And We Wonder Why Manny's Mum

Manny Ramirez' refusal to speak to the Boston media has bothered reporters and fans alike. The aloof and often immature Ramirez has gotten a reputation of being a tremendous slugger with an arrogant distaste for his adoring fans. Frazzled reporters like Dan Shaughnessy, desperate for some news from the tight-lipped star, create this image in an attempt to "get back" at Ramirez for (gasp) wanting a little privacy. Sure, Manny's a lucky guy. But he's also a human, just trying to get by in a fishbowl called Boston.
One angry media member asked Ramirez' agent, "Manny is 34 now. Do you think it’s time for him to be more accountable instead of being babied like a 12-year-old?" Another came up with, "Do you think since he’s your meal ticket, you should try to help him grow up?" And the reporters kept prying when it came to Manny's mother's offseason surgery. The Globe's Jackie MacMullan leaned in so close to Manny as he unpacked his locker that he had to demand "Can you give me a little space please?”.
I'm not naive enough to believe that Manny is a poor, innocent victim--the guy makes millions for playing a game, and his childish antics (such as coming out late for an inning because he was chillaxing in the Monster) have caused the coining of the phrase "Manny being Manny"; however, when reporters have such blatant disregard for his privacy, I can hardly blame him for his refusal to talk.
The limelight isn't for everybody, and if Ramirez prefers to be known for his play rather than his words, that should be respected. If he weren't such a superstar, it wouldn't be such a problem anyway. Though I would love to hear what Manny has to say, I don't want it to be at the cost of his dignity. We all deserve our privacy, and if the media ever wants another quote from Manny, they need to learn to respect his.

Edited to add: A few hours after posting I visited Red Sox Chick's blog and noticed she had a similar post to this one. Just wanted to clarify that I wasn't copying. And I'm glad to see that Cyn and I share an opinion on the matter.