July 30, 2008

The MLB Trade Deadline is Looming.: We've already seen a couple of big trades. Will Manny be next?
A few blogs to keep you knee-deep in trade rumors and talk: MLB Trade Deadline Blog, ESPN Trade Deadline Blog
Lastly, for your perusal: Deadline Disasters

posted by NoMich to baseball at 08:05 PM - 50 comments

What exactly are the Tigers thinking? I realize Pudge's best days are behind him, but even if he had a broken leg, he ought to be worth more than just Kyle Farnsworth. On the other hand, when did the Yankees' bullpen stabilize to the point where they could start trading away relievers? Granted, when someone gives you a deal like this, you take it, but it seems to weaken even further an area that was already a trouble spot.

posted by TheQatarian at 05:28 AM on July 31, 2008

Wow...Manny for Jason Bay? I think I'd like to see that happen. I love Manny, but his situation is just too damn Favre-ish. Should I stay or should I go? Bay has a comparable bat, and is six years younger than ManRam. Pull the trigger, and do the deal!

posted by The_Black_Hand at 05:59 AM on July 31, 2008

I think I crossed over into the trade-Manny camp when, against the Angels a few days ago, he grounded into a double play with two men on, one out, and a 7-3 deficit. That killed a blossoming Sox rally, and they went on to lose, 7-5; one of those runs was scored in the 8th, and the second was a meaningless Manny solo homerun in the bottom of the 9th, on the very first pitch from the best closer in the game this year Francisco Rodriguez. The wags at Sons of Sam Horn called it after he GIDP, saying "Well, I guess that sets up the meaningless Manny homerun in the 9th." I'm not saying Manny should be able to hit at will, but there's something odd about how he sits against great pitchers, seems to get some great swings but GIDP when it's most inconvenient, and overall doesn't seem to show the passion to win. The Sox are fighting for their playoff lives, and the whole team- most especially Manny- seem utterly lackadaisical. Okay, everyone not named Dustin Pedroia, that is. Love the little guy! Depending on the two prospects (one to the Pirates and one to the Marlins), this could be a great deal for the Sox; Manny was gone after this year, Bay is nearly as good- if not better, when you consider defense upgrade- and they would also get another bullpen arm. I'm not sure why the Marlins make the deal- that's a lot to give up to go from Hermida to Ramirez + prospect, especially if they can't sign Ramirez after the year is up. On the other hand, the Marlins would be getting Manny free of charge- so they'd actually have some freed up salary if they had another trade in the works before EOD Thursday. Manny can be a difference maker in a playoff series, and it's not a horrible movie for Florida; Hermida's hardly irreplaceable, and I don't think they are too burned by the deal. The one team I can't figure is Pittsburgh: what exactly would they want with this trade, going from Bay down to Hermida, but getting a couple of prospects? I'm worried the prospects they demand, considering what they've wanted for Bay earlier this year, will be too rich for the Sox and Theo Epstein makes a poor deal. I think Epstein will make this deal sufficiently complicated, and not giving up too much (that Gagne deal is why the many-for-one trade is almost always a loser), that it either falls through, or is an absolute coup for the Sox. In any case, if Manny is in a Marlins uniform on Friday, I think he will blast the absolute shit out of the ball and might be the thing that propels them into the playoffs. Pro athletes do that- they get bitter, get traded, and for a couple of months are playing out of their minds. I still recall as a Seattleite how bitter M's fans were when Randy Johnson "rediscovered" his pitching form as soon as he was trade (and was pure Hall of Fame for years after).

posted by hincandenza at 06:27 AM on July 31, 2008

I don't understand where Florida is coming from, though. They traded Cabrera to the Tigers and now they want to bring in a high-priced slugger? Then why did they trade Cabrera? Isn't he a better all-around player than Mannie? The Yankees were paying Kyle freaking Farnsworth over $5.5 million?! What the eff were they thinking? And the Tiges traded for him? Yeesh.

posted by NoMich at 07:43 AM on July 31, 2008

It is a sad day when the Tigers trade Pudge Rodriguez for Kyle Farnsworth. It is even worse knowing that their bullpen is so bad the move was actually neccesary.

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 08:25 AM on July 31, 2008

And now the Yankees have weakened their bullpen. Was Molina doing THAT bad?

posted by jerseygirl at 09:08 AM on July 31, 2008

And now the Yankees have weakened their bullpen. I don't see it that way. Before the Marte/Nady trade they really didn't need another relief arm. All that did was add to an already solid bullpen. They used their strength to fill their biggest weak spot in the lineup. And they were able to trade Farnsworth while his value is high. It's not that Molina was doing bad, but he's better suited to a back up role. I would much rather go down the stretch with Pudge and Molina than Molina and Moeller.

posted by goddam at 09:43 AM on July 31, 2008

Just a little heads up for Yankee fans, don't put any high hopes on Pudge to come through in the clutch. It doesn't happen. And get ready to see him strikeout every time on a high fastball.

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 09:58 AM on July 31, 2008

Ying: Pudge's skills may have diminished and/or is just having a down year, but to call him undependable in clutch situations is just not true. I can't see the Marlins even making the World Series in 2003 without him, let alone winning the whole thing. Or has he fallen that far this season?

posted by NoMich at 10:03 AM on July 31, 2008

Clutch, uncluth. I don't care. He's an upgrade over having to play Molina everyday.

posted by goddam at 10:15 AM on July 31, 2008

I'm rooting to see Fuentes and Street get dealt for the benefit of my fantasy team. I'm already satisfied with the move by the Cubs that got them Harden and Gaudin. I'm hearing that they're shopping for another lefty hitter, which makes me wonder if Edmonds is hurting more than has been let on. Otherwise, I don't see the need.

posted by ursus_comiter at 10:31 AM on July 31, 2008

What exactly are the Tigers thinking? I realize Pudge's best days are behind him, but even if he had a broken leg, he ought to be worth more than just Kyle Farnsworth. I don't get the 'what were the tigers thinking' angle at all. Pudge is a 36 year old catcher who was not a big contributer any longer. He didn't appear to be happy. They NEED bullpen help, and while farnsworth may not work out, they're giving it a shot. Since Pudge had to approve a trade, the tigers were limited to who they could trade with. The yankees were an obvious choice. I think I crossed over into the trade-Manny camp when, against the Angels a few days ago, he grounded into a double play with two men on, one out, and a 7-3 deficit. That killed a blossoming Sox rally, and they went on to lose, 7-5; one of those runs was scored in the 8th, and the second was a meaningless Manny solo homerun in the bottom of the 9th, on the very first pitch from the best closer in the game this year Francisco Rodriguez. The wags at Sons of Sam Horn called it after he GIDP, saying "Well, I guess that sets up the meaningless Manny homerun in the 9th." Oh come on Hal. This reminds me of yankee fans complaints against arod. And the wags at SoS always call for shit like that. One time they're right and you're putting importance on it? I mean, honestly, he grounded into a double play and hit a home run by guessing curveball in the ninth and you're using that as a turning point? I'm not saying Manny should be able to hit at will That's exactly what you're saying. Don't back down now. but there's something odd about how he sits against great pitchers, seems to get some great swings but GIDP when it's most inconvenient So you'd rather have someone else up with a runner on second? You gave one example. Manny is an RBI machine. and overall doesn't seem to show the passion to win. Yet some how still produces. I heard this same crap last year with his infamous 'if we don't win it's not the end of the world'. It may be time for Manny to go. But he's been a huge part of two world series victories. Other teams will celebrate when manny is gone from boston's lineup. Yankee fans more than anyone else. If Manny tanks, fine, he'd be better elsewhere. But anyone that claims boston is a better team without manny, anyone who points to manny as an offensive problem, is crazy. Besides, listening to WFAN we can stop playing baseball now. The Yankees with their recent moves have it locked up.

posted by justgary at 12:04 PM on July 31, 2008

but to call him undependable in clutch situations is just not true. I can't see the Marlins even making the World Series in 2003 without him, let alone winning the whole thing. Or has he fallen that far this season? Don't get me wrong Pudge is still a solid catcher. He is batting around .291 and is still one of the premeir defensive catchers in the game. However, for about the past two or three years I think I can think of one or two times that Pudge came through with a hit when the Tigers had men on and were behind in the game. I can however, think of countless times where Pudge has struck out on a high fastball to end the inning and the rally. Now obviously clutch is objective and I am sure there are many times that Pudge gets hits early on in games that are instrumental to the victory. But his not coming through can get frustrating.

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 01:02 PM on July 31, 2008

If Manny tanks, fine, he'd be better elsewhere. But anyone that claims boston is a better team without manny, anyone who points to manny as an offensive problem, is crazy. I consider myself a huge Manny Apologist, but if they could have moved him for Jason Bay + the rest of Manny's salary without giving up prospects, that would have been ok by me. Jason Bay has almost the same OPS+ this year. Manny's comments the past month have put a less-than-fun spin on the return of Ortiz. And this whole thing stinks to high heaven given Scott Boras gets $0.00 if Manny's option were picked up. Supposedly Manny thinks he's going to get $25 million per year over 4 in the off-season. Doing what, I don't know.

posted by yerfatma at 01:25 PM on July 31, 2008

It appears the Pirates have traded Bay to the Rays, so looks like the rumored three-way deal between Boston, Florida and Pittsburgh is out.

posted by holden at 02:35 PM on July 31, 2008

Wow. Tampa is going to be hard to beat. /holds out hope for Matt Kemp-Manny deal //smashes self in face

posted by yerfatma at 02:46 PM on July 31, 2008

Never fear, yerfatma, now Ken Rosenthal at Fox is reporting that the three-way is still alive. And Will Carroll at BP is saying that the Bay to the Rays deal is off.

posted by holden at 03:03 PM on July 31, 2008

Unless something comes out now that some deal happened before the deadline and was just not reported, this trade deadline was a big yawn.

posted by graymatters at 03:29 PM on July 31, 2008

Griffey is going to the White Sox. Pudge for Farnsworth was a good deal.

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 03:36 PM on July 31, 2008

Okay, now I am reading that the deal is Manny (plus cash) to the Dodgers plus Hansen and Moss to the Pirates, with Bay back to the Red Sox and Andy LaRoche and Bryan Morris to the Pirates from the Dodgers.

posted by holden at 03:42 PM on July 31, 2008

Very shocked they pulled off the Manny deal.

posted by jerseygirl at 03:59 PM on July 31, 2008

Pudge for Farnsworth was a good deal. That's dead on. I don't get the negativity towards detroit. And Pudges batting average, not the best way to judge a hitter, was pretty empty. He might be rejuvenated in NY and put up good numbers, but it wasn't going to happen in detroit. I consider myself a huge Manny Apologist, but if they could have moved him for Jason Bay + the rest of Manny's salary without giving up prospects, that would have been ok by me. Jason Bay has almost the same OPS+ this year. Bay's a good player and his stats are close to mannys. And he's a safer future bet. But he's not manny, though manny isn't quite manny any longer. If manny was focused, I'd rather have him down the stretch run. He's proven he can handle pressure when he wants to. He kills the Yankees. Hopefully Bay will adjust and prosper quickly. If he can, I'm ok with the trade. But how he'll deal with the pressure will be interesting. But I only see this making the sox better if manny was going to be a pain the rest of the way, and maybe that was the case. And it still seems to me the sox are giving up a lot for one player.

posted by justgary at 04:08 PM on July 31, 2008

Its over folks. Manny to the Dodgers. Bay to the Red Sox. Andy LaRoche, Bryan Morris, Brandon Moss and Craig Hansen to the Pirates.

posted by lilnemo at 04:27 PM on July 31, 2008

Jason Bay is a fine replacement for Manny, he is a very talented player who could put up much better numbers for the Red Sox. Playing with the Red Sox offense should be a change for the better when compared to the Pirates. How did the Pirates do in this deal? Are any of the prospects considered stars-to-be?

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 04:34 PM on July 31, 2008

YYM, Hansen can be really tough when he is right. The trouble is, that he is very inconsistent. Boston has been working with him for several years to try to get him squared away, and indeed he has shown flashes of brilliance, but there's not enough there to consider him much more than above average in the future. Moss could be a sleeper. He was stuck on the bench as the 5th outfielder behind Manny, Drew, Ellsbury, and Crisp. He is better defensively than Manny, but not as good as the rest. His bat shows some promise, but with the little playing time he has gotten, he's not been able to show much.

posted by Howard_T at 04:47 PM on July 31, 2008

Andy LaRoche is supposed to be the real deal. He was all but guaranteed to be the opening day starter at 3rd, but a freak injury kept him out of the remainder of spring training and on the DL into the beginning of the season. At that point AA prospect Blake DeWitt was called up to start in his place. DeWitt hit well enough, in MAY but quickly faded. Torre continued to pencil DeWitt in even when LaRoche recovered. His tenure with the Dodgers has seemed star-crossed thats for sure. Okay, not star-crossed (thats too purple). Mismanaged. There's the word.

posted by lilnemo at 04:50 PM on July 31, 2008

Bryan Morris just came back from TJ surgery. He's been one of the Dodgers top 15 prospects since he was drafted. Mid-90's fastball and curve. Logan White liked him, that's enough for me.

posted by lilnemo at 05:00 PM on July 31, 2008

Boston - Manny, Moss and Hansen for Bay LA - Morris and LaRoche for Manny Pitt - Bay for Morris, Hansen, Morris and LaRoche Looking at this, I can only think that Boston was either really hot for Bay or really hot to get rid of Manny. Probably both.

posted by graymatters at 05:09 PM on July 31, 2008

Looking at this, I can only think that Boston was either really hot for Bay or really hot to get rid of Manny. Probably both. Considering that Boston is paying the remainder of Manny's salary this year, on top of giving up 2 prospects for Bay. I'm going to hedge towards really hot to get rid of Manny.

posted by lilnemo at 05:11 PM on July 31, 2008

The Griffey deal reminds me of the early 2000s when the White Sox would keep trading for guys like Carl Everett and the reanimated corpse of Roberto Alomar...guys Kenny Williams tends to forget are way past their prime. I don't think it's going to help them stave off their annual September slide. Ramirez is a nice addition to the Dodgers, and I think it probably puts them ahead of the Diamondbacks in the West. But to anyone who thinks that this makes them a favorite to win the NL, I would point out two things: 1) Let's let them get more than one game over .500 first, and 2) There's a certain team currently in Milwaukee that just spent the last four days proving they are the NL's top team, and it ain't the Brewers. This trade didn't put the Dodgers ahead of them. One additional thought on these two trades, though: While there are certainly exceptions, I find that hitters who have been in one league for a long time and then switch leagues tend to struggle. It's the exact opposite with pitchers, as Sabathia and Harden are illustrating. Always exceptions, of course, but that's just a trend I've seen.

posted by TheQatarian at 05:13 PM on July 31, 2008

I really do think Bay will do well hitting at Fenway. I think it's a better park for a right-handed hitter than PNC Park in Pittsburgh. His defense, speed, and arm are all upgrades over Manny, and the difference in age can't hurt. I'm still a Manny Ramirez fan, and always will be; he was part of the squad that brought Sox fans two World Series championships in the past four years, and I'll be eternally grateful for that. I just won't miss his Bad Craziness year after year after year. Godspeed, Manny. Welcome aboard, J Bay!

posted by The_Black_Hand at 05:25 PM on July 31, 2008

Bay vs. Manny analysis.

posted by justgary at 05:48 PM on July 31, 2008

And the Giants tried but failed to get even 10 bats for their second Barry big mistake.

posted by irunfromclones at 05:51 PM on July 31, 2008

All's well that ends well: as long as Loria got screwed because of his greed, I'm happy. The Sox were offering to pay Manny's full salary, the Pirates were going to send prospects; Loria looks at all that and thinks, "Smells like desperation. I'll hold out and really take them to the cleaners." Enjoy Arthur Rhodes, big boy.

posted by yerfatma at 07:46 PM on July 31, 2008

...and Boras gets his client a new free agent contract. ~The End~

posted by jerseygirl at 08:31 PM on July 31, 2008

I suspect Manny will get a new contract this offseason that eclipses the $40MM he would have coming to him had the Red Sox exercised both options, but I would be very surprised if the average annual value was higher than the $20MM per year he would have received over the next two years. If Manny gets a 4 year, $100MM contract, I would be shocked.

posted by holden at 09:49 PM on July 31, 2008

Unless I'm wrong Boras would not have gotten any money from Boston picking up the options since that contract was signed under a different agent. Now that manny will become a free agent after this season the new contract will be signed under Boras giving him another pay day.

posted by justgary at 10:53 PM on July 31, 2008

And my Cardinals, only 5 games out and contending for a wild card, do nothing to bolster the hitting lineup or the bullpen. I know they just got Carpenter back (although for how long is unknown) and that Wainwright is due back soon to help with the pitching, but with Ankiel possibly hurt, can any Cardinal fan believe that a team starting only Glaus, Ludwick and Pujols having more than 40 RBI and 6 HR at this point has a chance? I knew when StL let GM 'Walt the Man' go, we were in for a stagnant future under Mozeliak. Thanks for nothing JM.

posted by knowsalittle at 11:26 PM on July 31, 2008

And my Cardinals, only 5 games out and contending for a wild card... Isn't that exactly where they always are at the beginning of August? They let the Cubs and another team duke it out for first place until September, then those two teams start their slide back to where the Cards are sitting. Then, in a gruff voice, the Cardinals always say, "Welcome back to the gutter boys, we'll take over from here." Right?

posted by NoMich at 02:12 PM on August 01, 2008

Unless I'm wrong Boras would not have gotten any money from Boston picking up the options Correct. holden, if Manny gets anything close to $20 million per year, I'll be shocked. I figure something like $40 million over 3. He's still a great hitter (when he feels like it), but he's really a DH at this point, older and declining. How does he prove he can play 150 games/ year again in the next 2 months? I'm sure he will scorch the ball, but that doesn't = $100 million dollars.

posted by yerfatma at 05:08 PM on August 01, 2008

...if Manny gets anything close to $20 million per year, I'll be shocked Lets take a few disparate datapoints and see where they intersect.

  1. Frank McCourt has a Red Sox fetish
  2. Ned Colletti has a "veteran" fetish
  3. Ned Colletti likes splashy "name" moves
  4. Up until the Manny trade, most of the Dodger fans + media were calling for Colletti to be fired.
  5. Ned Colletti signed a veteran, in decline Andruw Jones to a $36.2 million, two-year deal.
I don't think its too far fetched for Colletti to make another desperation signing, even with the current, crowded state of the Dodger outfield. I wouldn't be surprised to see Colletti sign Manny. However, two things stand in the way of it: McCourt's pocketbook, and the Dodger's history with Boras.

posted by lilnemo at 06:22 PM on August 01, 2008

And my Cardinals, only 5 games out and contending for a wild card, do nothing to bolster the hitting lineup or the bullpen. Then, in a gruff voice, the Cardinals always say, "Welcome back to the gutter boys, we'll take over from here." Right? It is undeniable that the Cardinal franchise has frequently been the team that captures the division/NL title when another team fades. However, that was during the August Busch/Walt Jockety era. Now I expect nothing but demise under the new ownership and GM John Mo (as in Mo, Curly and Larry)/Moreuselessziak/Moronziak.

posted by knowsalittle at 07:45 PM on August 01, 2008

Jones was 30 when that contract was signed. Manny will be 37 when the new contract comes around. Just can't see it. He's still very good, but he's going to be getting worse year by year. See also: Martinez, Pedro.

posted by yerfatma at 08:20 PM on August 01, 2008

knowsalittle, 'member, this was a throw away year for the Cards. Carp's hurt, and Mulder....Clement. Questions about Ludwick, Ankiel, Ryan, Kennedy. This year was not supposed to be a year for contention in the Central. John Mo has been the GM for what, six months? Now the team is OVER ACHIEVING and you are saying things like "Thanks for nothing" and "...nothing but demise...". (as in Mo, Curly and Larry)/Moreuselessziak/Moronziak. That's ridiculous. Give the guy a chance. You sound more like a fair weather Cards fan, than an actual Cardinals fan. Oh, and back to the topic of the thread, What deal were you hoping the Cards would make? Who would you suggest they trade away? Why? Personally, I think the Cards have a great nucleus. The Cards would have been stupid to get involved in a trade that would toss away youth in order to compete with Chicago and the Brew Crew. Then, in a gruff voice, the Cardinals always say, "Welcome back to the gutter boys, we'll take over from here." Right? Wow. You are talking about a team with 10 World Series Championships, second only to the Yankees. Are you suggesting that all the Cards success is cheap? Or are you upset that the Tigers couldn't field the ball in '06? By the way, knowsalittle, did you grow up in N. County? If so, does "816" ring a bell?

posted by BoKnows at 12:06 AM on August 02, 2008

Come on, Bo, I was just kidding. Sort of, but definitely not implying that the Cards' success is based on cheapies.

posted by NoMich at 08:38 AM on August 02, 2008

It is undeniable that the Cardinal franchise has frequently been the team that captures the division/NL title when another team fades. However, that was during the August Busch/Walt Jockety era. Now I expect nothing but demise under the new ownership and GM John Mo (as in Mo, Curly and Larry)/Moreuselessziak/Moronziak. Not to pile on and make this thread more Cardinal-centric than it ought to be, but under current ownership, the team has won one World Series, is consistently in the playoffs and has been one of the best teams in baseball year-in and year-out (and was arguably the best team in baseball for a two year or so period from 2004-05). The current ownership group has been in place since 1995. I'm not exactly sure what the Cardinals would/could have done to improve the team around this trade deadline. As BoKnows suggests, this was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Cardinals and the team is in the process of trying to rebuild the farm system. They are not going to be able to do what the Cubs have done in free agency, so they have to continue to build and strengthen the system. To give up some combination of Colby Rasmus, Jaime Garcia, Jess Todd, or Brian Anderson and others for Matt Holliday, who has an .866 OPS away from Coors (and wasn't available anyway) is silly. Same with overpaying for relief help. Mo has done pretty well thus far -- the Glaus trade appears to be one that the Cards have "won" (at least in the short term) in light of Rolen's injury issues and Glaus' excellent performance as of late and the Lohse signing obviously has worked out very well. The fact that he doesn't have the same hard-on for veterans at the expense of cheap, young talent that Walt did is a good thing in my mind. The fewer Mark Mulder for Dan Haren, Daric Barton and Kiko Calero-type trades the Cardinals make, the better. (And that is not just hindsight, that was a bad trade at the time it was made.)

posted by holden at 09:55 AM on August 02, 2008

Un. Real. "Within an hour after Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein informed Manny Ramírez he had been traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers . . . Scott Boras, called the Sox back[.]. If the Sox dropped the option years on his contract - which they had agreed to do if they traded him - Boras said Ramírez would not be a problem the rest of the season . . . only served as a tacit admission that his disruptive conduct of the last couple of weeks had been calculated"

posted by yerfatma at 01:49 PM on August 02, 2008

The choice for the Red Sox was to keep Manny and hope he'd play hard or to try to get something more than a batting tee and a bag of used baseballs. As it turns out, they get a quality outfielder in Jason Bay and give the other 24 players on the team, the coaching staff, Terry Francona, and Theo Epstein a huge amount of peace of mind. Hansen and Moss were a steep price, but unless the team decided to tank the rest of the season due to Manny's distractions, it was the best they could do. Had Boston refused to drop the options, and indeed had exercised them, they were condemning themselves to mediocrity until Manny was gone. Manny's antics for the most part were harmless and entertaining. He crossed the line when he began to "dog" it on the field and take himself out of games when he didn't feel like playing. What would happen to any of us who decided to skip his part of a project at work because he thought next year's raise would not be what he wanted? I think we all know the answer to that one. Fatty, I had not heard of the Boras response to the Red Sox about dropping the options. The whole thing smells of Scott Boras and his underhanded and less than ethical methods. Perhaps Boston should get rid of all of his clients (yes, I know that includes Varitek and Drew), and refuse to deal with him. There are teams that will not deal with him now as it is. Maybe he'll get the message?

posted by Howard_T at 02:29 PM on August 02, 2008

Hansen and Moss were a steep price Well, we don't really know at this point. Hansen has a load of talent but hasn't proven anything yet. He could go on to be great, he could be out of the league in 3 years. Moss, who knows. There's certainly no room for him right now in the lineup. Look at it this way. Manny was probably gone after this year anyway. So they basically traded Hansen and Moss for Bay. No way would that trade happen under normal circumstances. The only thing that sucks (the sox have the money, not worried about the 8 million) is the sox won't get the draft picks they would have if Manny had stayed for the rest of the year before leaving. He crossed the line when he began to "dog" it on the field and take himself out of games when he didn't feel like playing. What would happen to any of us who decided to skip his part of a project at work because he thought next year's raise would not be what he wanted? I've warmed up to the trade. Bay looks great, and Manny definitely crossed a line and wasn't worth the risk. He brought a lot of it on himself, but he was also held to a different standard. Only Pedroia had played more games than Manny at the point of the trade. Loafing to first? I've seen lowell do it. Ortiz jogs to first daily. Josh Beckett didn't back up home plate his last game allowing a run to score. If that had been Manny it would have been talked about for a week; he's a space cadet. But it was Beckett, hardly even mentioned. Don't get me wrong. The end was ugly, and he deserved to be shipped out, but for most of his career the problems were greatly exaggerated. And now that he's left town the boston writers are tearing him up. Pathetic. I had not heard of the Boras response to the Red Sox about dropping the options. Here's what Boras said. I don't believe him however. Here's a great manny quote. After realizing that Boston could either keep him and pay him 20 million dollars or become a free agent Manny said: How did I get in that situation?

posted by justgary at 12:46 AM on August 03, 2008

I would just like to take a moment here to point out that Scott Boras is an assclown.

posted by Joey Michaels at 06:27 PM on August 07, 2008

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