The 'Topes pulled in a record 54,763 fans for the series, and I'm guessing more were interested in seeing Manny than the Nashville Sounds. Ill-gotten gains, you say? So does Albuquerque President Ken Young, who donated $10,000 to the Taylor Hooton Foundation, an anti-steroid charity. "I'm not going to say they're not connected," he said (or didn't say).

Manny's stay wasn't without drama. A standing room only crowd was disappointed when he left the stadium 40 minutes into a 54-minute rain delay. But no worries: refunds for everyone!

Said Manny:

You know me. Occasionally, I'll be quirky...'I'll be quirky.' Albuquerque! I'll be right back!

No, actually that was minor league baseball enthusiast and former major league mascot Homer Simpson.

Joe Torre said they were leaning toward the Class A affiliate in San Bernardino last week, but I guess Joe Torre says a lot of things. Instead the Los Angeles slugger—you know, I heard there was a murder in Los Angeles once and they never found the guy who did it—will join the AAA Isotopes tonight, the only team to get its nickname from a prime-time cartoon. The 'Topes average nearly 7,000 fans per game, but a team official said yesterday that Johnny Lunchpails and Suzy Housecoats had already yoinked up 11,000 extra tickets in two days. They are also out of Bort license plates.

Translation: No one cares how much nerve tonic the guy drinks, fans love their eccentric, dreadlocked sluggers. (Although, he could stand to be Rastafied another 10%.) If you miss this, you better be dead or in an Albuquerque jail and if you're in jail, tie an onion on your belt or something.

Manny Ramirez's fission statement in Albuquerque [Los Angeles Times]