The Mets rewarded the rookie after all. New York dealt catcher Ramon Castro and cash to the White Sox in exchange for pitcher Lance Broadway, opting instead to keep surprising 28-year-old Omir Santos in the bigs.

Santos wasted no time Friday night assuring the Mets they made the right choice, hitting a game-winning RBI single in the 11th inning to give New York a 2-1 win over the Marlins.

Santos, a former Yankees prospect, has totaled three homers and 17 RBI in 76 at-bats since his call-up. He’s also batting over .330 with runners in scoring position and has hit safely in 16 of his 20 starts.

“On a night like tonight, when Omir Santos plays the way he has, it makes the decision easy for us,” said GM Omar Minaya, who admitted he’s been taken aback by Santos’ rapid progress.

In a season where fans have dogged the Mets about their lack of moves, this was a no-brainer considering how big of a spark plug Santos has been for this team lately. Castro is owed $1,748,634 of his $2.5 million salary, and the White Sox should be receiving at least $1.4 million.

With the White Sox, at least Castro will be able to get into the starting mix since A.J. Pierzynski isn’t exactly tearing the cover off the ball. At age 33, he’s still a solid defensive catcher as well.

Broadway, Chicago’s first-round draft pick in 2005, was 0-1 with a 5.06 ERA in eight games with the White Sox this season. Minaya said the right-hander will be sent to Triple-A Buffalo and work as a starter.

Happy Friday, y’all! It’s a big day here for us - it being our last day before our debut on Monday - but it’s an EVEN BIGGER day for another group of fine people: Everyone over at The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, who are having their final, farewell episode tonight (which Conan will be on, so make sure to tune in)!

Everyone here at our show would like to wish Jay and everyone at his show the best of luck on a terrific last show. Good luck, guys!! Thanks for all your hard work entertaining America (and the world) these past years, and good luck putting together your new 10 pm show!!

It’s particularly touching for us, because we all went through that kind of emotional farewell back in NY a few months ago… So we know exactly how it’s gonna be for them tonight! All I can say is this: Please don’t drink as much at your wrap party as I did at mine! Unless of course you want to wake up tomorrow with a half eaten hotdog in your pocket (no bun, by the way - just dog. And it was still good).

Now, ONTO THE FINAL TWO WINNERS OF OUR TONIGHT SHOW TRIVIA SWEEPSTAKES!!! Are you ready, sugarsnap? Are you really ready? Really REALLLLLY ready? Are you re- Sorry, I’ll just announce them.

Chewin’ on a piece of grass walkin’ down the road
tell me, how long you gonna stay here Joe?
Some people say this town don’t look good in snow
You don’t care, I know.

Ventura Highway, in the sunshine
Where the days are longer
The nights are stronger than moonshine
You’re gonna go I know

Cause the free wind is blowin’ through your hair
and the day surround your daylight there
Seasons cryin’ no despair
Alligator lizards in the air

Wishin’ on a fallin’ star
Watchin’ for the early train
Sorry boy, but I’ve been hit by purple rain
Aw, come on Joe, you can always change your name
Thanks alot son, just the same

Ventura Highway, in the sunshine
Where the days are longer
The nights are stronger than moonshine!
you’re gonna go, I know

Cause the free wind is blowin’ through your hair
and the days surround your daylight there
seasons cryin’ no despair
Alligator lizards in the air
in the air

In these tough economic times, layoffs are sadly happening left and right, and even A-list pop stars aren’t selling albums like they used to. But there seems to be one line of work not at all affected by the recession: the legal field. Lawyers still have plenty of business coming their way, and many of their customers are in fact A-list pop stars. Here’s who was creating disorder in the court this week.

First up, Chris Brown’s celebrity attorney, Mark Geragos (the former rep for Michael Jackson), was working overtime this week–and he may have found a loophole in the Chris Brown/Rihanna assault case as a result. This week Mark requested an investigation into that infamous leaked police-file photo of Rihanna’s bruised face, which first turned up on TMZ, claiming that the photographic evidence might have been unethically sold to the celebrity gossip site by an actual member of the police. If that turns out to be the case, Mark might have grounds to get charges against his star client (who faces up to five years in prison if convicted) dismissed entirely on a technicality.

Watch this space for more developments on the “Chrianna” saga…

And speaking of Michael Jackson, the frequently legally troubled superstar also found himself needing a lawyer’s services again this week, when his publicist and general manager of five years, Raymone Bain, filed suit against him for a cool $44 million. Raymone claimed Jacko didn’t pay her for various negotiations she allegedly handled, including those involving the 25th-anniversary reissue of Thriller, the refinancing of a loan so he could maintain ownership of the Beatles’ catalog, and Michael’s sold-out July 2009 concert residency at the O2 Arena in London.

“Despite the action I have been compelled to take for professional and business reasons, when looking back, I have no regrets,” Raymone said in a statement issued last Wednesday. “Michael Jackson, in my opinion, is the ‘King of Pop.’” And he’s also the King Of Lawsuits, apparently, since this is just the latest case filed by a former associate claiming to have been jacked by Jacko.

Meanwhile, Michael’s little sister Janet Jackson may soon be back in court as well–the Supreme Court, that is. Her notorious “wardrobe malfunction” Super Bowl case was sent back for review last Monday, with the Supreme Court ordering a federal appeals court to re-examine its ruling in favor of CBS over the 2004 overexposure incident. Last year the appeals court threw out a $550,000 fine against CBS, deciding that Janet’s scandalous live-broadcast breast-baring (which only lasted nine-sixteenths of one second) could not have been anticipated by the network. In a statement issued this week by CBS, the network expressed confidence that the federal court will once again rule in CBS’s favor.

Janet, perhaps wisely still trying to distance herself from that nearly career-killing debacle, refrained from commenting on the case.

Another R&B diva associated with legal issues this week was Toni Braxton, after Surinamese Braxton impersonator Trina Johnson-Finn was jailed for allegedly trying to pass herself off as the real deal at a concert in South America. The phony Toni’s husband claimed Trina was actually the victim of a local con artist–that she was tricked by a shady concert promoter, who scammed 3,000 Toni-loving ticket-buyers into thinking they’d see the real Toni perform live. (The promoter, Angel Ventura of Events For Suriname, was arrested as well.) The case heads to court May 26, when Trina will go on trial for allegedly attempting to defraud the Toni fans who bought $53 tickets.

But Kathleen Brandon, Trina’s Surinamese lawyer, continued to defend her client’s innocence, lamenting: “She has done no wrong, so it is difficult for her to spend so much time in jail to await the start of the trial.”

In other legal news, 50 Cent ought to give his lawyer a big fat bonus right about now. The week started off well enough for Fiddy, with the rapper claiming that he was officially cleared of having any involvement with a house fire at his ex-girlfriend’s home in Long Island last year. (The home, where 50’s ex Shaniqua Tompkins and her son Marquis resided, caught on fire in May 2008, at a time when 50 and Shaniqua were embroiled in a legal dispute over his assets, including the $1.4 million estate.) The hip-hop star’s triumphant statement on thisis50.com read: “The police department and insurance investigators ruled that there is absolutely no proof or evidence suggesting that Curtis Jackson [aka 50 Cent] or any affiliated parties were involved. Curtis Jackson has just been cleared of all the accusations. The investigation will continue until the guilty party is found.”

However, cops weren’t exactly letting Curtis off the hook just yet. Detective Thomas Wieland of the Suffolk County police later rebutted 50’s statement, saying: “That fire is still under investigation. It hasn’t been closed either way.” So Fiddy better keep his attorney on retainer, just in case.

In alternative rock legal news, this week former Wilco member Jay Bennett sued his ex-bandmate Jeff Tweedy over at least $50,000 in royalties, claiming he was partially paid for work he did with the alt-country group over the course of seven years and five albums. “As a recording musician in Wilco, Bennett is entitled to compensation for his services rendered in the form of continuing and perpetual artist royalty payments from [Tweedy],” the lawsuit paperwork alleged.

Meanwhile, alt-rock icons Nine Inch Nails came under fire from Apple, when an update of their iPhone app was rejected due to “obscene, pornographic, offensive, or defamatory content.” NIN frontman Trent Reznor addressed the Apple controversy on his website, likening the situation to one NIN dealt with previously:

“I’ll voice the same issue I had with Wal-Mart years ago, which is a matter of consistency and hypocrisy,” he blogged. “Wal-Mart went on a rampage years ago insisting all music they carry be censored of all profanity and ‘clean’ versions be made for them to carry. Bands (including Nirvana) tripped over themselves editing out words, changing album art, etc. to meet Wal-Mart’s standards of decency–because Wal-Mart sells a lot of records. NIN refused, and you’ll notice a pretty empty NIN section at any Wal-Mart. My reasoning was this: I can understand if you want the moral posturing of not having any ‘indecent’ material for sale–but you could literally turn around 180 degrees from where the NIN record would be and purchase the film Scarface completely uncensored, or buy a copy of Grand Theft Auto where you can be rewarded for beating up prostitutes. How does that make sense?”

However, by the week’s end the issue was resolved, and the NIN iPhone app was approved after all. If only Chris, Jacko, Janet, Fiddy, Trina, and Wilco had it so easy.

There’s one more alt-rocker who may be headed to court soon, but fortunately in this case it will be to pay a visit to the Justice Of The Peace. White Stripes drummer Meg White–who at one time was legally married to her bandmate Jack White, although they disturbingly claimed to be brother and sister to stir up publicity–announced her engagement this week to musician Jackson Smith, son of punk legend Patti Smith and late MC5 guitarist Fred “Sonic” Smith. When the Detroit twosome marry later this year, they will no doubt become the ultimate power couple of Motor City rock ‘n’ roll royalty.

And finally, in a non-legal bit of news but perhaps the most serious story of all, last weekend Adam Cook–the eldest brother of American Idol David Cook–lost his decade-long fight with brain cancer, at the tender age of 37. (Adam’s cancer first came to public attention while David was still competing on season 7 of American Idol, when producers famously and generously spent $45,000 flying Adam on a chartered medical jet from Terre Haute, Indiana to an Idol taping.) David cancelled two concerts earlier this year to spend time with his ailing brother, and last Sunday morning at a benefit before the 12th annual Race For Hope 5K in Washington, D.C., he announced the sad news of Adam’s passing. He then told the shocked and sympathetic crowd, “I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else in the world,” and ran in the race as planned, raising $98,000 for brain cancer research with his team.

And on that sad note, thus concludes another week in music news. Come back next week for more headlines, and have a great Mother’s Day weekend in the meantime.

TAMPA, Fla. - At age 11, Zach Bonner has already walked farther and done more for charity than many grown-ups.

Now he’s about to make good on his vow to walk more than 1,200 miles from Tampa to Washington to bring attention to the plight of homeless kids in the United States.

The boy with the spiky red hair came up with the idea in 2007, then hiked nearly 300 miles from his home near Tampa to the state capital, Tallahassee. Last year, he walked another 270 miles or so from Tallahassee to Atlanta.

On Monday he’ll set out for the final and most demanding leg of the journey, well over 600 miles from Atlanta to Washington. He figures it’ll take about two months.

Zach expects to cover around 11 miles a day. Along the way, he’ll collect donations and letters from people urging President Barack Obama to take more action to alleviate homelessness among children. He’s contacted the White House about meeting with Obama, but has yet to hear back.

“I just decided I wanted to do something big,” the soft-spoken fifth-grader said earlier this week.

Zach became a local celebrity of sorts at age 7 when he pulled his red wagon around his neighborhood collecting bottled water and food for victims of Hurricane Charley, which hit Florida in August 2004. He ended up sending 27 pickup truck loads of stuff.

Once he started helping people, especially kids, he couldn’t stop. He put together and distributed about 1,200 backpacks full of toiletries, food and other necessities for homeless kids. Now he even has his own registered nonprofit charity, the Little Red Wagon Foundation Inc.

“My plan is to help as many kids as I can, have fun and keep it simple,” he says on the Web site, http://www.LittleRedWagonFoundation.com.

President George W. Bush found out about Zach’s work and gave him a Presidential Call to Service Award during a Tampa visit in 2006. Standing beside Air Force One, Bush shook the boy’s hand and told him how proud he was.

Zach said he was inspired by a TV program about a peace activist named Mildred Norman, known as “The Peace Pilgrim,” who walked back and forth across the country for 28 years. That’s when the idea for the “My House to the White House” walk came to him.

“He told everybody before I had a chance to say no,” said his mom, Laurie. “It’s just him. It’s who he is.”

His long walk during summer vacation isn’t expected to interfere with school.

A Tampa RV dealership is donating use of a motor home that Zach will sleep in and his mom will drive. His 21-year-old sister, Kelley, will be in a red Volkswagen Beetle decorated with the logo of his foundation. He’ll try to get campground space and meals donated along the way. The trip is budgeted at $6,000.

The nonprofit Philanthropy Project has a film crew following Zach, too, and plans to make a movie about his life. British rock legend Elton John counts himself among Zach’s fans and has pledged $25,000 to the boy’s charity if he finishes the trek.

Staying away from the interstate highways, Zach’s sojourn will take him through Greenville, S.C., Raleigh, N.C., and Richmond, Va. His progress will be charted on a Web site, http://www.zachtracker.com.

Once he gets to Washington around July 9, Zach will participate in activities at the Sasha Bruce House, an emergency shelter for homeless youth that Obama visited for a day of service before his inauguration in January. Some of the money Zach is raising will benefit the shelter.

“I’m excited,” he said. “A little nervous, but pretty much excited.”

Christopher Whitelaw “Chris” Pine[1] (born August 26, 1980) is an American actor. He has appeared in the romantic comedies The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004) and Just My Luck (2006), and played James T. Kirk in the sci-fi movie Star Trek.

Biography

Early life

Pine was born in Los Angeles, California to Robert Pine and Gwynne Gilford; he also has an older sister, Katherine. His father was an actor who had a contract with Universal, while his mother was an actress and is now a practicing psychotherapist. His maternal grandparents were Anne Gwynne, a Hollywood actress, and Max M. Gilford, a Hollywood attorney. Pine is of Welsh and Jewish descent on his mother’s side.

Pine graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a degree in English. He spent his junior year in the UK, studying English at the University of Leeds.

Career

Pine’s first acting role was in a 2003 episode of ER; the same year, he also appeared in episodes of The Guardian and CSI: Miami. In 2004, he appeared in Why Germany?, a short film, and in The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement. Pine was one of several love interests of Anne Hathaway’s character in the film, which was released in August of that year to a strong box office. In 2005, Pine appeared in an episode of the series Six Feet Under, as well as in Confession, an independent film that was released directly-to-video, and The Bulls, another short film.

Pine appeared in the made-for-television film, Surrender Dorothy, which aired in early 2006. He also played Jake Hardin in the American film Just My Luck, a romantic comedy in which he stars opposite Lindsay Lohan who plays Ashley Albright. The film was released on May 12, 2006. Also starring in Just My Luck were McFly who starred, as themselves, as a new band founded by Jake in America. Pine appears in the comedy, Blind Dating and in the action film Smokin’ Aces.

In 2007, Pine turned down a role in a film adaptation of White Jazz, under production but unreleased as of May 2009, in order to accept the part of James T. Kirk in the 2009 Star Trek.Pine is also scheduled appear in the independent film Small Town Saturday Night.

So Mom already has a panini press, an automatic espresso maker, an electric rotisserie and a sparkling water maker. What’s left on the Mother’s Day gift list? Appeal to her animal-loving nature if she has a pet (or pets) she adores.

1. Eye pillows in the shape of her favorite animal: Look for those filled with flax seed, chamomile and lavender for their relaxation qualities, for alleviating headaches and soothing puffy eyes.

2. Heatable and freezable slippers: Some have inserts that can be placed in the microwave for warmth or chilled in the freezer to reduce swelling and sooth swollen or overworked feet. Look for those in animal prints or comfy animal shapes.

3. Breed-specific luggage tags: No longer a luxury item, luggage tags are a must for finding your own suitcase in an airport carousel of chaos. Look for breed-specific tags that hold identification. Easy to spot and easy to love.

4. Key chains close to her heart: These are easy to find in dog, cat, bird shapes. Or look for bone shapes, heart shapes or those with sayings such as “I (heart) my dog” or “best in show.” Every Mom can use an extra set of keys.

5. Pet-themed tote bags: Mothers everywhere need help carrying their load. Look for recycled reusable totes with pet logos or patterns.

6. Never too many T-shirts: Especially when it’s an oversized one Mom can sleep in. Check out your favorite gift or pet shop for the T-shirt that speaks your mother’s pet language. Look for those where a portion of the price is donated to animal causes, like www.nolacitybark.org to benefit City Park’s leash-free dog park to be completed this fall.

7. Gift with the most charm: Pet charms that can be attached to a key ring, a chain to wear as a necklace or even a zipper on a jacket are small gifts with a big message

What’s the first thing you do when you get home from school? If you’re like most teens, you raid the refrigerator. But snacking on the wrong foods can add unwanted calories and make you even hungrier when mealtime rolls around. Eating snacks low in nutritional value does nothing to make you smarter or stronger, either. The key is to choose healthy snacks that will fill you up and help nourish you without adding too many calories.
Snacks and Your Weight

Favorite teen snacks include chips, soft drinks, cookies, candy bars, pizza, burgers and fries, and ice cream. Yet all of these high-calorie snacks can cause weight gain. What happens when teens notice that they’ve put on a few pounds? Many stop snacking altogether and begin to “fast” for hours at a time.

The problem is, you set yourself up for overeating when you go for five or six hours without eating. Many nutritionists believe that we should eat smaller meals every three to four hours (instead of three large meals per day). This may help your body’s blood sugar levels stay stable. Providing a steady supply of glucose to your brain helps keep you from having mood swings and getting cranky. It also helps to reduce the chances of binging.
Good News and Bad News about Snacking

Here’s the good news: the best way to maintain a normal weight (and be smarter and stronger) is to stop depriving yourself. Go ahead and eat a healthy snack between meals, and enjoy it! Snacking between meals ensures that your body will not run out of fuel. And common sense tells you that it’s hard to make wise choices at dinnertime if your stomach is growling.

The bad news is that if you make poor choices or eat too many calories at snack time, you’ll probably gain weight. If your snack choices are determined by how you feel at the moment or by the not-so-nutritious selections in the vending machine, you’re likely to overeat and miss out on important nutrients.

That’s why it’s good to plan ahead. See the list of Smart Snack Suggestions (below), or come up with your own healthy favorites. Then, post this list on your refrigerator door. Make sure you or your parents buy these foods from the supermarket, so you have a variety to choose from each afternoon.
Betcha Can’t Eat Just One!

Even when you choose healthy snacks, it can be hard to limit your snack portions. That’s especially true when you get home from school and are ready to devour anything that’s not moving!

To control portions, measure one serving of your snack the night before and put this in a zipper plastic sandwich bag. Then your pre-measured, packaged snack will be ready when you get home.

Manuel “Manny” Aristides Ramírez Onelcida (born May 30, 1972 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) is a Dominican-American Major League Baseball left fielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers. A nine-time Silver Slugger, and one of twenty-five people to have hit over 500 career home runs, he is well recognized for his strong offensive abilities. His 20 career grand slams are the most by any active player, and the second most all-time, behind Lou Gehrig’s 23. For the past eleven years, Ramirez has been a fixture in the All-Star Game, and is a twelve-time All-Star. Ramirez’ authorized biography, Becoming Manny: Inside the Life of Baseball’s Most Enigmatic Slugger was released in bookstores March 10, 2009.

Career

High school

Growing up in Washington Heights, New York City, New York, Ramirez attended George Washington High School, New York. He was a 3-time All-City selection in baseball and was named New York City Public School Player of the Year in 1991, while batting .615 with 14 home runs in 22 games. He was inducted into the New York City Public School Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.

Minor leagues

The Cleveland Indians selected Ramirez with the 13th pick of the 1991 draft and assigned to the Rookie-level Burlington Indians for his professional debut. He was named the Appalachian League MVP and was selected by Baseball America as short-season Player of the Year while slugging 19 homers and driving in 63 runs in 59 games, while leading the league in slugging and total bases.

With the Single-A Kinston Indians in 1992, Ramirez battled injuries but still hit .278 with 13 homers and 63 RBI in 81 games and was named as the No.3 Prospect and the “Most Exciting Player in the Carolina League” by Baseball America.

In 1993, Ramirez was named “Minor League Player of the Year” by Baseball America while combining to hit .333 with 31 homers and 115 RBI in 129 games with the Double-A Canton-Akron Indians and Triple-A Charlotte Knights.

Cleveland Indians

Ramirez made his major league debut on September 2, 1993 against the Minnesota Twins, going hitless in four at-bats as the designated hitter. The following day against the New York Yankees he went 3 for 4 with 2 home runs and a double. His first career homer was against Mélido Pérez.

In his first full season in the majors, Ramirez finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting after batting .269 with 17 homers and 60 RBI in 91 games. He won his first career Silver Slugger Award following the 1995 season and also was selected to his first All-Star Game.

From 1993 to 2000, he had 236 home runs and 804 RBI in 967 games for the Cleveland Indians, including a career-high 45 home runs in 1998, and a career-high 165 RBI in 1999, when he hit .333 with 44 homers and scored 131 runs (also a career high). His 165 RBI in 1999 were the highest total by any player since Jimmie Foxx (1938). During his time in Cleveland, he played in two World Series: 1995 and 1997.

Boston Red Sox

In December 2000, Ramirez signed an eight-year, $160 million deal with the Boston Red Sox, with $20 million options for 2009 and 2010, pushing the total value of the contract to $200 million for 10 years.Ramirez immediately delivered for the Red Sox, hitting .408 in April. His final season stats were a .306 batting average with 41 home runs and 125 RBI. On June 23, Ramirez hit two monstrous home runs against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park, with the second one hitting the very top of the light tower in left field. The length of the home run was officially listed at 501 feet, just short of Ted Williams’ record of 502 feet.

Manny only played in 120 games in 2002, due to a hamstring injury that put him on the DL for more than a month from mid-May to the end of June. Despite this, Ramirez won the American League batting title, hitting .349, and his .647 slugging percentage was second in the league behind Jim Thome’s .677. Ramirez hit his 300th career home run on August 26 against the Angels’ Ramon Ortiz. It was the first of two home runs of the night for Ramirez, as he went 5-for-5 overall.

In the summer of 2003, Ramirez missed several games with pharyngitis. When it became public that he was spotted in a bar (in the same hotel where Ramirez lives) with a close friend, Yankees infielder Enrique Wilson when Ramirez was supposedly too ill to play in the Yankees series, Boston manager Grady Little benched him for one game. Despite his strong play in the 2003 postseason, the Red Sox lost to the Yankees in a seven game showdown in the ALCS. The new Red Sox ownership and management, trying to rid themselves of his massive contract, put Ramirez on irrevocable waivers, thus making him available to any team willing to assume the remainder of his contract. However, all 29 other teams passed on the opportunity to claim Ramirez.

2004 season
Ramirez at Red Sox victory parade

In 2004, Ramirez led the American League in home runs (43), slugging percentage (.613) and OPS (1.009); he also finished third in RBI (130), sixth in on base percentage (.397), eighth in walks (82), tenth in runs (108), and posted a .308 batting average.

In addition, Ramirez and David Ortiz became the first pair of American League teammates to hit 40 home runs, have 100 RBI, and bat .300 since the Yankees’ Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in 1931. Together they also hit back-to-back home runs six times, tying the major league single-season mark set by the Detroit Tigers’ Hank Greenberg and Rudy York and later matched by the Chicago White Sox’s Frank Thomas and Magglio Ordóñez.

In the 2004 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, Ramirez hit a two-run home run off Roger Clemens in the top of the first inning, giving his teammates a 3-0 lead. Ramirez, Derek Jeter (with a single), Ichiro Suzuki (with a double) and Iván Rodríguez (with a triple) became the first All-Star quartet to hit for the cycle during the same inning. His season was capped off by being named the MVP of the World Series as the Red Sox won their first title since 1918.

2005-06

On May 15, Ramirez hit his 400th home run off Gil Meche of the Seattle Mariners. Ramirez is one of only 45 MLB players in the 400 home run club. On July 5, Ramirez hit his 20th career grand slam - and his third of the season - off Chris Young of the Texas Rangers. Off the field, this season was one of much conflict for Ramirez. Persistent trade rumors (generally involving the New York Mets) dogged him all season. After the Red Sox were eliminated in the first round of that year’s playoffs by the eventual World Series champion Chicago White Sox, Ramirez once again expressed a wish to be traded. This included a threat to not show up for spring training if his latest demand was not met by Red Sox GM Theo Epstein. Toward this end, in December 2005, Ramirez put his Ritz-Carlton condominium up for sale.

Trade rumors circulated with Ramirez possibly going to the Baltimore Orioles or Mets, but no deal was reached. By January 5, 2006, Ramirez changed his mind, stating to ESPN Deportes he was dropping the demand. His agents, in turn, insisted their client was still open to a trade.

On June 10, Ramirez became the 31st player in history to hit 450 home runs, with a solo shot off Francisco Cordero of the Texas Rangers. Three weeks later, on July 1, he collected his 2000th hit. The remainder of the season was feast or famine for Ramirez: beginning in mid-July, he had a 28-game hitting streak, including 12 multi-hit games, 8 HR, and 28 RBI, but then missed 28 games from mid-August on with soreness in his right knee.

2007 season

Manny Ramirez warming up before a game in 2007.

On April 22, Ramirez was the first of four Red Sox batters to homer in consecutive at bats in a game against the Yankees, tying a league record. All of the home runs were against Chase Wright. On April 29, Ramirez became the fifth player to hit 50 career home runs against the New York Yankees.

Ramirez had a well below average year, finishing with a .296 batting average, 20 home runs, and 88 runs batted in. His season was cut short when he strained his left oblique in late August during a New York Yankees series, but he did return to the lineup for the final home stand of the season. In 2007, he had the highest fielding percentage, .990, among left fielders in the American League, tied for second in the Major League; he was ranked 6th highest in range factor of all AL left fielders, 1.72, 16th in both leagues, but had the lowest zone rating of Major League left fielders with 100+ games: .713.He made two errors during the 2007 season in left field, and tied for 5th overall in the Majors in assists from left field.

In the postseason, Ramirez hit a walk-off 3-run home run in Game 2 of the American League Division Series against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. In the fourth inning of the series’ final game, Ramirez combined with teammate David Ortiz to hit back-to-back home runs off pitcher Jered Weaver. This home run tied him with Bernie Williams for first place all-time in postseason home runs. On October 13, Ramirez hit his 23rd postseason home run, passing Bernie Williams for the most all-time.

He also helped the Red Sox to reach and win the 2007 World Series, where they swept the Colorado Rockies. In the 2007 postseason, Ramirez batted .348 with 4 home runs and 16 RBI.

2008 season

On May 31, Ramirez hit his 500th home run, against Baltimore Orioles pitcher Chad Bradford at Camden Yards in the 7th inning on the first pitch, becoming the 24th player in MLB history to do so. He joined two other Red Sox players, Jimmie Foxx and Ted Williams in this exclusive home run club.

On June 5, during a game at Fenway against the Tampa Bay Rays, an altercation between Manny Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis resulted from Ramirez objecting to what he believed was excessive - and chronic - complaining about the strike zone by Youkilis in the dugout, as well as the first baseman’s penchant for throwing equipment after at-bats. Before the fifth inning - and after the Red Sox-Rays punching session - Ramirez was caught on NESN cameras slapping Youkilis. The pair also exchanged words, and had to be separated by teammates, coaches, and training staff. Youkilis headed out to the field still barking at Ramirez, while Ramirez was escorted into the tunnel leading to the clubhouse by bench coach Brad Mills and trainer Paul Lessard. According to three sources, Ramirez had told Youkilis to “cut that out.” That was what provoked Youkilis and started the problem. Later in the season, during the series with the Houston Astros, Ramirez had a physical altercation with Red Sox traveling secretary Jack McCormick. The two were arguing over Ramirez’s large game-day request for 16 tickets to the game in Houston, when Ramirez reportedly pushed McCormick to the ground after saying “Just do your job.” The two were quickly separated and Ramirez later apologized for his behavior.The matter was dealt with internally and Ramirez was fined.

On July 25, after sitting out one game against the Seattle Mariners with a sore knee, Ramirez was originally slated to start against the Yankees. Several minutes before the game, however, he informed manager Terry Francona, through a bench coach, that he would not be playing. During this series against the Yankees Ramirez was directed to an area hospital for an MRI on both knees, the results showed no damage.[14] When back in action, Ramirez frequently did not run out ground balls. Assuming that this was due to his displeasure about his contract situation, many Red Sox fans and reporters, including Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe, called for Ramirez to be traded.

Los Angeles Dodgers
Manny Ramirez at Dodger Stadium when the Dodgers clinched the NL West, 25 Sept. 2008

On July 31, 2008, Manny was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-way deal, in which he was almost traded to the Florida Marlins. The Boston Red Sox acquired outfielder Jason Bay and minor league infielder Josh Wilson,[15] and the Pittsburgh Pirates got infielder Andy LaRoche, and pitching prospect Bryan Morris from the Dodgers, and outfielder Brandon Moss and pitcher Craig Hansen from the Red Sox.

Ramirez has always worn uniform number 24, but the Dodgers have retired that number in honor of Hall-of-Fame manager Walter Alston. Ramirez countered the Dodgers’ suggestion of 28 by suggesting 34, but no Dodger has worn that number since Fernando Valenzuela. Ramirez finally accepted number 99, but the next day asked for 28, the Dodgers’ original suggestion. However, the Dodgers’ marketing department had already begun producing merchandise with number 99, so Ramirez stuck with that number.

Ramirez hit his first home run with the Dodgers on August 2, 2008, in a game against the Diamondbacks. He currently sits in 16th place among baseball’s all-time home run leaders with 527.

Ramirez was named the National League Player of the Month for August 2008. He hit .415 (44-for-106) with seven doubles, nine home runs, 25 RBI and 21 runs scored during the month. He finished the season with the Dodgers hitting a .396 batting average, 17 home runs, and 53 RBI.

Ramirez finished the season with 37 home runs and 121 runs batted in. Among all major leaguers, he finished 3rd in batting average, 2nd in slugging percentage, and 3rd in OPS. WIth Ramirez in the line-up, the Dodgers won the National League West, then swept the Chicago Cubs in a division series before losing the National League Championship Series to the eventual World Series winner Philadelphia Phillies in five games. During the playoffs, Manny hit .520 with 4 home runs, 2 doubles, 11 walks and 10 RBI.

Ramirez was fourth in the voting for the 2008 NL MVP award, with 138 points, behind Albert Pujols, Ryan Howard, and Ryan Braun.

After the Dodgers lost in the playoffs, Manny was asked about his future. “Gas is up, and so am I”, was his reply, indicating that he expected to be valued highly in the free agent market. However, only the Dodgers appeared interested in signing Ramirez. After long and contentious negotiations that dragged into the start of spring training, Ramirez signed a two-year $45 million contract with Los Angeles on March 4.

Suspension
Sister project Wikinews has related news: Major League baseball player Manny Ramirez receives 50-game ban

On May 7, 2009, Ramirez was suspended 50 games for violating Major League Baseball’s Performance Enhancing Drug policy.In the announcement provided by Major League Baseball, Ramirez was suspended for an unspecified violation of section 8.G.2 of the joint drug agreement. Shortly after his suspension was announced, Ramirez stated that he had seen a physician who unknowingly prescribed medication that is banned under the MLB drug policy. After consulting with the MLBPA Players’ Association, Ramirez waived his right to challenge the suspension.[20] According to an ESPN report, the drug used by Ramirez is human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a women’s fertility drug typically used by steroid users to restart their body’s natural testosterone production as they come off a steroid cycle. It is similar to Clomid, the drug Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi and others used as clients of BALCO.

Birth Name
Jessica Claire Biel

Nickname
Jesse

Height
5′ 8″ (1.73 m)

Mini Biography

Jessica Biel, with her striking good looks and wide range of talent, has become one of Hollywood’s most sought-out actresses. Her television series acting debut on the WB’s #1-rated show, “7th Heaven” (1996), has helped her emerge as a breakout star.

As a child Jessica initially pursued a career as a vocalist, performing in musical theater. Beginning at age nine, she starred in such productions as “Annie,” “The Sound of Music,” and “Beauty and the Beast.” A natural beauty, Jessica soon turned to modeling and commercial work by competing in The International Modeling and Talent Association’s Annual Conference in 1994.

After completing a year and a half of college at Tufts University in Medford Massachusetts, Jessica plans on going back to school in California for the remainder of her college years. In her spare time, she is involved with charities such as Best Friends Animal Sanctuary and PETA. Her hobbies include ballet, soccer, running, yoga and hiking with her dog “East.” Jessica currently resides in Los Angeles.

Mini Biography

Born in Ely, Minnesota, and raised in Boulder, Colorado, Jessica Biel has paid her dues in the Hollywood scene. A breakout star as Mary Camden on the WB’s highest rated show, “7th Heaven” (1996), Jessica still manages to make a few appearances per season, even though she has left the show, in the midst of an exploding film career. Last fall she excited and terrified moviegoers with her portrayal of Erin, “Leatherface’s” greatest nemesis to date, in New Line Cinema’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003), a remake of the famous original. Having finished filming, Blade: Trinity (2004) in Vancouver with Wesley Snipes, Ryan Reynolds, and Kris Kristofferson, she has recently transported her toned and trained body of a vampire hunter/killer to Australia to fill the uniform and project the integrity of one of filmdom’s first female jet-fighter pilots in Columbia/Sony Pictures new film, Stealth (2005), starring Josh Lucas, Jamie Foxx, and Sam Shepherd, for director Rob Cohen.

Jessica’s film career began at age 14 when she played alongside Peter Fonda in his Golden Globe-winning performance in Ulee’s Gold (1997). Her other film credits include I’ll Be Home for Christmas (1998), Summer Catch (2001), Roger Avary’s The Rules of Attraction (2002), and the recently completed Cellular (2004), which stars Chris Evans, Kim Basinger, and William H. Macy. Few people know that this powerhouse of acting talent and versatility has a secret talent that has been put on hold for the past eight years, but surfaced last fall when she was offered lead roles on Broadway in “Rent” and “Beauty and the Beast.” Demands from her film career took precedence, but hopefully, one of these days soon, we will get to experience just another aspect of this fascinating young woman.
IMDb Mini Biography By: Casey Sullivan

Trivia

Has a brother named Justin.

Discovered at the 1994 IMTA Los Angeles convention.

Has hazel eyes and brown hair.

Collects vintage glasses with no lenses.

Audtioned for a role in American Beauty (1999).

Amateur photographer.

Is of German, French, English and Native American (Choctaw) heritage.

Attended Tufts University for three semesters.

Was voted in at #30 in FHM’s Sexiest Girls of 2002 poll, American edition, up from #82 the previous year.

Is 14 months younger than Beverley Mitchell, but still plays her big sister on “7th Heaven” (1996).

Formerly a vegetarian.

Was the first choice to play Abbey Chase in the television adaptation of the comic book “Danger Girl”. Unfortunately, the project fell through.

Ranked #98 on VH1’s 100 Hottest Hotties.

Ranked #99 in Stuff magazine’s “102 Sexiest Women In The World” (2002).

Her last name rhymes with “Deal.”

Was voted “Sexiest Woman Alive” by Esquire magazine in 2005.

Named #18 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2005 list.

Has played the role of girlfriend/ex-girlfriend of real-life boyfriend Chris Evans twice by now (January 2006): once in Cellular (2004) and again in London (2005).

Named #21 in FHM’s “100 Sexiest Women in the World 2005″ special supplement. (2005)

Split up with Chris Evans, her boyfriend of 2 years.

Studied acting with Ivana Chubbuck.

Named #16 in FHM magazine’s “100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006″ supplement. (2006).

Born to Jonathan Edward Biel and Kimberly Conroe.

Won an acting scholarship to the Young Actor’s Space at 11 years old.

Ranked #5 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2007 list.

The day after she was born, her parents took her to a dog-sled race where the temperature was thirty degrees below zero.

Her father ran an Outward Bound school and worked as an international business consultant.

Accompanied boyfriend Justin Timberlake on his European Tour in 2007.

Once wanted to become a musical star after winning a karaoke contest when she was aged eight.

Daughter of Kimberly (Kim) Biel (née Conroe) and Jonathan Edward Biel, an entrepreneur.

Was named Empire Magazine’s #16 in the list of 100 Sexiest Stars 2007.

Her first acting job was in a Pringles commercial when she was 11 years old.

Best friends with “7th Heaven” (1996) co-star Beverley Mitchell.

Was cast in A Woman of No Importance (2009) after Lindsay Lohan dropped out, but later had to drop out herself due to scheduling conflicts.

Agreed to return for the season 10 finale of “7th Heaven” (1996) (originally the series finale before the show got picked up by the CW) after Brenda Hampton begged her to. The episode had already been shot but Hampton was determined to have Biel back for one last time. Jessica filmed her brief scenes during a break from filming Next (2007).

Ranked #3 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2008 list.

Was in a relationship with actor Chris Evans.

Named a Global Brand Ambassador for Revlon [May 4, 2009].

Personal Quotes

“I’ve never gotten to do romantic comedy like most of the girls. Maybe because I’m fit, people assume that I’m not funny?”

“There is so much pressure to look a certain way in this town. But it’s nice to have a little meat on you, and I hope I inspire women to appreciate their muscular calves.”