Oh, what a beautiful day! :)

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FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) -- Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez arrived at
spring training Wednesday, six days after the team's first full-squad
workout and one day after Major League Baseball's mandatory reporting
date.

Ramirez, who hit .292 with 45 home runs and 144 RBIs last season, was
allowed an extra week away to continue working out near his Miami
home. Fans had eagerly waited to see if Ramirez would show up. He
requested a trade over the winter and hinted that he might not report
if the request wasn't honored.

But Wednesday morning, Ramirez walked into the team's locker room in
Fort Myers -- a glove in hand -- then went to the field for practice.

"My main focus, like I say, is getting prepared for the season to help
Boston win," Ramirez said. "I'm here. I don't live in the past, I live
in the present."

Asked about offseason trade rumors and whether he's happy still being
with the Red Sox, Ramirez said he had no problems with Boston.

"I especially like the attention," he said. "I know that I'm one of
the top guys in this game and all the attention is on me, I got a lot
of people on my shoulder, but I'm human. I like to go. I like to have
fun. I like to do this and that but I got to represent Boston and the
Red Sox in every way that I do outside this game."

He added: "I got a beautiful career going on and I'm not going to let
little things like this mess (up) all the things that I accomplished
because I think when I finish my career I'm going to be a special player."

Ramirez also confirmed that he won't be joining the Dominican
Republic's team for the World Baseball Classic on Thursday, and
instead spend the month playing with Boston.

"I'm not ready, so I'm not going to go out there and make a fool of
myself," he said.

Source: HOWARD ULMAN, Associated Press Writer