December 05, 2006
Idle Speculation
Maybe the Diamondbacks and Red Sox should work a deal for Manny Ramirez. Arizona's been using their draft picks to stockpile shortstops, a need of Boston. The Diamondbacks can use a replacement for Luis Gonzalez. GM Byrnes worked for Theo, so he knows how the Red Sox operate, and has a good idea of what it would actually take to land Ramirez. What do others think?
Posted by David Pinto at
10:47 AM
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I think the red sox need a closer more than a SS (since they can get lugo) or a replacement LF (since they could resign nixon and have him platoon with wily mo pena). Unfortunately the diamondbacks don't really have a reliable closer to deal. Though having both Drews on one team would be interesting.
The D'Backs are rich in young outfielders- Hairston, Young, Quentin. They need to spend scarce dollars on pitching, rather than another outfielder.
If the Sox could land a Stephen Drew-type, they'd be wise to do so, but with the DBacks they'd be looking at a 3-way deal probably.
I'm making a prediction here: Chad Cordero closes for the Sox in '07. Bowden's already said he's "right in the middle" of the Manny talks.
I wouldn't be surprised to see a 3-way between the Sox, Dbacks and Nats in which the Nats get prospects, the Sox get Cordero/Schneider/Felipe Lopez, and the DBacks get Manny... You get swap the DBacks and Dodgers... I don't see the Padres actually being in this thing.
If the RS were to make a deal with 'Zona, they'd have to throw in Valverde, a decent SS, and young of those young OF'ers. Don't think 'Zona would be interested.
If the price is three quality zero-to-three players, the Red Sox really only have one suitor. And that suitor is the Dodgers;hence, we specualte wildly about that match.
The Sox need a young shortstop to pair with Pedroia for the foreseeable future. The goal of landing a young player, like Brandon Wood (not going to happen) or Bill Hall (also not likely) or Stephen Drew (doubtful at best) is the key to the Manny deal. The effort to get a young closer is also an indicator of concern that Craig Hansen is not going to be Boston's closer.
I think if (and that's a big if) the Red Sox are serious about trading Manny, the best match is the Dodgers, in that they can use Manny's bat, they have the talent the Sox want in return and they can most easily afford the big salary. They also have a coaching staff that can likely get the best out of Manny. They want to get Manny at a discount, because a Hall of Fame hitter with two years on hsi deal has got to be worth at least two, if not three major leagure ready players.
I think Manny has gotten to be more trouble than he is worth, for this reason dont offer much for him. In addition, the Sox are far from being in the drivers seat in trading Manny as their biggest motivation is to be of free of Manny and his quirkiness and big salary, so this should be factored into the equation when making an offer.
Will Caroll said Boston rejected Manny for Broxton/LaRoche, which is too bad because that fills both the CL and SS hole quite admirably. Maybe the Dodgers will throw in one more Kuo-like guy and the deal will get done...
Arizona would seem to have the prospects to pull off a deal, but unlike the Dodgers they haven't shown the propensity to sign so-called proven veterans (cough Juan Pierre cough). The D-Backs have a lot of promise for the future and I bet they're secretly hoping that LAD give up a bunch of those prospects for a few years of Manny.
Don't discount Arizona's interest becasue the price may be too high. After all Jeff Moorad, one of the General Partner's for the Diamondbacks, was once Manny's agent. If you have someone in management with some pull over Manny he becomes much less of headache.
I am now officially more sick and tired of hearing about the Red Sox than the Yankees.
It seemed like last winter, the Red Sox had LOTS of shortstops.
Larry