Dodgers manager Joe Torre has come to the defense of his left fielder. Torre still believes that Ramirez can carry a team's offense, despite his struggles this season. "I keep talking about how important he is, but I try to whisper it around him," Torre told the Los Angeles Times. "He's certainly aware of that, he knows he is. That's probably part of his angst right now." Torre added that he doesn't think age or the lack of pharmacological changes are at the root of Manny's issues. "I think if I see him doing things he's always done and not getting to the ball, I'd start thinking that way," Torre said. "But right now, his front side is flying a lot. If he's together mechanically and he can't get there, we can start talking about that. He's still able to get to pitches. He can still drive the ball to center field, so he's not cheating to the point he has to pull the ball."