Was Manny Ramirez a success or failure for Los Angeles Dodgers?

Now that the Dodgers are "waiving" goodbye to Manny Ramirez, the recap of the past two years has begun in earnest. Was the acquisition of the prolific hitter with the difficult personality a good thing or bad thing when you look at all factors in play?

It might depend on whether you can get past the 50 game suspension and the nagging injuries that have kept Manny out of the lineup for more than 100 games in two seasons. If that is your first thought when asked to answer the question then you'll more than likely fall into the "he was a failure" category.

The team was revived from within upon the 2008 arrival of Ramirez in Los Angeles. The excitement and glee exhibited by the players as well as the fans carried the Dodgers all the way to the NLCS, for the first time in 20 years. It also helped that he hit the ball from every angle, to every field, with power and consistency.

The "Manny Effect" on the Dodger hitters

The club installed "Mannywood", sold Manny wigs and then saw ticket sales go through the roof. Remember, they got him for free after the Red Sox agreed to trade him and pay the rest of his season's salary. That meant that the moment he stepped on the field for his introductory press conference, the Dodgers were in the black.

They started off the 2009 season believing they could take the next step up to the World Series. Manny, Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp led the way, until that day in early May when the suspension was announced. Manny was sent packing for 50 games after a routine drug test revealed the presence of a female hormone, known to be used after a cycle of steroids.

Canseco was right again, Manny suspended under drug program

The shock waves to the club and the fan base were ultimately overcome. The Dodgers won 95 games and landed in the NLCS for the second season in a row. Again, something that hadn't been done in a couple of decades. But when Manny returned he was never the same as a player and a teammate. Fan support was there when he returned but waned as his performance disappointed.

Fans got restless and dissatisfied after Manny returned from suspension

He didn't want to address the situation and became withdrawn. Joe Torre explained it as a colossal embarrassment to the proud hitter that took his swagger and seemingly his power as well. The young players who Manny had nurtured in 2008 took over and they led the way because they had to. Ramirez could not be counted on in crucial situations any longer.

When 2010 dawned, Ramirez declared that it was his last year with the club - his two year deal would expire at season's end - and that he wouldn't speak to the media at all. He kept to the promise but he also stopped engaging with most players. It was reported that he would huddle with Ronnie Belliard most of the time.

Manny was a different player. While he hit for his typical average, his line drives were more long singles or doubles and not homers. He was rested more frequently after a hamstring tweak early in the season and then he went on two long stretches on the DL.

There was trouble brewing between Matt Kemp and the team, Ethier who started out hot, broke a bone, sat for a couple of weeks and didn't get back to form until after the All-Star game. The team suffered through long losing streaks and this late in the season are still a distant thought to make the playoffs as a wild card. Then there was the owners' divorce which brought tabloid headlines throughout the season and the speculation that money was being withheld from player acquisitions.

The McCourts split - who gets Mannywood in the settlement?

All in all a mixed bag for sure, but would the Dodgers give back two trips to the NLCS and the increased season ticket sales for 2009? Of course not. For the fans it's mostly a case of having been on a rare baseball high only to be let down abruptly. What's your take?