He’s built his reputation on being a bad man at the plate. Bad, as in really, really good.This past weekend, Manny Ramirez added to that rep. He was a bad man when the Red Sox needed it most.With two outs and two runners on in the bottom of the ninth inning of Friday’s tied game, Ramirez launched a rocket into the Boston night, past the Coke bottles, over the Monster, and onto Lansdowne Street, giving the Sox a 6-3 win over the Angels, and a 2-0 edge in the American League Division Series.Sunday, with a sweep of the series with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in his sights, Ramirez became the second end of a familiar tag team when he and David Ortiz went back-to-back for only the first time this season to allow the Sox to draw first blood in an eventual 9-1 win.Over the last few years, Ramirez has also built a reputation as the silent bad man. But, uncharacteristically, Ramirez broke that silence Friday, speaking with the media not once but twice, on national TV immediately after his home run, and soon after in the media interview room, proving to be humorous and insightful – if not modest. But, when you’re “one of the best hitters in the game,” modesty is not a requirement.”In that moment, I’m just trying to see the ball, you know, and trust myself,” Ramirez said of the 1-0 pitch from Frankie Rodriguez that he launched for his game-winner. “You know, I got a lot of confidence in myself. He’s one of the greatest closers in the game, and I’m one of the best hitters in the game. You know, he missed his spot, and got good timing on the ball, and that’s it.”That’s it, a walk-off home run, as Ortiz has so familiarly patented. It was the Sox’s first postseason walk-off victory since Game 5 of the 2004 ALCS against the Yankees, and fifth in team postseason history.”It feels great, man,” Ramirez said. “It’s been a long time I don’t do something special like that. But, I haven’t been right all year round. But, I guess, you know, when you don’t feel good and you still get hits, that’s when you know you are a bad man.”It took an intentional walk to the Sox’s other bad man – David Ortiz – to get Ramirez to the plate in the ninth. Ramirez did not take the strategy as a slight.”Not really,” he said. “It’s just a little game that (Rodriguez) was playing. But I try to be patient. Patience is the key and confidence in myself.”Ramirez again spoke with the media after Sunday’s game, this time preferring to compliment a Red Sox pitching staff that allowed only four runs (three off Daisuke Matsuzaka in Game 2 and one mop-up run off reliever Erik Gagne Sunday) in the three-game sweep.Ramirez missed nearly a month at the end of the season with a strained left oblique. The lack of playing time appears to have done little to slow him down.”Sometimes I can miss three weeks and I still can come and get hits because I am one of the best players in the game,” he said. “I have confidence in myself, and I know my train doesn’t stop there.”But, man, like I said, even when I’m not right, I get hits. So, you know, I just go to battle, and keep preparing the way I’m preparing. Because I never go down, you know. I’m always working hard and that’s it. That’s me, man. Even when you don’t feel good and you get hits, like I said, you’re a bad man.”Ramirez stayed at the plate for several seconds Friday to admire his blast, and knew from the moment of contact the game was over.”One of the best feelings,” he said. “You know, I never look for pitches. I always trust myself. Like I said, in that situation that guy (Rodriguez) got me out so many times. But, baseball’s like that. Sometimes you get me, sometimes I get you. And I got him at the right time.”He also knew Sunday that he’d gone deep against Los Angeles pitcher Jered Weaver, again, stopping to admire his shot (this time, extending his arms outward as opposed to above his head).