Was Manny just being Barry?

Or was Manny just being Raffy?

It seems everyone is piling on the “Bash Manny Ramirez” bandwagon after the Dodgers’ star tested positive for performance enhancing drugs.

Ramirez claimed the positive test was as a result of medication prescribed to him by a doctor for a personal medical condition.

In other words, he wanted to get his freak on.

For some crazy reason that I haven’t quite put a finger on just yet, I believe Ramirez.

Perhaps I’m not as cynical as others who believe this is just another strike against baseball.

I think he’s more Rafael Palmeiro, who hocked Viagra in television commercials before his own steroid scandal, than Barry Bonds.

Ramirez is a flake. I don’t think he is smart enough to take steroids and not get caught until now.

In Cleveland, Ramirez once asked a sports writer to borrow $10,000 and was shocked when the writer told him he didn’t carry that much money around with him.

Manny is in his own little world — Mannywood if you will. And in Mannywood, I believe there is no ruthless intent to enhance his performance — on the field, that is.

Barry Bonds? Now that’s ruthless. He knew what he was doing. He was jealous and took steroids willfully. Roger Clemens? Again, willful disregard for the integrity of the game.

Manny Ramirez? He just wanted to get busy.

What Ramirez pulled last July was much more shameful that taking any PED, for whatever reason.

Faking an injury and quitting on your teammates is far worse than getting caught with naughty stuff in your blood.

Trying to loaf your way out of town to get a bigger contract is far more evil than pumping yourself up with steroids.

Bash Manny for that. Give him the benefit of the doubt on this — for now.