By TERRY NAU

Sports editor

Bill Belichick hates distractions, the minor things that can happen while preparing for a game that sidetrack the concentration of players and coaches alike. Imagine what the Patriots’ coach must be thinking as he takes a few minutes from his busy schedule in Foxboro to reflect upon the mess Manny Ramirez has made for the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox this summer.
Ramirez’s willingness to talk about his contract status with anyone who will listen over the past three weeks has shifted the focus of his teammates, who should only be concerned about their next opponent. Instead, they are left to sit in the locker room before games, wondering if their cleanup hitter and key run-producer is interested in fulfilling the terms of his $20M annual contract by actually playing in a game.

A case could be made that Manny’s decision to sit out games last Wednesday in Seattle and again on Friday night against the Yankees caused a distraction that may have impacted general manager Theo Epstein’s ability to swing a trade for lefthanded reliever Damaso Marte.
Both the Yankees and Red Sox were interested in acquiring Marte. Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman spent most of Friday afternoon on the phone with Pirates’ GM David Littlefield, finalizing a deal for Marte and outfielder Xavier Nady.
What was Theo Epstein doing on Friday? Serving as middle man between ownership and field manager Terry Francona as Boston’s management team tried to figure out how to handle its reluctant, and possibly insubordinate, superstar.
After Ramirez told espndesportes.com on Sunday that he was “tired of the Red Sox and they are tired of me,” Epstein’s ability to trade the future Hall of Famer for even a couple of prospects was seriously undercut. In fact, there’s hardly a team in baseball that would be interested in taking on such a malcontent during the dog days of summer.
The Ramirez debacle also throws the focus away from real analysis of this Boston Red Sox team that remains right in the thick of the American League East pennant race. There’s no reason to panic, of course, but the offense has been bogged down in recent weeks by the lengthy slumps of rookie Jacoby Ellsbury and veteran Jason Varitek. Throw in an unproductive season by shortstop Julio Lugo (now injured) and the disappearing act of centerfielder Coco Crisp and it’s obvious that this is not the same team that won the World Series nine months ago.
There is still plenty that is right with the 2008 Red Sox, beginning with a starting pitching trio of Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Jon Lester, who each have stopper stuff. If Theo can find himself a reliever (Ron Mahay?) to stabilize the bullpen, there’s no reason why the Red Sox can’t go deep into October.
Of course, the big variable is Manny Ramirez. If he doesn’t get traded, how will Manny handle the final two months of the season? Will David Ortiz weave him back into the fabric of the clubhouse, using his leadership skills to mend wounds between Ramirez and most of his teammates? Or will guys like Kevin Youkilis, Mike Lowell, Dustin Pedroia and Varitek – who all play the game the right way – just look the other way when Manny dogs it in the field, or on the base paths?
This is the subplot for the final two months of the regular season. The Red Sox want to win another World Series. Does Manny Ramirez have an interest in helping out? Or has he already burned his bridges with teammates and fans alike?

None of us can predict what the answer will be. The early returns from Sunday night’s game showed Manny hustling and knocking out two hits and a long flyout in the first four innings. Maybe this will be the ultimate (and final) comeback for the truculent superstar in Boston.