Big rumors out of Boston and Boston.com… And I must say that I am not excited about trading Manny (one of the best bats - if not the best - of the last decade for prospects). His salary - relative to others - is not ludicrous and he is a terrific hitter. He is a little insane, but Papi had 200 walks last year WITH Manny hitting behind him. What’s going to happen now?
Manny Ramirez
Outfielder |
Last updated: 11/28
Manny heading West?
The Padres were identified by a team source as “an interested party” for Manny Ramirez, there was further confirmation that the Giants had spoken with the Red Sox about RamÃrez, and the Dodgers were among the teams that have “kicked the tires” about the left fielder (though the asking price was too high, according to the LA Times), the Globe’s Gordon Edes reported Tuesday. Texas and Anaheim, once considered possible destinations for Ramirez, are becoming less than likely landing places for the slugger, according to Edes. Theo Epstein has made San Diego and GM Kevin Towers a regular trading partner, and starting pitcher Jake Peavy as well as reliever Scott Linebrink come to mind in a potential Sox-Padres deal. There could, however, be potential problems with dealing with the Padres: “Sandy Alderson is not going to spend $20 million a year on Manny RamÃrez,” one National League executive told Edes, referring to the Padres’ CEO who built a tight-fisted reputation when he was building champions in Oakland. “That goes against everything he preaches.” Ramirez may be unwilling to move over to the National League, and spacious Petco Park in particular. The Phillies, Orioles and Mets have also been mentioned as possible trading partners, according to Edes. ESPN’s Buster Olney wrote on Monday that “by Saturday, Boston’s negotiations with free agent outfielder J.D. Drew are expected to finish officially with a multiyear agreement. At that point, Boston will be in better position to trade Ramirez.” “I wouldn’t be shocked if the Red Sox traded him by Saturday,” says one big league official according to Olney’s report. Unidentified sources told the San Francisco Chronicle over the weekend that the Giants were among the teams talking seriously to the Red Sox about a possible deal for Manny Ramirez. It’s unclear what stage the talks are at, though one unidentified source told the Chronicle that the teams have discussed possible three-way deals. ESPN’s Buster Olney weighed in on the possibility of Manny heading to San Francisco in his blog on ESPN.com: “You have to wonder how the Giants can get a deal done for Manny, because they have almost nothing to offer up in a deal; San Francisco would never talk about Matt Cain, so from Boston’s perspective, left-handed pitcher Jonathan Sanchez would almost certainly have to be included to anchor the trade.â€? |
Daisuke Matsuzaka
Starting pitcher Last updated: 11/28
Sox make an offer
The Red Sox have made an offer to Daisuke Matsuzaka that club president Larry Lucchino calls “fair” and “comprehensive”, according to the Associated Press. Lucchino is in Tokyo meeting with representatives from the Seibu Lions and said the Red Sox are taking the next step toward signing the Japanese pitcher. “We are hopeful the negotiations process will complete itself fairly quickly, but knowing human nature we have a 30-day period,” Lucchino told Reuters. “He is an important part of the rotation we envisage for the Boston Red Sox and the sooner we can get this piece of business behind us, the better off we will be in working with him and his family on the transition to America.” In Monday’s Boston Herald, Tony Massarotti reported that, according to unidentified sources, the Red Sox’ first contract offer to Matsuzaka was about half of what Scott Boras (Matsuzaka’s agent) had proposed. Massarotti’s report didn’t mention any definite numbers, but his “most likely scenario” put the Sox’ offer around $7 million-$8 million, while Boras was “most likely” looking for around $15 million. Last week, the Globe’s Gordon Edes wrote that the negotiations may not go so smoothly. More from Edes: Neither side is willing to discuss publicly the course talks are taking, but it should not be considered a fait accompli that Matsuzaka will be in a Boston uniform next season. Do the Red Sox want him? Absolutely. Does the player want to play in the major leagues? No doubt. Are there considerable obstacles to a deal? Yes, the primary one being a difference of opinion in how agent Scott Boras believes his client should be paid and how the Sox calculate his value. Boras is expected to seek a contract similar to that given the elite pitchers in the majors today, which means at least eight figures a year, and he probably will want a clause making Matsuzaka a free agent after just three years, perhaps four at the most. The Sox, meanwhile, are expected to argue that just as the Yankees didn’t pay Hideki Matsui like a Barry Bonds or Alex Rodriguez, neither should the Sox be expected to pay top dollar to a pitcher who has yet to prove himself against major league competition. Who has the leverage? If Matsuzaka doesn’t sign, he must return to Seibu, although it’s conceivable Boras might be willing to challenge the posting system itself, or find a way to negotiate with Seibu to grant Matsuzaka complete free agency — for a price. The Sox, meanwhile, would be missing out on a chance to upgrade their staff with a young top-of-the-rotation ace whose talents can’t be matched by other available options on the market. The sides have until Dec. 15 to work out a deal.
J.D. Drew
Outfielder Last updated: 11/28
Physical may be holding up deal
The Red Sox continue to close in on a deal for J.D. Drew, according to the Globe’s Gordon Edes. The Sox may be offering a five-year deal worth $15 million per season, with only a physical holding up the announcement, the Boston Herald speculated. Another scenario the Herald outlined as a possibility is that a potential snag could be holding up the deal, that an unnamed team may be waiting until the last minute to make an offer to Drew. From Edes, earlier in the week: Don’t be deceived by the silence. The Red Sox are quietly but aggressively trying to close a deal for outfielder J.D. Drew, who opted out of the last three years and $33 million of his contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers to become a free agent. There are hurdles to be jumped, but progress is being made in talks between Sox general manager Theo Epstein and Drew’s agent, Scott Boras, and an agreement appears within reach. Given the speed with which other free agent outfielders have signed — Alfonso Soriano, Gary Matthews Jr., Juan Pierre, Jim Edmonds, Moises Alou, Frank Catalanotto, Carlos Lee have all struck deals, and the winter meetings are still nine days away — Drew and the Sox may be within a few days of coming to terms. The Orioles and Giants may be willing to make a move on Drew if the Red Sox don’t.
Julio Lugo
Shortstop Last updated: 11/28
Sox make Lugo an offer
The Red Sox have made an offer to shortstop Julio Lugo, though a deal might not happen until after this weekend, according to the Globe’s Gordon Edes. The Giants and Cubs, along with the Orioles, are also said to be interested in Lugo.
Wildcats outlast hot shooting Deapul
