BOSTON — Very slowly, Manny Ramirez is allowing civilization into his world.

It’s been an obvious change ever since he returned to the lineup for the last few games of the regular season after he missed 24 due to a strained oblique. Only on certain occasions — and those are few and far between — the Red Sox slugger will talk to the local media so reporters can relay his comments and thoughts to the fans.

Twice in the last week he has spoken publicly, once after he hit a three-run, walk-off homer in Game Two of the ALDS against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and the second time after the club’s division clincher in Southern California on Sunday.

He was insightful both times.

He sounded like an extremely confident man, one who is very comfortable hitting a baseball. He has called himself “the best” and “a bad man,” almost like he’s Muhammad Ali. If Ramirez could hit an opponent like he hits a baseball, no doubt he could be a heavyweight champion.

It isn’t always known how much he works out or how much time he spends in the batting cage. The fact is, he does spend an incredible amount of time at the ballpark, and because of all the off-days the Red Sox have had since the regular season ended and the days between playoff games, Ramirez’s work ethic is a lot more noticeable.

Before the Red Sox began their workout yesterday at Fenway Park in preparation for the ALCS against the Cleveland Indians, Ramirez took fungos in left field, including grounders and balls off the Monster. He even took some at shortstop.

He has shown fans his Manny-being-Manny side on numerous occasions, but people other than his teammates are beginning to get a glimpse of Manny Ramirez.

“I’m not going to say he’s a hard worker or not a hard worker because everybody does their own thing,” said third baseman Mike Lowell. “But he’s not just a guy who shows up at 6:30 and comes ready to hit. On the road he works out weight-wise and with visual drills that a lot of guys aren’t into. He does what he thinks he needs to do to get ready. The numbers are there.”

Lowell remembers a season ago when he didn’t hit outside for two months because he felt comfortable enough hitting in the cage.

“He was killing the ball,” added Lowell. “So, what are you going to tell him? That he has to hit outside?. He has enough pedigree and games under his belt that he knows how to get ready. He has that latitude with us. If a rookie wanted to go with Manny’s program, then I don’t think he would be given that much of a leash.”

No one is like Ramirez.

The way he’s been hitting the ball of late, the Red Sox will let him go about his business. He’s been dialed in at the plate, and his two homers in the ALDS prove that.

“I actually think Manny’s had a good focus all year,” said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. “But I think he was very serious about his approach this [last] series. His at-bats showed that, too. That ball he hit off (Francisco Rodriguez), I don’t know how many hitters hit that ball, especially the way he did.”

On Sunday in Anaheim, Ramirez crushed a breaking pitch from Angels starter Jered Weaver and deposited it into the rock quarry in deep center field.

“He’s had some pretty impressive at-bats,” added Francona.

While the Red Sox were playing in Cleveland in 2004, Ramirez said he thought about the possibility of retiring when his contract with Boston expires, which will be after the 2008 season (there are club options for 2009 and 2010).

Maybe Ramirez is doing a little self-promotion, knowing that his days in Boston will come to an end in the near future. No one other than Manny will ever know exactly how he feels or thinks. He’s opened up some over the last couple of weeks, and it’s been good to see.

“He’s a guy a lot of people criticize, like he doesn’t play hard,” said teammate Alex Cora. “That guy works, and that’s why he’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He’s Manny Ramirez, and he can do a lot of things on the field.”

jmcdonal@projo.com