Ramirez Asks For Trade (merged)

[Cityofchampions33]

Ramirez again asks Sox for trade

Slugger threatens not to report in spring

By Chris Snow, Globe Staff *|* October 29, 2005

 

Gene Mato, one of Manny Ramirez's representatives, communicated to Red Sox owner John W. Henry yesterday that Ramirez wants to be traded, and will not report to spring training if his wish to be dealt is not met, according to a team source.

Ramirez is a 10-5 player, meaning he has 10 years of major league service, five consecutive with the same team. That seniority entitles Ramirez to block a trade to any team he doesn't wish to join. With that in mind, Mato told Henry that Ramirez might decide during the process of being shopped that he wishes to remain with the Sox.

 

General manager Theo Epstein would neither confirm nor deny that Ramirez has requested a trade, but said late last night, ''Manny, his representatives, and the Red Sox have open lines of communication and will throughout the offseason. I think we all want whatever is in the club's best interest and Manny's best interest. [but] those conversations are private and completely confidential. For anyone to reveal the nature of those talks would be ridiculous. We have no comment."

 

This comes only three months after Ramirez asked to be traded by the July 31 deadline, which CEO Larry Lucchino revealed July 28 in his weekly radio interview with WEEI. Lucchino that day called the slugger's request ''not anything unusual," saying it was the fourth time since Henry bought the team that Ramirez asked out.

 

But Ramirez wasn't dealt. He remained with the team and made peace -- or publicly made a showing of making peace -- the morning of July 31, when he popped into manager Terry Francona's office and told the assembled media, ''I want to stay here for 2005 and win another World Series."

 

He said nothing about remaining with the club beyond 2005. He is, of course, signed for three more seasons, at a total of $57 million, the balance on his eight-year, $160 million contract.

 

Ramirez, along with one of his representatives, was scheduled to meet with Henry on Wednesday and discuss some of the issues in Ramirez's head. Henry, as of last week, wasn't expecting Ramirez to ask to be traded. A week ago yesterday, in an e-mail, Henry said he meets with Ramirez ''every six months or so, certainly every winter," and that he wasn't anticipating that this meeting would give rise to anything unusual.

 

That meeting, though, hasn't happened, because of the aftereffects of Hurricane Wilma in South Florida, where both Henry and Ramirez live.

 

Ramirez, 33, struggled for much of the first half of the 2005 season but still tied a career high with 45 home runs. He knocked in 144 runs, his highest total since 1999, his last year with Cleveland.

 

Ramirez did much of his offensive damage beginning July 31, when it was decided that he would not be dealt. Beginning that day, over the closing 56 games, he hit .327 with 17 home runs and 52 RBIs. He also significantly elevated his all-around game over the closing weeks of the season, paying noticeably sharper attention to base running and fielding.

 

Epstein said toward the end of the season that Ramirez had won his teammates' respect with his hustle.

 

''I think he really understood the impact that he has on our ball club," Francona said on the season's last day. ''How much we needed him."

 

David Ortiz, meanwhile, benefited greatly hitting ahead of Ramirez. Ramirez and Ortiz combined to hit 21 homers in the team's final 22 games, finishing the season with 92 homers and 292 RBIs, a season after hitting a combined 84 homers and delivering 269 RBIs.

 

''I'll tell you what," Ortiz said before Game 4 of the World Series Wednesday, ''If you're going to let a guy like Manny go, you better bring someone in like this."

 

He motioned to the man standing next to him, Atlanta's Andruw Jones, who led the majors with 51 home runs.

[Cityofchampions33]

This guy is REALLY throwin me for a loop. He stays, he wants a trade, I didn't mean it, Manny being Manny, love, I want another trade...It just goes on and on. I don't understand why he wanst to be traded. He's won a WS. He makes 20 freakin' mill.

[stocker323]

Yawn.

[Soxfan1]

What else is new?

[He Hate Me]

do you guys ever get tired of the guy? If a Yankee kept doing that, I would tune him out so fast

[MANNYHOF24]

this isnt new news i still doubt he will be traded; and he will show up to spring training because who can turn down 20 mil

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

Well the Red Sox will only have a few teams they can trade him too. If those teams can't come up with a deal then Manny will stay with the Red Sox. My guess is Theo will be able to find a deal between one of the teams or can incorporate a three-team deal. This could be the final straw of the Manny saga.

[Soxfan1]

do you guys ever get tired of the guy? If a Yankee kept doing that, I would tune him out so fast

It's hard cause it is hard to hate him sometimes. for instance everyone booed him last year in one game and then the next day he got the biggest pop of the year.

[Ray10]

I honestly don't understand this guy. One day he wants to be traded and then the next he says that he wants to stay in Boston. Honestly he needs to stop playing his little games and make up his mind on what he wants to do. Stay or Go it's that simple pick one Manny do us all a favour.

[BoSox84]

So are we still looking at dealing with the Angels,D-Backs and Guardians?

[JohnnyDug]

I guess when you make 20 mil.. you can do this sort of stuff. But if he keeps it up, not many will be willing to accomodate his cotract AND his attitudes. Even if he IS many. He's staying in Boston.

[JimBrown32]

He needs to make up his damn mind.

[Manny Goes Boom]

do you guys ever get tired of the guy? If a Yankee kept doing that, I would tune him out so fast

 

I think you would deal with a guy who hit 45 HR's and drove in 144. It's nothing new, this is what, the 4th story of him "wanting to be dealt" from the all-star game on? LMAO, he's staying.

 

I thought that was funny though, at the end about Ortiz motioning to Andruw Jones. Interesting thought. Manny would be MY personal first choice but Jones would be REAL nice to get a hold of.

[JimBrown32]

Jones is better, and younger than Manny, sure, he's not got the productivity, but if he has some actually good hitters to work with, he's going to be just as dangerous. Also, he's a MUCH better outfielder, he's got a very good arm and is very fast too.

[empirestrikesback26]

I say they trade manny just to clear up space for konerko.

[stocker323]

I say they trade manny just to clear up space for konerko.

 

I don't want Konerko he can hit .220 or something for another year. Some years he's good some he's bad. I don't want to take the risk.

[MC Hammer]

I say they trade manny just to clear up space for konerko.

Doesn't surprise me that a Yankee fan is saying that

 

If anyone thinks the Braves are giving up Jones you must be crazy. He's the best defensive OFer in baseball, and he finally got all his s*** together on offense this year. I mean come on the guys not even 30 yet.

[empirestrikesback26]

Doesn't surprise me that a Yankee fan is saying that

 

If anyone thinks the Braves are giving up Jones you must be crazy. He's the best defensive OFer in baseball, and he finally got all his s*** together on offense this year. I mean come on the guys not even 30 yet.

Why? You wouldn't have a first base situation anymore

[riverside sluggers]

I say they trade manny just to clear up space for konerko.

 

If White Sox arent able to resign him, Im sure he will go to Anaheim Angels.

 

He could be good in Boston, but still he has said so many times how he doesnt like the Boston atmosphere. Quoted as "Its a nice place to visit". Though he did grow up in rhode island, he grew up with him and his family being yankee fans.

[MC Hammer]

Why? You wouldn't have a first base situation anymore

We also wouldn't have a HOFer hitting behind Papi.

[empirestrikesback26]

Well the chances of manny coming back right now are very small, but it could change as early as tomorrow.

[empirestrikesback26]

We also wouldn't have a HOFer hitting behind Papi.

Konerko's not on the level of Manny, but he's no pushover either. You still wouldn't want to pitch around ortez to get to konerko.

[MC Hammer]

Konerko's not on the level of Manny, but he's no pushover either. You still wouldn't want to pitch around ortez to get to konerko.

Any team in the league would pitch around Ortiz to face Konerko. I understand he's not a push over but given the choice theres no way anyone would pitch to Ortiz instead of Konerko.

[example1]

So what? People would pitch around Manny to get to Ortiz all the time too. Let's be realistic here. You always end up with a situation where one player is better than the one behind or before them. Ortiz isn't as good a hitter as Manny, but he did plenty of damage. The idea is to get as many people on base as possible, the runs come after that for the most part.

 

If you have Konerko batting 4th then he probably won't do as well as manny, but he will still do well. Ortiz may get pitched around, but that's fine. Let's jack up Ortiz's OBP to .430 and see how the sox end up doing. Pitching around a player doesn't necessarily make them useless. Its a good situation to have a player who will automatically be pitched around. There aren't many players like that in the league.

 

I don't think there is any way that Konerko leaves Chicago though. Maybe, but I just don't see it happening.

 

On that note, I am so damn sick of Manny wanting to leave Boston. The first few times you figure its just a "fit" thing, but now, years later, I'm just sick of it. It is, more than anything, insulting. Manny gets as many cheers as anyone in recent memory, he gets as much money as any baseball player ever has. He plays in front of a sold out stadium and is one of the country's biggest sports celebraties. When he disrespects playing in boston I feel as though he is disrespecting my home and Sox nation overall. His goddamn contract is so huge that we can't move it which is not BOSTON'S fault, it is his selfish-asses fault for signing the deal in the first place. To whine about your job when you make that much, in such a blue collar town/region, when you have gotten nothing but respect from the town and fans is insulting.

 

I'm okay with "Manny being Manny" but when he threatens to not come to Spring Training, even if it means the sox get a bad deal then I just think he's an *******. Sorry for the cursing y'all, but its just getting really, really old.

[whereisnomar]

this feels like the middle of the summer...

[riverside sluggers]

i dont think konerko isnt coming to boston at all, only as an opposing player. The most likely option is Aubrey Huff, who the Sox F.O. have been seeking out and love his style. this offseason they could finally do so. And Im alright with that, huff would be a good fit to red sox nation

[example1]

Huff would be a good option. I like the idea of trying to get Burnett for 3 years (4th team option) and having a rotation of:

 

Schilling

Burnett

Clement

Wakefield

Papelbon

 

I don't see Huff as being enough of an offensive addition to compensate for losing Manny. In fact it will be nearly impossible to compensate for Manny regardless. If we have to replace Damon's offense too then it will DEFINITELY be impossible. Damon scores runs. Lots of runs.

[mosox]

I expect Manny will change his mind several times over the winter. I actually see the Sox in a strong position. If they can't work out a deal the team likes then let Manny try to be T.O. and sit out. He obviously didn't pay attention to how well it worked out in Philly.

[example1]

Yeah, the problem is that if Manny gets frustrated enough he may just not put his heart into the game. The last thing I want is a "not trying" version of Manny--he already seems like he's not trying when he IS trying, so I would hate to see him intentionally looking slugish.

[ARod2212]

He did his good soldier thing and finished the year. He's wanted out for a while, and I think the management is ready to move him if the right deal comes along.

 

Word is he's just sick of the city of Boston and no privacy. You Bostoners and annoying him, and now he wants to go. It's your own fault!