LOS ANGELES — The next logical question to ponder on the Manny Machado beat:
Will the star shortstop perform better selling himself in a conference room, or a hoity-toity restaurant, than he did on the field?
Because after closing his month with far more dud and thud than stud Sunday night, fittingly striking out to end the 2018 season as his Dodgers fell to the Red Sox, 5-1, in Game 5 of the World Series, Machado prompted a search through the memory banks: Has any other treasured free agent — in any sport — damaged his brand the way Machado has on his sport’s greatest stage?
Asked generally about his future moments after the game ended, Machado said, “Honestly, I can’t even answer that question. I don’t know. I’m hurt right now. We just lost in the World Series, so I can’t give you an answer.”
Good move claiming the moral high ground, as insincere as it seemed. At least he didn’t say anything else that could be held against him.
As the Red Sox steamrolled past the Dodgers to claim a 4-1 series win, Machado went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in the finale. In his first Fall Classic, the 26-year-old slashed a terrible .182/.208/.182, managing a paltry four singles and one walk (intentional) and a sacrifice fly in 23 plate appearances.
That one of those singles should’ve been a double, had he run out a long fly ball off the wall instead of admiring it during the Game 3 marathon, spoke perfectly to the disaster this stretch turned into for Machado, whose swings of strong play — he did slash .296/.367/.444 in the National League Championship Series as the Dodgers outlasted the Brewers in seven games — proved no match for his controversy proclivity.
Where does The Post begin? Probably with Machado’s kick of Brewers first baseman Jesus Aguilar during the NLCS, which he duplicated to eventual World Series MVP and former Orioles teammate Steve Pearce during Saturday night’s World Series Game 4 (it garnered less attention). Then acknowledge his periodic bouts of not running out balls and his vow to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal that he would never be a “Johnny Hustle.” Wrap it up with his overall numbers for this postseason: .227/.278/.394 in 16 games.
As Adam allegedly said, upon eating the serpent’s apple from Eve and recognizing his nakedness for the first time: “Yeesh.”
Look, someone will pay Machado handsomely to join them because he possesses supreme talent and helps teams win ballgames. The issue all along has been twofold: Whether he’ll a) surpass Giancarlo Stanton’s record package of $325 million and b) out-earn his fellow free agent Bryce Harper.
The likelihood to both measuring sticks has dropped since the end of the regular season, wouldn’t you agree? Will the Yankees really pay to pair him with Stanton as dual long-termers?
For when a team and an owner make the sort of commitment that Machado expects — that he has the right to expect, based on his age and his output since his 2012 arrival in the big leagues — the conversation expands from talent to likability and Q score. Will acquisition of the player spark ticket sales? Can he be counted on to be a clubhouse leader, a community pillar, a schmoozer with sponsors and season-ticket holders? An icon of the entire baseball industry, respected by teammates and opponents?
Asked whether he wants to stay with the Dodgers, who acquired him in a July trade, Machado — who earlier in the brief session praised the Dodgers organization — responded: “Come on, man, we just lost. What type of question is that? I can’t even think about that.” He said this with the same passion you or I might order basil vinaigrette dressing on our salad.
The 2017 World Series concluded with Dodgers starting pitcher Yu Darvish, a trade rental like Machado, getting pummeled by the Astros to complete a terrible Fall Classic. The Cubs ignored that tiny sample and rewarded Darvish with a six-year, $126 million contract.
That Darvish proceeded to pitch terribly and undergo elbow surgery won’t help Machado’s cause, either. Yet no one has hurt Manny more than Manny. Can he sell this showcase meltdown to his next employer as small-sampled, big-stage growing pains? If he can, then he’ll prove considerably more clutch in Hot Stove action than he wound up in October.
