Manny Ramirez placed on Waivers

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Um... what exactly are the Red Sox doing? They got within 5 outs of the World Series, and have since fired their manager, and have now placed their top RBI guy on Waivers, meaning that anyone in Major League Baseball can claim him, and the Red Sox would get nothing in return. What be the deal?

 

[MrBrau1]

It addition by subtraction. Manny makes $105 million over the next 5 years. That's what they really wanna get rid of This gives them some freedom to build. Plus, I think they're setting up Pedro and Nomar to be lifetime Red Sox.

 

[Hewson]

The only team who might claim him is the Yanks. If they eat his salary, Sox invest in someone else (Sheffield or Guerrero maybe) for less money and free up some $$$ while eliminating a front office/PR headache (not in a suitcase).
The downside is that when he goes unclaimed, he returns to the Sox and has a sour attitude as a result.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

if the red sox had lost game 7 of the ALCS to the Cleveland Indians, none of this... grady little being fired, ramirez being shipped out, would have happened. once again it's the red sox obsession with the yankees that will be their ultimate demise. if i was a red sox fan i would LOVE to go to war next year with the team that lost in that game 7... that was a damn good team, and with a little shoring up of the bullpen, would have to be a favorite to win it all next year. but nooo... they're tinkering around with it like they lost 100 games last year or something. sheesh just let it be... you had a good damn team. you wanna add sheffield? fine... through him in right field and keep manny in left field. but now you HAVE to get rid of manny... 'cause even if no one claims him, he's gonna be a nightmare in the clubhouse. i just don't see how this makes sense... if you really wanted to get rid of him, i'm sure you could find a taker for a guy who produces RBIs like this guy does. you don't wanna trade him to the yankees... fine. you're tellin' me the mets or dodgers wouldn't have traded for him? bulldinky. now when he goes unclaimed, they're going to be forced into trading him, which gives a huge leg up on anyone looking to deal... any trade they make involving ramirez now, they're gonna have to eat a lot of the salary, and won't get as good a return as they would have if they weren't forced to deal him.

 

[Mr. BAW]

I read in the local OC that the Angels were dangling a few including David Eckstein and a couple pitchers in front of the Red Sox for Nomar...he's from the area ... I know that he and Mia golf at a local spot during the off season...

 

[zoney!]

I heard that the Red Sox owner wanted to free up some cash to fund some "broadway-like" play or something.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I heard that the Red Sox owner wanted to free up some cash to fund some "broadway-like" play or something.

hehehehe...

And the Award for Best Subtle Shot at the Boston Red Sox goes to... drumroll please... Zoney!

 

[Hewson]

Nobody is gonna trade for a guy making $20mil/season regardless of his production. This was a shot in the dark to see if anyone would snatch him without having to give anything up.

As for the Sox adding Sheffield in right with Manny in left....you missed the point...they're trying to drop salary, not add a big one like Sheffield. If they were rid of Manny they could replace him with Sheffield or someone at a much better price (say $12 million, saving $ 8mil at the position) but if Manny stays, they don't add an outfielder.

If this were football, Manny would have gone the way of Lawyer "toast" Milloy.

 

[Hewson]

As for Nomaaahh, once Bostonian Frank McCourt takes over the Dodgers, expect them to come calling for Nomar, with a lot more to offer than the Angels. If the Sox don't think they can reach a deal with Nomar (they won't give him A-Rod or Jeter $$), he'll be in Dodger blue by July 31.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

the mets traded for mo vaughn, who makes 17.5 million a year, right after he missed an entire season with an arm injury... if you think they wouldn't trade for a guy who hit .325, 37 dongs and 100+ RBIs just 'cause he makes 20 million, you're quite mistaken

 

[MrBrau1]

I thought the Mets were reducing payroll?

 

[Chizip]

well the mets dont have to trade for him, they can just claim him off waivers

i dont see it happening though, we'll see

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

here is why this could backfire in the red sox face... no one claims manny. now manny, who has already been a problem in the clubhouse, becomes a HUGE problem in the clubhouse, to the point where you HAVE to trade him. now, everybody in baseball knows that you have to deal the guy... so now the red sox have one of three options... they either a)keep manny, who ruins the good clubhouse karma they had last year... b) trade manny for less than what they would have gotten for him had their hand not been forced... c) trade manny for good players/prospects, but have to eat a big chunk of his salary, baisicly negating everything they tried to accomplish by placing him on waivers to begin with.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

orrrrrr the yankees claim ramirez, a bronx native, who instantly upgrades the yankees outfield and downgrades the red sox... and then epstein can't get a deal done for guerrero, vidro, tejada or any of the other top free agents... so then the red sox weaken themselves, strengthen their biggest opponent, and get nothing in return for it.

i understand what they're trying to accomplish... i just think it's too big a risk, 'cause so many things can backfire on them.

 

[MrBrau1]

Manny is isolated in the club house anyway. If he didn't hurt the team last year, he won't hurt them next year. Also, being put on waivers was the idea of his agent. If Georgie bites the Yanks can't move Bernie to left and Sorie can't go to center. They also have less $ to add new players. I think it's pretty, well, Yankee like of Theo.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

please... does anyone really think that george steinbrenner has a ceiling on spending? what would stop him from having matsui, soriano, ramirez in the outfield... bernie as DH, , giambi at first, nick johnson comming off the bench AAAAND bringing in a guy like vidro or milwood? the yankees may not bite on ramirez... but it most certainly will not be for financial reasons. the extra attendance alone that manny, being a kid from washington heights, will bring in would push the yankees over the 4million attendance mark. so again... if the yankees don't bite, it's because they have other plans... NOT because they don't want to spend hte money.

 

[Chizip]

"The New York Yankees have no interest in placing a waiver claim on Boston Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez, according to a baseball executive who has had contact with a high-ranking member of the team's front office Thursday."

 

[MrBrau1]

He may not have a ceiling, but he needs to be smart. I money was no object he'd have the entire AL allstar team playing for him, an a billion dollar payroll.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

all in due time, my friend... all in due time. when vasquz, vidro, guerrero and beltran are all yankees next year, and bud selig dies of a massive coronary, we shall talk again

 

[MrBrau1]

True, I'm waiting for him to sign EVERYONE. And I mean everyone.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

he would... what he doesn't realize is that he can't win that way... sure, they may win 90-100 games in the regular season by default, but as the playoffs showed, the best players don't always make the best team

 

[Hewson]

The Yanks have decided to claim Manny , and due to his lack of defensive abilities in Left, are switching him to 3rd base. Derek Jeter was quoted as saying, "He can't do any worse than Error Boone over there and he'll hit more than .154."