Papelbon on Manny: 'It's like cancer'

[March 13, 2009]  NEW YORK (AP) -- Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon has likened former teammate Manny Ramirez to cancer.

The pitcher adds that Boston made the right decision when it traded the slugging left fielder to the Los Angeles Dodgers last summer.

Papelbon was quoted in the April issue of Esquire and the story was posted on the magazine's Web site Thursday. He said it takes one player to bring an entire team down, and that's what was happening on the Red Sox.

Papelbon said. "It's like cancer. That's what he was. Cancer. He had to go."

Ramirez was sent to Los Angeles as part of a three-team trade. Ramirez became a free agent after the season, then agreed last week to a $45 million, two-year deal with the Dodgers.

[Associated Press]

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