Just talked with Gene Matos, one of Manny Ramirez's agents. He said he
was on his way to Arizona, where Manny has been working out at the
Athletes Performance Institute, and that they were going to the Super
Bowl.

"He's going to the game," Matos said. "The Patriots got him some
tickets. I don't think he's ever been before."

Ramirez is said to be in great shape this winter -- that's the word of
Dustin Pedroia, who also has been at API -- and Matos described Manny
as "fired up. I haven't seen him myself yet, but I know he's in great
spirits. Heck, they just won the World Series."

When I mentioned that I'd be arriving early for spring training, Matos
laughed and said, "Maybe we'll convince Manny to come to camp early, too."

Manny's arrivals in Fort Myers have become something of an annual
event -- remember last year's antique car show hoohah? It will be
interesting to see if Manny maintains the cheerful persona he
exhibited so freely in the postseason, when he suddenly turned into a
chatterbox and left us with the memorable "I'm a bad man" line after a
game-winning home run in October.

As my colleague Nick Cafardo pointed out earlier this week, the Sox
don't have to exercise the option on Manny's contract -- they hold a
$20m option for both 2009 and 2010 -- until November, and won't be in
any hurry to do so. But Manny, who needs just 10 home runs to reach
500 for his career, doesn't seem inclined to make the option an issue
at this stage. He turns 36, by the way, on May 30.

Source: Gordon Edes, Globe Staff / boston.com