Manny Being Manny

It was announced today that Manny Ramirez (5/30/1972), one of sprots biggest stars, has been suspended by Major League Baseball for using a performing enhancing substance. Why would such a high profile athlete put himself in this situation?

There are 2 signatures in Manny's natal chart that stand out. (Let's be clear that not everyone with these signatures are going to break the rules -- rather, it's just a possibility). He's got Uranus square Mars, which correlates to breaking rules for athletic advantage. Consider that the following people has Uranus in aspect to Mars: Jose Canseco, Gary Sheffield, Miguel Tejada, Ben Johnson, Marion Jones, Floyd Landis and Ivan Basso -- and all of them were caught doping in some form. Uranus/Mars does what it wants to do. Period.

Manny also has Pluto (in late Virgo) square Jupiter (in early Capricorn). Jupiter in Capricorn naturally finds success in corporate structures, getting ahead in mainstream ventures. (He also has Jupiter opposed Venus, which can correlate with large financial gain.) Add that with the athletic attunement, and here's someone who can work the system to his advantage. Pluto often correlates to things underhanded, hidden or subversive. So, finding success (Jupiter) by being less than honest (Pluto) is a possibility for this combination.

Why was he caught now? Transiting Pluto brings what is hidden to the surface. It is square his natal Pluto and applying to conjunct his Jupiter in early Capricorn. Also, Manny's Moon is in early Capricorn, but without his exact time we don't know the degree. Nevertheless, with a Capricorn Moon, there is certainly a pronounced ambition and Pluto has arrived insisting on truthfulness, or consequences. Also transiting Pluto is opposed his Venus, so taking a large financial hit from the penalty is noted.

Finally, Manny's progressed Sun (in Cancer) is square his Uranus. This event asks him to reinvent himself in a more authentic way. Cancer ideally wants someone to be heartfelt and in touch with the Moon. He is getting in touch with his underlying ambition (Capricorn) in this unpredictable (Uranus) way, that I'm sure is shocking to him, as well as others. Coming clean is managing Uranus well, and it looks like he is accepting responsibility. Unlike some others implicated in the steroids scandal, he isn't blaming everybody else -- and good for him. We'll see how this shakes out...