Manny Gets His Way, Sails Off to LA-LA Land

Hitting savant and malcontent Manny Ramirez was sent out of Boston to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-way deal that included the Pittsburgh Pirates right before the trading deadline.

The Red Sox may have rushed this deal because they gave up a Hall of Fame hitter in Manny, along with a hard-throwing young Reliever in Craig Hansen and solid Outfield prospect Brandon Moss all for Pittsburgh Pirate Outfielder Jason Bay. Plus the Red Sox will be paying $7 million to the Dodgers to cover the remainder of Ramirez' 2008 salary!

Unlike Pittsburgh's deal with the Yankees last week, it appears the Pirates got the best of Sox GM Theo Epstein this week. While Jason Bay is an All-Star Outfielder, he will be 30 soon and as an NL hitter, it remains to be seen if he can protect David Ortiz in the line-up against stronger AL pitching. Also, the Red Sox still never got the bullpen help they so desperately needed. Meanwhile, Yankees GM Brian Cashman only gave up 4 prospects (and not Ian Kennedy) who were a few years away from the Majors to the Pirates for left-handed Relief specialist Damaso Marte and OF Xavier Nady, who has similar stats to Jason Bay.

Sure Jason Bay is a lot cheaper (he only makes $6-8 million) but this is Boston, so it shouldn't be about the money. Besides Bay's agent is Scott Boras, so he'll look to double that money when he is a free agent after next year. Nor is 'addition by subtraction' a good excuse for this deal because we're only talking about putting up with Manny for 2 more months and the Red Sox with their inconsistent pitching and slumping bats were barely on track to make the play-offs with Manny but now their chances are worse without him.

In short, the Pirates gained 2 good players and 2 prospects and the Dodgers gained a happy Hall of Fame hitter for 2 months in a contract year to bolster their play-off chances (plus 2 first round draft choices should Manny not sign in LA). All so the Red Sox could lose their headache and PR nightmare for 2 months. So if the Sox were really willing to give away this much to get rid of Manny, then why the heck couldn't this deal have been made for Mark Teixeira?!?

Red Sox Trade Rumors:

The 2008 MLB Trade deadline is less than a week away and as always, the Red Sox are a big part of the rumor mill. Some rumors are far-fetched while other may provide a little insight into what the team may look like next year.

• One of the pressing needs for the Sox is in the bullpen and more importantly the set-up role and middle relief. Brian Fuentes of the Rockies, Huston Street of the A's, and the Orioles' George Sherrill have all been oferred but the price has been too high.
• After last year's bad trade with Texas for Eric Gagne, Sox GM Theo Epstein has got to be hesitant about trading top young prospects like Jed Lowrie, Michael Bowden, and Clay Buchholz for a relief pitcher who may not be able to handle the heat of a Pennant race again.
• Also, Theo seems determined to convert either Justin Masterson or Michael Bowden into relief help ala Jonathan Papelbon. Masterson did well in Seattle but the true test will be against the Yankees and Tampa.
• After trading 4 prospects to the Pirates for Xavier Nady and top lefthanded reliever Damaso Marte, it appears the Yankees are going for it in their last year in the old stadium. This action could also force Theo and the Sox to make a move before the deadline.
• Should the Sox make a move, look for them to try to package either Coco Crisp or Julio Lugo (and his $9 mill salary) with lesser prospects for Mark Texeria who is the last year of his contract.
• Crisp is batting .252 and seems to be in steady decline, so it may be time to move him while his contract and skills are still coveted. Even though Lugo is only out until mid-Aug, you have to think he is on the way out since the Sox already contemplated Juan Uribe as a short/long term replacement at Shortstop.
• Long term, the Sox may be exploring a Jed Lowrie-Dustin Pedroia middle infield. However, since Pedroia has quick feet and Lowrie does not (Pedroia played SS in college and Lowrie 2B), the Sox could look to flip their positions again for a stronger defensive infield in the future.
• Finally, the Manny Ramirez factor is always in play. With two-1 year $20 million options on Manny's contract, the Sox hold all the cards in Manny's future. If it gets to a point where Manny no longer wants to play for a 1 year deal and his antics continue to distract the team, then the Sox might just exercise his option for next year and then trade him with his permission. Then with 2 months left in this season and another year on Manny's contract, the Sox could get some worthy compensation for him.

Time To Tweak Sox?

Are the Red Sox suffering the same kind of World Series hangover that plagued them down the stretch of the 2005 season or is this the beginning of the end of a great run with these core players? The Sox have been inconsistent in many areas of the game this year and with 57 games left in the season, it doesn't look good for them to defend their Championship title.

The Sox have one of the worst road records for a contending team in the history of baseball and are 3-5 since the All-Star break. Unlike last season, their set-up and middle relief have been horrendous and both the defense and starting pitching unreliable at times this year. After strong starts, Jacoby Ellsbury and Clay Buchholz seem to be approaching 'Sophomore slumps' and both Coco Crisp and Jason Varitek have been struggling at the plate all year. The bottom of their batting order is one of the worst in the league and even Manny Ramirez is showing his age lately.

In contrast, the Yankees are one of the hottest teams in baseball. Despite injuries to Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui, they are 8-0 since the All-Star break and recently have been bolstered by the additions of top hitting Outfielder Xavier Nady and left-handed relief specialist Damaso Marte. The Yankees were 9 games out of first place on July 4th and 6 games behind the Red Sox and now they are tied with the Sox in the loss column. Oh yeah, let's not forget that the Sox still have been chasing the Tampa Bay Rays in the standings for almost 2 months and it's the LA Angels that are the best team in the AL this year. Not only that but they've been swept by both the Rays and the Angels already this season.

With the Yankees moving into a new ballpark next year, there is no way Boston will be able to compete with New York in the future financially, so you can't blame Red Sox Management for wanting to see what the younger players can do. Plus, I'm sure Sox GM Theo Epstein is a bit gun-shy after the Eric Gagne for David Murphy et al trade fiasco last year. However, with a rabid fan base and by far the highest ticket prices in the game, the Red Sox also cannot afford to rebuild and aside from Dustin Pedroia and John Lester, it doesn't look like the kids are stepping up. This means that with aging stars and lackluster production, it could be time to make some big time moves and change the club to keep the momentum going into the future.

Manny phones it in...

And begs out of the line-up against Joba Chamberlain and the Yankees.

Welcome Back!

Brady, Moss, and the rest of the Pats open Training camp and get to work on 2008.

Just Jacobs Being Jacobs?

Boston Bruins' GM Peter Chiarelli acknowledged that placing Glen Murray on unconditional waivers, the first step toward a buyout, was a challenging decision. "It was really, really difficult," said Chiarelli of Murray, who was due $4.15 million in 2008-09. "Muzz is a very good person. He meant a lot to the room. It's something where you have to make hard decisions in this new system."

If Murray goes unclaimed and the Bruins complete the buyout, they will trim $2,766,667 from their 2008-09 cap hit, bringing their current number down to $55,469,999 just below the $56.7 million cap ceiling. When the Celtics were making their championship run, Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs was asked if he would consider spending over the salary cap, like the Celtics did, to win a Stanley Cup. His reply was absolutely.

Now there is no doubt that Glen Murray's production has dropped each of his last 5 season and he's had a series of nagging injuries since the '05 season, but at 35 Murray is the type of role player and leader that a Stanley Cup contender needs in the locker room. Sure $4 MM may be a bit too high Murray right now, but the larger question is whether Jabobs and Chiarelli will put that savings back into the team and not be afraid to spend over the cap or will the Bruins continue to be fiscally conservative and flounder in mediocrity??

Home Is Where the Surf Is

"What Silicon Valley is for programmers and Nashville is for musicians, Manhattan Beach has become for professional athletes. Sports figures are increasingly calling the pricey coastal city home. 'On everybody's street they have a Kings player,' said a blase-sounding resident..."

"From past residents like Tiger Woods and Shaq to current ones like Maria Sharapova and Nomar, all these athletes can be found in a city of about 35,000 people pressed into less than four square miles..."
-LA Times

Posey Gone but not Forgotten

James Posey stung Celtic Nation last week when he decided to accept an offer to join Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets. There is no doubt that Posey’s departure leaves a huge void on the team. When he came to Boston, he was the only player with championship experience and he quickly became the unspoken leader of the second unit and the best 6th man the Celtics had since Bill some 22 years ago. Also, with his swagger and fearlessness Posey helped bring together and give an identity to a team full of new players. His pre-game pep talks, clutch 3-point shooting, and ability to draw an offensive charge were legendary and with his energy and defense he often inspired the team to victories when the ‘Big 3’ weren't on their game.

With Posey gone, GM Danny Ainge has some big shoes to fill. It’s now almost imperative that the Celts re-sign Tony Allen, Eddie House, or both. If House stays, then the Celts will retain some of the fearless shooting and energy that Posey brought off the bench. If TA re-signs and continues to rebound from his torn ACL, then the Celts will once again have an athletic defensive stopper, as well as, a scorer off the bench.

Even though there was a mutual love affair between Posey and the Boston, in the end the security of a 4 year contract was too strong a pull for him. I guess the only silver-lining for Celtic fans is the fact that Jame Posey didn’t sign with Los Angeles Lakers or fellow Eastern Conference rivals Cleveland and Detroit. Just another great play by Posey!

Red Sox vs. Angels: Friday night @ Anaheim

Parking = $8

2 dogs + 2 beers = $24

Tickets = Cheaper than Fenway

Post game fireworks show = Free

Seeing Manny write his ticket out of Boston = Embarrassing

Unlike Sox, Revs all biz on road trip!

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- An American Airlines flight from Boston to Los Angeles was diverted to Oklahoma City Friday after a passenger stripped, put his clothes back on and then tried to open an emergency exit door before being subdued by members of the New England Revolution Major League Soccer team on board, the FBI said.
Members of the Revolution helped grab the man near an exit door and tie wraps were placed on his wrists, FBI spokesman Gary Johnson said. The man, whose name was not immediately released, was taken off the flight in Oklahoma City and was undergoing mental evaluation, Johnson said.

American Flight 725, a Boeing 757, arrived in Oklahoma City at 1:35 p.m. CDT and was back in the air an hour later on the way to Los Angeles, said Tim Smith, a spokesman for American Airlines.
The trouble began when a man on the flight emerged from a bathroom without his clothes on, Johnson said.
"He was asked to go back to the bathroom to put his clothes on and he did and went back to his seat and then allegedly attempted to open an aircraft emergency exit door," Johnson said.

"Members of the Major League Soccer team, the New England Revolution, were on the flight. They were able to subdue him," he said.

The Revolution play Chivas USA in a third-round SuperLiga match in Los Angeles on Sunday.

Baseball All-Star Game Notes:

The Home Run derby may have survived another year after Texas Ranger Outfielder Josh Hamilton hit 28 'Mantlesque' home runs in the first round. Hamilton is a great story but has only hit 40 home runs in his career! It's pretty obvious that MLB uses the juiced baseballs from the McGuire-Sosa era for the contest, but that was ridiculous.

• What I did enjoy was Fox showing the honorary captains Ernie Banks and George Brett giving inspiring speeches to the AL & NL squads in the locker room before the game. I just hope the young players knew who they were.


• It was a nice touch with the Hall of Fame legends coming out of the outfield before the game ala 'Field of Dreams' but remember that Boston did it first in the final All-Star game of the 20th century at Fenway Park in 1999.


• Current All-Star players should take notice that every Hall of Fame legend took their cap off to the crowd except for Willie McCovey who chose to stand-up from his wheel chair under his own power instead!


• As good as Bob Gibson looked for his age, Gaylord Perry looked bad. What is ironic is that Gibson was born in 1935 and Perry in 1938!


• Wade Boggs is a wimp for only wearing a Yankee cap instead of the Tampa cap he took money to wear into the Hall of Fame and/or the Red Sox cap he wore for much of his career.


• I understand that this game was part of a tribute to Yankee Stadium but did it have to be an anti-Red Sox zone? Why were there no Boston players in the legends line-up? Unfortunately Wade Boggs, Dennis Eckersley, and Luis Apapricio all decided not to bring Red Sox caps but why not invite Carlton Fisk or Yaz to represent one of the most storied franchises at the ceremony?


• Much like Ted Williams at the All-Star game in Boston, George Steinbrenner was driven out in a golf cart during the first pitch portion ceremony but I'm not sure who looked in worse. A pale, crying 78 yr old Steinbrenner wearing what looked to be blind man's glasses or the somewhat toothless but jovial 81 yr old Williams in 1999.


• I admit that it was bittersweet to hear Florida Marlins' Hanley Ramirez being introduced as the greatest young player in the game. Even though he is only 24, plays shortstop, and is being described as the next Arod; I still think the Red Sox made a great trade in getting Mike Lowell and Josh Beckett for Anibal Sanchez and Hanley Ramirez.


• Boy did Yankee fans show their stripes. It was a disgrace to hear them boo, then cheer, then boo the Boston players. Sure NY and Boston fans are bitter rivals, but this is the only game that we are all on the same team playing for the same goal. It just proves that Boston has the better fans because it's known that they've clapped for Derek Jeter even during regular season games.


• Finally, as you get older it gets harder to be interested in the All-Star game, but whenever I do find the time to watch, I am instantly transported back to the first game I saw on TV when vacationing up Nova Scotia. No other All-Star game has that affect.

Ring Around the Posey?

As Boston Celtic free agent Forward James Posey entertains offers from the Celts, Hornets, Cavaliers, and Lakers, don't believe that his agent Mark Bartelstein is insisting on 4 year deal and don't believe that Celts' GM Danny Ainge will only offer a 2 year contract. This is just part of the negotiating dance.

Posey made $3.2 million last year and seems to be willing to accept a team's $5.3 million Mid-Level Exception salary for his next contract. The only variable is length of time. The Celtics don't want to tie-up another contract for too long but they already have the new 'Big 3' (KG, Ray, Pierce) locked-up for anther couple of years, so there shouldn't be any harm. Since the window for winning more championships is tied to the 'Big 3' and Posey is integral part of that window, then the Celtics should have no problem giving Posey a 3 year deal. Also, while other teams may be willing to offer him 4 years at the Mid-Level, my gut tells me that Posey wants to stay with the 'Big 3' and in Boston.

Finally, once Posey is locked-up, then hopefully Eddie House will soon follow. After all, it was House who recruited Posey in the first place. They are both represented by the same agent and he has made it clear that he wants to stay in Boston.