Sox, Boras Oceans Apart in negotiations

[seabeachfred]

Your opinion of those players does little to sway me from my point. They acquired young players. Maybe the scouting wasn't all that it should have been' date=' but when you acquire young players, you aren't just looking for the immediate impact. You are looking forward also. That is why calling the LTP a bunch of BS is flat out wrong.[/quote']

 

Sorry ORS, you might have a point about Pena but if that applies to Coco as well it is as wrong as wrong can be. We were expecting immediate results from a guy who came over after he hit 300 and belted 16 homers for Cleveland the year before. We got nothing of the kind. Crisp has to come through this year for us to be a solid contender and there can be no excuses short of another injury, which, by the way, might make me wonder if he isn't another Nixon. Pena? Yes he was a project but I'm afraid as long as we have him he will remain one. Cannot play defense worth a damn, and strikes out way too much. If he finally learns how to play "D" and hits 35 homers, well that's another story. If we lost Manny he is going to be expected to rise to the occasion and do just that. :lol: :lol:

[jsinger121]

Sorry ORS' date=' you might have a point about Pena but if that applies to Coco as well it is as wrong as wrong can be. We were expecting immediate results from a guy who came over after he hit 300 and belted 16 homers for Cleveland the year before. We got nothing of the kind. Crisp has to come through this year for us to be a solid contender and there can be no excuses short of another injury, which, by the way, might make me wonder if he isn't another Nixon. Pena? Yes he was a project but I'm afraid as long as we have him he will remain one. Cannot play defense worth a damn, and strikes out way too much. If he finally learns how to play "D" and hits 35 homers, well that's another story. If we lost Manny he is going to be expected to rise to the occasion and do just that. :lol: :lol:[/quote']

 

We was also hurt the entire year. He likely came back early and suffered through the injury the entire year.

[jacksonianmarch]

I see a lot of twisting there example. Many teams that are close can point to one thing that cost them a season. For the yankees, it was starting pitching. For the red sox, it was a whole lot of things. Some people say injuries, but anyone who watched this team knows that the injuries just gave a rather convenient excuse.

 

Cowherd may be an idiot, and I agree with that sentiment. But he is not alone in calling Boston one of the most dysfunctional FO's in the game. Think about it. This is the team that had its GM walk out in a gorilla suit to "find himself". Then 2 kids who everyone knew werent in control were figure-headed in control. Then the gorilla comes roaring back and comes on as GM but doesnt even sign a contract for a yr. During this span, they make some trades that really look bad in hindsight (and you are judged by hindsight, not on how good things looked initially) and put an incomplete team on the field. They took a team that hadnt won a championship in 86 yrs, put a winner together then dismantled them before anyone uttered play ball again. Yeah, some of those moves look smart in retrospect over a long term range, but you honestly cannot tell me that a healthy Lowe and Martinez couldnt have sent the 05 sox to the world series.

 

Unfortunately, the world series win bought time for the franchise to do what it wanted without the scrutiny and they completely f***ed it up. The heroes of 04 are gone. The new kids are in and the team is lacking direction. The biggest fallout will be when Manny is dealt and the murderers row in Boston is relegated to a 2ER in 7IP performance against the japanese kid igawa when he has a 6 era against the rest of the league. That is when s*** will hit the fan (and he will deny any link to him wanting manny dealt). That is when longshanks will be up in arms about why the sox traded manny without having an offensive plan.

 

That is why the inpenetrable 2004 red sox are full of holes 2 yrs later. Now they have to fix it. Getting Matsuzaka (although overpaying) is a solid first step. But then again, there have been 5 or 6 bullpen guys who could have helped the sox put a pen together and they passed in lieu of this japanese lefty who certainly isnt what they needed the most, and that is a closer. If they deal Manny and replace him with Drew, they will severely destroy that offense. Put that with a promising yet unproven rotation and a putrid bullpen and theo is on his way to putting another incomplete team together. It is inexcuseable for a team so shortly removed from the mountaintop, with arguably the most loyal fans in baseball, and with a never ending pool of money to put such a swiss cheese-esque plan together. That is why they are dysfunctional, and until they can put a game plan together that they can sell to fans that has no holes in it, then they will remain so. So long as Beckett sucks and Hanley and Anibal rock, they will remain so. This will be a big yr to show that either the magic is back or that the team has further delved into dysfunctionality.

[Gom]

That went right over your head.

 

The proof isn't in the results. When people say, "They can't really have an LTP if they give up Hanley", then they are being either disengenuous, or outright ignorant. The player received for Hanley was a 25 y/o fireballer with over 500 MLB innings logged. Sure, the guy is an immediate impact player, but due to his age, he's certainly part of an LTP. The only way that statement about Hanley holds merit is if the return is a vet on the tail end of his career who can provide only immediate value.

 

EDIT: And, you really, really need to grow up.

 

Oh my God, ORS are you serious? You have to stop with that Sam Adams ale, buddy. Let me give you some insight. It's only a long term deal if it is compared to a short term deal. When you trade players that are basically the same age [and in the Sox's case, they got significantly OLDER after the Beckett trade], it's not really a long-term deal. It's all relative. Conversely, they made more of an immediate deal with the inclusion of Lowell as salary relief as well as the fact that he doesn't figure in the Sox's long-term plans. They acquired a 25 y/o fireballer who has logged a lot of innings and is injury-prone for two youngsters who are 23 and 22. The Yankees trading Sheffield for four minor league pitchers is a long-term deal fo r the Yankees. It doesn't make sense to trade for four minor leaguers who are in their thirties.

 

Three players in the deal are LTP [not Lowell], so that evens itself out for the most part, with an edge to the Marlins. In fact, most people would agree that the returns the Marlins will get will be better than what the Sox will end up getting when the trade was made, let alone now.

 

I am utterly shocked at your post. Even though I rarely agree with you, you usually make sense in your own way. You totally dropped the ball here.

 

P.S. I can't help riling Red Sox fans sometimes..it's way too much fun.

[ORS]

Sorry ORS' date=' you might have a point about Pena but if that applies to Coco as well it is as wrong as wrong can be. We were expecting immediate results from a guy who came over after he hit 300 and belted 16 homers for Cleveland the year before. We got nothing of the kind. Crisp has to come through this year for us to be a solid contender and there can be no excuses short of another injury, which, by the way, might make me wonder if he isn't another Nixon. Pena? Yes he was a project but I'm afraid as long as we have him he will remain one. Cannot play defense worth a damn, and strikes out way too much. If he finally learns how to play "D" and hits 35 homers, well that's another story. If we lost Manny he is going to be expected to rise to the occasion and do just that. :lol: :lol:[/quote']

Are you intentionally trying to be difficult? I never said we didn't have immediate expectations from Crisp. However, due to his age, there aren't only immediate expectations. Can you not see the difference?

 

Face it, you got sent into a tizzy by an uninformed media boob who knows less about baseball than the Latvian cabbie I used on my last trip to DC.

[jacksonianmarch]

Are you intentionally trying to be difficult? I never said we didn't have immediate expectations from Crisp. However' date=' due to his age, there aren't [i']only[/i] immediate expectations. Can you not see the difference?

 

Face it, you got sent into a tizzy by an uninformed media boob who knows less about baseball than the Latvian cabbie I used on my last trip to DC.

 

You don't think like me so you are WRONG!!!

[ORS]

Oh my God' date=' ORS are you serious? You have to stop with that Sam Adams ale, buddy. Let me give you some insight. It's only a long term deal if it is compared to a short term deal. When you trade players that are basically the same age [and in the Sox's case, they got significantly OLDER after the Beckett trade'], it's not really a long-term deal. It's all relative. Conversely, they made more of an immediate deal with the inclusion of Lowell as salary relief as well as the fact that he doesn't figure in the Sox's long-term plans. They acquired a 25 y/o fireballer who has logged a lot of innings and is injury-prone for two youngsters who are 23 and 22. The Yankees trading Sheffield for four minor league pitchers is a long-term deal fo r the Yankees. It doesn't make sense to trade for four minor leaguers who are in their thirties.

 

Three players in the deal are LTP [not Lowell], so that evens itself out for the most part, with an edge to the Marlins. In fact, most people would agree that the returns the Marlins will get will be better than what the Sox will end up getting when the trade was made, let alone now.

 

I am utterly shocked at your post. Even though I rarely agree with you, you usually make sense in your own way. You totally dropped the ball here.

 

P.S. I can't help riling Red Sox fans sometimes..it's way too much fun.

What a bunch of babble? Do you really think the only thing that matters is the balance of the age of the players involved? That's assinine. I can't believe I just read that.

 

What they did was skip the adjustment period for two good prospects in favor of an already established young player. Did it blow up in their faces? Sure has thus far, but if you don't see the long-term benefits of acquiring a player like Beckett at age 25, well, then says a whole lot about the "insight'' you will be providing.

[a700hitter]

They acquired a 25 y/o fireballer who has logged a lot of innings and is injury-prone for two youngsters who are 23 and 22.

Are you talking about Beckett? He hasn't logged alot of innings. Last year is the first year he logged 200 innings. Injury prone? What blisters? Is that a bad injury history that he throws so hard he gets blisters. I am very happy with the Beckett deal. He will a mainstay in the rotation for years. I saw Sanchez pitch once in person. Ortiz and Manny hit about 1,300 feet of homers off him. He got beat like a pinata.

[jacksonianmarch]

What a bunch of babble? Do you really think the only thing that matters is the balance of the age of the players involved? That's assinine. I can't believe I just read that.

 

What they did was skip the adjustment period for two good prospects in favor of an already established young player. Did it blow up in their faces? Sure has thus far, but if you don't see the long-term benefits of acquiring a player like Beckett at age 25, well, then says a whole lot about the "insight'' you will be providing.

 

As nice as that deal looked on the day it was consummated (and do not get me wrong, I thought the beckett deal was a coup initially), it sure looks bad now. Unfortunately for GM's, owners have short memories for how things looked at the time. You are judged by outcome. If Beckett continues to suck, then this trade will single handedly sabotage this youth movement as the best ss and pitching prospect (as it turns out) will be in florida rather than in Boston.

[Papelbon58]

What a bunch of babble? Do you really think the only thing that matters is the balance of the age of the players involved? That's assinine. I can't believe I just read that.

 

What they did was skip the adjustment period for two good prospects in favor of an already established young player. Did it blow up in their faces? Sure has thus far, but if you don't see the long-term benefits of acquiring a player like Beckett at age 25, well, then says a whole lot about the "insight'' you will be providing.

 

ORS just quit fighting this guy. Nobody cares what he said these past few days anyway, he has trounced any good reputations he had.

[jacksonianmarch]

Are you talking about Beckett? He hasn't logged alot of innings. Last year is the first year he logged 200 innings. Injury prone? What blisters? Is that a bad injury history that he throws so hard he gets blisters. I am very happy with the Beckett deal. He will a mainstay in the rotation for years. I saw Sanchez pitch once in person. Ortiz and Manny hit about 1' date='300 feet of homers off him. He got beat like a pinata.[/quote']

 

Beckett also had shoulder trouble, so much so that there was dissention in the FO when the trade was proposed.

 

Also, if you think the guy showed any positives last yr, then you are most certainly loaded with half full people if you know what I mean. He showed that he is certainly willing to walk people, again and again and again if he doesnt want to give in. He showed that he has zero confidence or location to his secondary pitches. He showed that his previous facade of being unfazeable was completely off as well. Last season was a flat out debachle for Beckett and I think time is softening the barbs you guys were throwing his way a few months ago. He was awful in boston in yr 1, lets not try to sugar coat it.

[example1]

I see a lot of twisting there example. Many teams that are close can point to one thing that cost them a season. For the yankees' date=' it was starting pitching. For the red sox, it was a whole lot of things. Some people say injuries, but anyone who watched this team knows that the injuries just gave a rather convenient excuse. [/quote']

 

I watched this team. I watched at least 100 games (my poor wife!). I watched them sweep the Mets in Fenway in July and they were widely seen as the best team in baseball. For awhile Beckett and Schilling were head to head for most wins in the league. Jonathan Papelbon didn't blow a save for the first 3-4 months of the season (or something like that). Manny and Papi did what they do so well, Youkilis was having a good season. Anybody who watched this team saw a lot of good talent that wasn't able to fully come together and which fell apart in a horrible way.

 

Cowherd may be an idiot, and I agree with that sentiment. But he is not alone in calling Boston one of the most dysfunctional FO's in the game. Think about it. This is the team that had its GM walk out in a gorilla suit to "find himself". Then 2 kids who everyone knew werent in control were figure-headed in control. Then the gorilla comes roaring back and comes on as GM but doesnt even sign a contract for a yr. During this span, they make some trades that really look bad in hindsight (and you are judged by hindsight, not on how good things looked initially) and put an incomplete team on the field. They took a team that hadnt won a championship in 86 yrs, put a winner together then dismantled them before anyone uttered play ball again. Yeah, some of those moves look smart in retrospect over a long term range, but you honestly cannot tell me that a healthy Lowe and Martinez couldnt have sent the 05 sox to the world series.

 

And you cannot honestly tell me the sox would have won the WS, or that Pedro would have stayed healthy, or that if they had the Sox would have won. Do you remember that Schilling was hurt for much of that season and sucked when he returned? Clement? Arroyo? That team isn't winning a WS against those white sox man.

 

Unfortunately, the world series win bought time for the franchise to do what it wanted without the scrutiny and they completely f***ed it up.

 

Without scrutiny? Have you listened to WEEI before?

[a700hitter]

Beckett also had shoulder trouble' date=' so much so that there was dissention in the FO when the trade was proposed.[/quote'] They held up the deal based on inconclusive tests as a negotiating ploy. They got Florida to throw in Mota. Saying he is injury-prone is as reasonable as calling Wang injury-prone. Wang's shoulder problem was so serious that he almost underwent rotator cuff surgery. Beckett's shoulder problem was not that bad, plus he missed less time with his shoulder DL than Wang did. So, I guess Wang is a big injury ???

 

Also' date=' if you think the guy showed any positives last yr, then you are most certainly loaded with half full people if you know what I mean. He showed that he is certainly willing to walk people, again and again and again if he doesnt want to give in. He showed that he has zero confidence or location to his secondary pitches. He showed that his previous facade of being unfazeable was completely off as well. Last season was a flat out debachle for Beckett and I think time is softening the barbs you guys were throwing his way a few months ago. He was awful in boston in yr 1, lets not try to sugar coat it.[/quote']He was very streaky and inconsistent, but the year was not a "flat out debacle," nor did he show anything to disprove his reputation as a bulldog.

[jacksonianmarch]

WEEI will scrutinize a 162-0 red sox team. I dont listen to those pukes. I am talking about national media scrutiny. As a matter of fact, Carrot top was docile for a full yr as well. The glow was used as a smokescreen to dismantle the giant killers into a group of unknowns.

[ORS]

As nice as that deal looked on the day it was consummated (and do not get me wrong' date=' I thought the beckett deal was a coup initially), it sure looks bad now. Unfortunately for GM's, owners have short memories for how things looked at the time. You are judged by outcome. If Beckett continues to suck, then this trade will single handedly sabotage this youth movement as the best ss and pitching prospect (as it turns out) will be in florida rather than in Boston.[/quote']

All well and good, but none of it means that they are full of s*** about a long term plan.

[a700hitter]

To the Red Sox drafts picks are very valuable. Maybe not to you they are not but to them they are.

But it just doesn't make sense with guys like Lugo and Drew who are being actively pursued by teams and who have no interest in returning to their teams. Why wouldn't the Dodgers offer them arbitration? They have nothing to lose, because the pursuing teams are not going to back off because of a draft choice. It's an easy draft pick for the Dodgers, and the Red Sox would be fools to back off these guys because of draft choices. The waiting game for these guys is an exercise in futility.

[example1]

WEEI will scrutinize a 162-0 red sox team. I dont listen to those pukes. I am talking about national media scrutiny. As a matter of fact' date=' Carrot top was docile for a full yr as well. The glow was used as a smokescreen to dismantle the giant killers into a group of unknowns.[/quote']

 

 

You say that there is no scrutiny and that Sox fans are incapable of being critical, yet the media outlet closest to the organiation (radio outlet, that is) criticizes them, lets fans vent like madmen? Who cares about the national media, that isn't what guides the views of most of the people here, or the FO.

[jacksonianmarch]

But it just doesn't make sense with guys like Lugo and Drew who are being actively pursued by teams and who have no interest in returning to their teams. Why wouldn't the Dodgers offer them arbitration? They have nothing to lose' date=' because the pursuing teams are not going to back off because of a draft choice. It's an easy draft pick for the Dodgers, and the Red Sox would be fools to back off these guys because of draft choices. The waiting game for these guys is an exercise in futility.[/quote']

 

 

absolutely 100% in agreement. The dodgers will offer both arbitration and the red sox will lose their 1st and 2nd rounders due to that.

[seabeachfred]

But it just doesn't make sense with guys like Lugo and Drew who are being actively pursued by teams and who have no interest in returning to their teams. Why wouldn't the Dodgers offer them arbitration? They have nothing to lose' date=' because the pursuing teams are not going to back off because of a draft choice. It's an easy draft pick for the Dodgers, and the Red Sox would be fools to back off these guys because of draft choices. The waiting game for these guys is an exercise in futility.[/quote']

 

700, you and I know and a few others do, too, but there are some of our friends here to cling to the charade of losing a draft choice. I think they'd rather risk losing two players who could help maybe win the Pennant next year that, heaven perish the thought, lose a draft choice or two that may never see a Major League ballpark. I'll tell you this: they will be the first ones bitching and moaning if suddenly Lugo and Drew go somewhere else.

[seabeachfred]

:thumbdown :thumbdown :thumbdown

absolutely 100% in agreement. The dodgers will offer both arbitration and the red sox will lose their 1st and 2nd rounders due to that.

 

Jackson, if the Dodgers offer those two arbitration it will show Colletti for what he is, a money grubbing second rater who I once had a lot of respect for. He has to know those two want no part of his team any more and wouldn't return for the moon. All it will do is tell the Red Sox and the rest of baseball what a fourflusher the guy is and will sour his future dealings with a lot of teams. He should count his losses and move on. And if they offer arbitration and still want Manny we tell him to take a flying leap.:thumbdown :thumbdown :thumbdown

[jacksonianmarch]

It is good baseball and the sox will do it with Loretta as well. If a guy leaves your team and you can get a 1st rounder for it, wouldnt you do it? I would. I just think that if the player is that good and is worth it, then why not.

[seabeachfred]

It is good baseball and the sox will do it with Loretta as well. If a guy leaves your team and you can get a 1st rounder for it' date=' wouldnt you do it? I would. I just think that if the player is that good and is worth it, then why not.[/quote']

 

Jackson, I don't think the Red Sox will do it with Mark because he may accept and that would throw the team's plans out of kilter. They would be faced with an unhappy Loretta and face the same thing they last spring with Graffinino. Besides, what would that do to Dustin Pedroia who is ready to take over second base full time? Unless, they blow the Lugo stakes and decide to give Dustin a shot at short. :lol:

[example1]

http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2006/11/28/ap/sports/d8lmet9o0.txt

 

Not sure what this means, given that Ichiro was allowed to get money from his former team (or some such arrangement). I'd be surprised if the Sox weren't aware of this before the deal, so I'm not too concerned.

[Gom]

What a bunch of babble? Do you really think the only thing that matters is the balance of the age of the players involved? That's assinine. I can't believe I just read that.

 

What they did was skip the adjustment period for two good prospects in favor of an already established young player. Did it blow up in their faces? Sure has thus far, but if you don't see the long-term benefits of acquiring a player like Beckett at age 25, well, then says a whole lot about the "insight'' you will be providing.

 

LOL...I see the long term benefits of acquiring a young stud pitcher..but you gave up a potential young stud pitcher and young stud player. It's not like they gave up players who couldn't be that. Wait...Beckett is a LTP who is a future ace...and Sanchez isn't...and Ramirez isn't a future ROY...no wait, he just was...talk about hypocrisy. The young players the Sox receive are studs AND LTP, and the ones they give up are neither. Come on already.

 

When you trade young players for young players, the LTP is minimized in the deal because both teams had it before the trade and after. Try to keep up, lol. I can't wait to see how you'll spin this one. Imagine the Yankees trading Cano for Ramirez or Sanchez. The LTP is about the same. It then becomes about need.

 

I'm glad to see that you aren't insane though...at least you admitted it was a horrible deal so far. LOL!

[ORS]

LOL...I see the long term benefits of acquiring a young stud pitcher..but you gave up a potential young stud pitcher and young stud player. It's not like they gave up players who couldn't be that. Wait...Beckett is a LTP who is a future ace...and Sanchez isn't...and Ramirez isn't a future ROY...no wait, he just was...talk about hypocrisy. The young players the Sox receive are studs AND LTP, and the ones they give up are neither. Come on already.

 

When you trade young players for young players, the LTP is minimized in the deal because both teams had it before the trade and after. Try to keep up, lol. I can't wait to see how you'll spin this one. Imagine the Yankees trading Cano for Ramirez or Sanchez. The LTP is about the same. It then becomes about need.

 

I'm glad to see that you aren't insane though...at least you admitted it was a horrible deal so far. LOL!

I think your problem is that you think LTP and Win-Now are mutually exclusive. Young stud players provide both, but they are costly. Beckett had already cut his teeth, so they traded two maybes for someone who had proven he could play big league ball.

 

The part in red is worded really strangley for someone trying to disagree with me. That's what I've been saying all along. They traded young for young, so while it didn't improve the LTP, it also didn't show the LTP to be a sham. And, Seabeach's comment that got me started was about Colon Cowpatty saying they were FOS about a LTP.

[seabeachfred]

I think your problem is that you think LTP and Win-Now are mutually exclusive. Young stud players provide both, but they are costly. Beckett had already cut his teeth, so they traded two maybes for someone who had proven he could play big league ball.

 

The part in red is worded really strangley for someone trying to disagree with me. That's what I've been saying all along. They traded young for young, so while it didn't improve the LTP, it also didn't show the LTP to be a sham. And, Seabeach's comment that got me started was about Colon Cowpatty saying they were FOS about a LTP.

 

Just reported what I heard Cowchips say. Funny thing was I was listening with no feeling when all of a sudden I realized that he was talking about my team and it got my attention real quick. Look, nothing wrong with a LTP but it means not only hitching our wagon to guys like Beckett and Matsuzaka, but making sure that when our good young players are ready we get them in the lineup on OUR team, not someone elses. We finally got Youk in there this year, hopefully Pedroia comes through as I think he can next season, and Jacoby Ellsbury ready to step in the following year unless he really explodes in Triple A next season. Now if we can only talk Theo out of trading Manny we might have a chance to go for a title next year. Without him, sorry, no soap. Or do you think differently?

[ORS]

Losing Manny means they won't score as many runs. Does that mean they can't win ballgames? Nope. They will just need to improve on the run prevention side of the game. Two of the bigger problems in that regard last year were a crappy tail end of the rotation and an even crappier OF defense. Both of those appear to be improving.

 

To be honest though, I have no idea about how good they'll be because I don't know who they'll get for Manny. We can speculate, but that doesn't mean a thing. We won't know until we know. We also don't know who else they'll add via FA.

 

I will say this, losing Manny won't kill this team. It will hurt them in one area, but it will also allow them to improve in other areas, becoming a more balanced ball club. If having the best 2-man combo in baseball were so important, why haven't the Sox won 3 in a row? Why did the White Sox win with nobody protecting Konerko, but couldn't make the playoffs with Thome and Dye playing like an MVP backing him up?

[seabeachfred]

Losing Manny means they won't score as many runs. Does that mean they can't win ballgames? Nope. They will just need to improve on the run prevention side of the game. Two of the bigger problems in that regard last year were a crappy tail end of the rotation and an even crappier OF defense. Both of those appear to be improving.

 

To be honest though, I have no idea about how good they'll be because I don't know who they'll get for Manny. We can speculate, but that doesn't mean a thing. We won't know until we know. We also don't know who else they'll add via FA.

 

I will say this, losing Manny won't kill this team. It will hurt them in one area, but it will also allow them to improve in other areas, becoming a more balanced ball club. If having the best 2-man combo in baseball were so important, why haven't the Sox won 3 in a row? Why did the White Sox win with nobody protecting Konerko, but couldn't make the playoffs with Thome and Dye playing like an MVP backing him up?

 

Well for one thing ORS the White Sox pitching wasn't worth a s*** this past season if we want to compare it the 2005 version, but I don't necessarily disagree with you on Manny's loss except if he become the AL's Barry Bonds and is walked all over the place. Manny's departure means Wily Mo Pena gets left field and I not only don't have much confidence in his fielding acumen but I think he is very easy to pitch to and not very good against a tough pitcher. I just believe Theo ought to back off and keep Manny around because it would make us stronger if we can add the extra parts like Lugo, Drew and Matsuzaka to make us a better outfit than we were this past seaon. A closer then becomes our last need.

[example1]

I think the Sox probably see right now as the ideal time to move Ramirez, not the past and not the future. The market is high enough to make Manny's deal a good one. He still has 2 years left so whoever gets him will get 324 games out of him. His return now is bound to include some prospects and some position players and they're actually getting competition for Manny, whom they dangled for NOTHING a few years ago and nothing happened.

 

If they wait till next year then teams are going to be willing to give up less, because they will be forced to have to renegotiate to keep him and will have lost the prospects/other players in the trade (assuming that they aren't forced to pick up his options). Its now or never, I think.