Manny being... GONE!

Anger. Disappointment. Frustration. Exasperation. False Acceptance.

Hop aboard the Manny Ramirez express. It goes round and round. If you want to ride, it’ll cost you only $25M per year for 4 more years. Your ticket that’s paid up until November? It’s no good here anymore, expired. Better jump off now before you’re pushed…

Denial. Anger. Exasperation. Acceptance Maybe…

We deserve a better ending. For all the good times, the cheers, the titles, even some of the harmless antics, all of it. He was a truly beloved figure despite the nonsense that surrounded him. He was always forgiven and cheered time after time. We were very fortunate to watch a first ballot hall of famer as well as one of the game’s most prolific hitters for almost 8 seasons. He was also instrumental in 2 World Series including an MVP. But his unceremonious exit has left a sour taste and it’s entirely his fault.

The most inexcusable thing is that he let his teammates down. He apparently told a teammate he knew he could sit the last two months and still collect his $7M and then just go away. Apparently he forgot the next two seasons were CLUB options and not player options.

WHY?
Money. Manny’s focus is only on his next contract. You can place plenty of blame on Manny’s new agent - the baseball anti-christ, aka Scott Boras. He told Manny that he could get him a $100M contract for the next 4 years. And he doesn’t see dime one if the Sox pick up his option(s). The only way it would work is to make the Sox not want to pick up the option in 2009 and/or 2010. Manny obviously tried to create a rift using a blueprint provided by the anti-christ. Give Jay Payton an assist on this one as he cried and complained every day (as Manny witnessed) until he was traded.

Beginning of the end:
A number of his phantom hammy injuries only seemed to pop up when hard throwing pitchers were on the mound. Management also required an MRI on his “new” knee injury when he told them he couldn't play again. If he actually remembered which knee he said was injured, maybe he could have pulled it off. An MRI on both knees came back negative.

Management then gave him written notice that he needed to play or be suspended without pay. This is what precipitated the commentary to ESPN Deportes including “The Red Sox are lucky to have me”. The fans pretty much knew it was over after that point, but management already knew.

Trade deadline – good or bad?
The 2008 team is not better. Had everyone lived up to their contract, it’s an easy call. If Manny exits at the end of the year, you need to give up more than Moss & Hansen to get Bay. Trading Manny probably prevented the Sox from getting relief help which they would have overpaid for, but could also have helped solidify a ring.

But the Sox knew they had a cancer in the clubhouse who was going to play the injury or suspension card over the last 2 months. A last ditch "I'll be a good boy and play" statement didn't convince management. So they got value for him. Hie replacement in Bay gives them a 30 Hr and 100 RBI guy which is only a slight dropoff in stats. What he can’t replace is the presence and threat of one of the games best ever hitters. He also doesn’t offer the same protection in the lineup for guys like Ortiz.

Bottom line is that they had to trade him. The alternative was to suspend him, hope to get to the playoffs, and then let him walk. Based on his history they couldn't trust him to perform.

Who is the Real Manny?
Manny being Manny apparently only describes a portion of our man-child. The aloof, goofy, charming, loveable, and crazy Manny is only a strange piece of the overall puzzle.

Back in June a new element, aka angry Manny, was introduced (at least to the fans anyway). He backhanded Youkilis in the dugout and later pushed the team’s 64yr old traveling secretary to the ground in a dispute about game day tickets. The bloom was off the rose for most Manny fans by this point, but some yahoos continued to blindly support him.

Manny doesn’t care about his teammates, the integrity of the game, or anything else. He only cares about money. He even has his own clubhouse rules. There are numerous incidents where he refused to pinch hit, insisted on a day off when needed, and even faked an injury like the last 2 months of 06. His best buddy Ortiz pleaded with him to play but he refused. His contract had club options which he had no business disputing. His sense of entitlement overrides any sense of reasonableness.

Some of his teammates say that Manny the person is a good person. Let’s hope so because what we know about the player isn’t a pretty picture.

Will he be the next $100M man? No way. He's essentially a DH the rest of the way and he'd be 40 in year 4. Look between Andruw Jones ($14M) and Beltran ($18M) per season at maybe 3yrs.

The Man can Hit
This is the single reason he is allowed to get away with virtually anything. Ask Shawn Chacon who had an altercation earlier this year and was released immediately. Why? Because he’s a mediocre pitcher.

Management, teammates, and fans have all “looked the other way” to some extent. As fans, we knew he’s been a headache but not to the extent we know now. It’s always been “the headache is worth the production”. While there is some sense of “you should have known” there is also the feeling of being duped.

Think the "master" Joe Torre will straighten him out? Good luck with just getting a haircut Joe. Manny's stay in LA is temporary but he's going to light it up because he's playing for that next contract. There is no formula to "fix" him. He's broken. But he sure can hit.

We need closure
He’s gone. His production and goofy antics will be missed. The annual trade requests, the phantom injuries, quitting on teammates, and lack of hustle will not. We can be happy for the owners, Theo, the manager, and the players. Lastly, be happy for Jason Bay who leaves the hapless Pirates for a chance at the playoffs. The last thing we need? Time. It's going to be a while before we can look back fondly on all the good things...

Good luck Manny. Thanks for everything. But see ya...

Santana Claus coming to town?

The latest word out of Minnesota is that a Santana trade is imminent within the next 10 days.

Will Minnesota continue to be Boston's feeding ground like Ortiz & Garnett? Not likely as Lester has apparently been taken off the table. With Clay Bucholtz also as untouchable, that leaves Ellsbury & minor league pitching for Minnesota to choose from. Word is the Mets have become the favorites.

It really seems like Minnesota's new GM Bill Smith really screwed the pooch on this deal. His gamble to wait for a better deal has backfired (so far) with Boston and the Yanks pulling back their top prospects. Santana's request for upwards of $25M per year over 6 years (ending at age 35) may have increased apprehension as well.

If Smith waits until the All Star break, he could get better offers. However, what happens if the Twins are in the hunt? There's no way you trade him then, but then you lose him to free agency at the end of the season. The Twins simply can't afford (or won't pay) $20M+ per season. It's a tricky proposition at best and the situation may be forcing his hand now. But how does he look taking a package below what was offered earlier?

Who needs Santana the most? How good are their offers?

Mets Rotation

Pedro

Maine

El Duque

Pelfrey/Other

Livan Hernandez (not signed yet)

They also have health questions with Pedro & El Duque...

Proposed Package to Twins

OF Carlos Gomez or Fernando Martinez

SP Mike Pelfry

SP Phillip Humber

It's clear the Mets are the most desperate who currently don't have a solid 5 man rotation. Their current package to Minnesota seems weak in comparison to the Sox & Yanks offers, and it doesn't weaken their current roster. However they might be more motivated to sweeten the pot, but at $25M per season it can't get much sweeter.

Yankees Rotation

Wang

Pettite

Phil Hughes

Ian Kennedy

Mussina

Karstens/Igawa

That's a lot of youngsters in there... How will Pettite react to HGH & will Mussina make it a full season? Will Igawa bounce back from an abysmal year?

Proposed Package to Twins

CF Melky Cabrera

SP Phil Hughes or Ian Kennedy

SP Jeff Marquez

another prospect

The Yanks would be creating a hole in their lineup and losing control over a good young arm. Money isn't the issue here, so it comes down to Cashman vs. Hank. The Yanks may NEED to do this deal in order to challenge for the AL East & wildcard. Not sure their rotation scares anyone, especially come playoff time. But holding on to their talent will certainly make them stronger in the long run. So it's try and win now vs. rebuilding the franchise. Poor Jeter. Think he would OK a trade to the Sox to win more rings?

Sox Rotation

Beckett

Dice-K

Schilling

Wake

Lester

Bucholtz

That's six solid starters...

Proposed Package to Twins

SP Lester (now off the table)

CF Coco Crisp or Jacoby Ellsbury

SP Justin Masterson

SS Jed Lowrie

The Sox do not need to do this deal. In fact they may be better off standing where they are. In fact, most clubs rated Lester the second best pitcher on the Sox staff at the end of the season. Ellsbury is a star in the making and Gammons thinks Lowrie could be the anchor at SS and be even better than Pedroia. That's not faint praise. Bucholtz is projected to be a #1 stud with just a little more seasoning in the minors (despite his no hitter). So a rotation of Beckett, Dice-K, Lester, and Bucholtz (all 27 and under) will anchor the franchise for years at quite the price. The emergence of starters Masterson (projected late 2008) & Bowden (projected 2009) will be ready to step in once Schill and/or Wake hang em up...

Regardless of what happens, it will be a good season again in Boston. In fact most Sox fans would rather see them do it again without a Santana. The kids are alright!

Only 18 more days until Spring Training!!!

The Yanks drop their Unit...

The Randy Johnson era has apparently ended in NY. While his trade request was never “official” it’s clear that he wanted out of the spotlight of NY and back to the seclusion of Arizona and the weak NL lineups.

It’s a great move for the Unit. At 44 and coming off another surgery, the spirit may be willing but the body isn’t listening. He should have a good year against the NL and the climate in Arizona certainly won’t hurt especially in April and May. His numbers will certainly improve over 2006 if he stays somewhat healthy.

But is this a good move for the Yanks? With no viable replacement it’s a big NO. This is the second starter they’ve dealt in a very thin market. While they may have received some value in minor league prospects, they still traded away 2 proven arms for unproven commodities.

Are the Yanks in a mini rebuilding stage? It appears so because these deals don’t make sense in the short term. Did they not learn anything from the Sox trading Arroyo last season? At least the Sox appeared to have an “abundance” of pitching at the time.

The Yanks have 3 solid starters they can count on barring any injuries. Kei Igawa is still a question mark but should end up as a stable number 4 or 5 guy. They can’t be seriously considering getting much out of Pavano. That leaves Philip Hughes being rushed out of the minors. They don’t have an ace. Not much of a game plan. The Yanks must already have a tentative agreement with Clemens. That would explain some things. However, he probably won’t pitch until mid June. That also puts a ton of pressure on Mussina, Pettitte, and Wang to perform above expectations.


Risky Business:

So what’s the plan? Survive until June and count on their offense to carry them. With a new stockpile of minor league talent, they have leverage at the trade deadline. But who is going to trade a top of the line starter? At best you’ll find a fringe #3 guy and that doesn’t push you over the top.

Questions, questions…

Wang – should be fine, putting up similar numbers to last season
Mussina – he’s older and his numbers certainly won’t be better
Pettitte – don’t expect improvement over NL era of 4.20
Igawa – pray that you didn’t get Irabu revisited
Pavano – how much can you expect from a guy who hasn’t pitched in 2 years?
Clemens – are 20 games better than 30 from the Unit? Will he even pitch?
Hughes – will he be rushed? How effective will he be?

That’s just plain ugly. They’re also counting on no injuries. On paper, the bullpen is much improved but how effective will they be if they are overworked?

The Yanks will certainly be competitive in 2007, but will it be too late? Their offense needs to be prolific once again. Unless something drastic changes, they’ll be good but fall short. Expect to be in the rear view mirror for the season…

To trade Manny, or not to trade Manny...

Well the Manny gate rumors have reared their ugly head once again. With the recent outlandish free agent signing $'s, Manny's contract is now seen as a bargain. That's scary. His contract has seemingly been the albatross in striking any trade deals, even as recent as last season. What a difference a year makes. MLB insiders also seem to think this trend of spending will continue in the near future making his contract #'s even more tradeable.

The debate of whether to keep him or trade him will rage on. It's been rumored that he made be traded as early as Saturday (when they will supposedly sign JD Drew).

Why Should they trade Manny?

1) His flighty attitude.
2) He seemingly quit on his teammates at the end of last season.
3) He's become such a distraction that he affects team chemistry.
4) The Manny being Manny episodes are not a matter of if, but when.
5) His production may start to slip in the next couple of seasons.
6) His trade value may not ever be higher, and a younger viable option is available.

Why should they keep him?

1) You can't replace his production or talent for hitting (Andruw Jones is not the same threat or producer).
2) David Ortiz's walks will increase and his production will decrease. You're losing the equivalent of 1.25 players.
3) You won't get equal value in return, and teams (like the Dodgers) are claiming the pricetag is too high.
4) He's a 10-5 guy and can veto any trade - should they expend time & energy in the first place? He may require additional terms (exercise option & possible extension years) before waiving his no-trade. He also may just change his mind about it daily.
5) Just to piss off local sports writers like Shaughnessy.

The question is, does management think his antics outweigh his production. It's clear his teammates were frustrated with him at the end of last season, but to the point they don't want him back? We'll never really know. The only measuring stick will be what kind of deal they pull off. If he isn't traded, that most likely means they weren't willing to part with him for less than full value, and he's not the "cancer" some portray him to be.

Sportwriters like Shaughnessy don't like Manny, so when reading their articles bear that in mind. Manny doesn't speak to the media so there is no dispute or point of view to what's written either. Shaughnessy would have you believe Manny doesn't want to be here (another season of trade rumors), he gave up on his teammates and he gave up on YOU, the fan. What a load of crap. It makes for a good article in November, but do you really buy it? What he's actually doing is making it easier for the Sox brass to unload him for less than fair value - in the eyes of the fan.

There is only 1 consideration here if you're Theo. Will Manny's antics disrupt the clubhouse to the point of derailing the team? Will his "phantom" injuries return at a critical point of the season?

A) If no, then keep him unless you're blown away by an offer. His option year is also now a bargain.
B) If yes, how much under fair value are you willing to take?

From a fan's perspective, do you really care about the Manny being Manny episodes? It's not like you work with the guy directly. You're not paying his salary. What it really comes down to is his production and ability to help the team win. You may only get 140 games out of him, but at the end of the day is there a better option?

Unless they get some stud pitching in return, they're nuts if they trade him. That's two more seasons of Manny coming your way...