amazing productivity and consistency should ensure eventual enshrinement, and he's ranking  progressively higher on an all time left fielder list.

The bat is one of the greatest ever. . .the numbers at the plate are beyond question.  But Manny's bat has given him a free ride for being the dumbest guy on the basepaths and in the field.  At best he's a moderately interested fielder and on the basepaths you're not guaranteed that he'll even run to the wrong base.  That kind of Dan Qualye stupidity can't earn him five big ones- but the stick makes him a solid four.

A headcase, and at best an indifferent fielder, Ramirez carries one of the most dangerous bats in baseball.

In the field he is prone to monumental gaffes, throwing to the wrong base, flipping the ball into the crowd with only two out, punting a ball into the dugout.  He doesn't seem much interested in the defensive part of the game, and at his worst is an outright liability.

At the plate, however, he is another player entirely.  A smart, disciplined, dedicated hitter, Ramirez is dangerous anywhere in the count, and is probably the toughest out I've seen in twenty years. 

He is the current holder of the all but unbroken chain of great Red Sox left fielders that stretches from Williams to Yaz to Rice to Greenwell to Ramirez.