Roster technicalities can't stop Manny

SACRAMENTO -- Manny Ramirez was all smiles as he worked out at Raley Field on Tuesday. He showed up early, ran in the outfield, stretched with his teammates, hit in the cage and even took time to give Yoenis Cespedes pointers in left field. He appeared comfortable with the fact he wasn't going to be joining the A's on Wednesday in Minnesota. He even seemed comfortable with the fact he wasn't technically on the team.When the gates opened to the fans, Ramirez had to leave. His 50-game suspension is over, and since his 10-game rehab stint is also over, he has to sit out until Wednesday when he can be added to the River Cats' 25-man roster. The veteran slugger who turns 40 on Wednesday, chose not to let a mere technicality get in the way of his work on the field. After all, he does have a comeback to complete. On Monday, hours before the A's announced he wouldn't be activated, Ramirez had the best game of his rehab stint. He went 2 for 4 with an RBI and nearly missed hitting a home run to the opposite field. His progress wasn't enough to get a call to the big leagues, but it did impress River Cats manager Darren Bush."Watching Manny anytime is impressive," Bush said. "He has a very nice swing. Watching him anytime is fun. He can hit, we all know that. It's just a matter of him feeling confident and feeling comfortable." In nine games with Sacramento, Ramirez has hit .250 (8-32), with three walks, and four RBIs. I had a chance to talk to him on Monday, he stressed the importance of getting in more at-bats. Bush agrees that the only was to get Ramirez ready, is a steady diet of pitches. "Talking to him he feels more comfortable every day that he goes out there," Bush said. "The more pitches he sees the better he feels." Ramirez is expected to be in the Sacramento lineup on Wednesday. The A's next day off comes on Thursday. It is a perfect time to take a travel day. We already know that Yoenis Cespedes is heading to Kansas City after Thursday's River Cats game if his hand holds up. Maybe he can bring Manny Ramirez with him.