Dodgers' Ramirez was a 'cancer' to Boston: Papelbon

Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon says he's glad the Red Sox "got rid of" outfielder Manny Ramirez because he was a "cancer" to the team.

In the April issue of Esquire, Papelbon says the Red Sox made the smart choice trading Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers last summer.

"He was on a different train! And you saw what happened with that. We got rid of him, and we moved on without him," said Papelbon.

Papelbon, whose quotes were posted on the magazine's website Thursday, said the team grew tired of Ramirez's antics.

During the 2008 season, Ramirez became the 24th player to hit 500 career home runs. But the slugger was often criticized for not running out ground balls. After sitting out one game against the Seattle Mariners on July 25 with a sore knee, Ramirez was expected return to the lineup versus the New York Yankees.

However, the 2004 World Series MVP informed manager Terry Francona — via a bench coach — only minutes before game time that he would not be playing.

"Once we saw that, we weren't afraid to get rid of him. It's like cancer. That's what he was. Cancer. He had to go. It sucked, but that was the only scenario that was going to work. That was it for us.

"And after, you could feel it in the air in the clubhouse. We got Jason Bay — Johnny Ballgame, plays the game right, plays through broken knees, runs out every ground ball — and it was like a breath of fresh air, man! Awesome! No question."

'Manny was tough for us'

Ramirez was dealt to Los Angeles last August as part of a three-team trade in which the Red Sox received Bay, of Trail, B.C., from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Ramirez became a free agent after the season, and then agreed last week to a two-year, $45-million US deal with the Dodgers following a lengthy negotiation process.

"So Manny was tough for us," Papelbon added. "You have somebody like him, you know at any point in the ballgame, he can dictate the outcome of the game.

"And for him not to be on the same page as the rest of the team was a killer, man! It just takes one guy to bring an entire team down, and that's exactly what was happening."