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Andre Ethier on the ‘Manny Effect’

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Andre Ethier was 3 for 5 with a home run in the Dodgers’ 8-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday night, looking “like the Ethier we know,” according to Manager Joe Torre.

Torre’s half-joking, half-serious explanation: Manny Ramirez was back in the lineup, hitting directly behind him.

When Torre said two years ago that he thought Jeff Kent was benefiting from Ramirez’s presence in the lineup, Kent was offended, feeling it somehow diminished what he had accomplished in his career.

Ethier has no such complaints.

“I was excited to have him back,” he said. “He’s still a threat. They’d rather take their chances with me. He has how many thousands of RBIs and hundreds of home runs and stuff? You definitely see a difference.”

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But Ethier said it is important that he and other Dodger hitters don’t let Ramirez’s presence or absence affect the way they take their at-bats.

“You have to battle for at-bats and you can’t let that affect you when he’s not in there.”

-- Dylan Hernandez

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