Manny: 36 years old
Teixeira: 28 years old

I’m not saying we should trade for Tex, or get rid of Manny just because. Being might just be my favorite ball player, and his production is just too good. But IF, and that’s a big if, IF he doesn’t stop pulling this crap OR if the FO can’t give him what he want for whatever reason, and if because of that he stops playing for us, we should find someone to replace him. And I think Tex would be better than Holliday or Bay (Bay can’t replace JD Drew, let alone Manny). IF he can’t play, we better find a replacement, because this team needs Manny or at least someone with fair enough numbers.

The following was taken from ROTOWIRE:

On Saturday, during the broadcast of the Sox-Yankees game, Fox color man Tim McCarver reported that Sox GM Theo Epstein has said that if Ramirez would waive his no-trade clause, Boston would try to make a deal and move him.

Spin: Epstein apparently went out of his way to tell McCarver that it was OK to say this on TV, indicating management’s dissatisfaction with Ramirez’s recent behavior.

Right now has to be the most interesting time, not just in baseball but, in all of sports. When every sports fan is constantly deluged with the minutiae of the Brett “I could care less how he spells his name” Favre, ESPN and the rest of sports talk nation refuse to give baseball its due course and talk about it like it should be…TALKED ABOUT!

Not only is the Manny Ramirez situation interesting but the division races are just as compelling. You’ve got 3 really great races brewing here:

AL East – Rays / Sox / Yanks
NL Central – Cubs / Brewers / Cardinals
NL East – Mets / Phillies / Marlins

Every division is truly up for grabs.

In closing I wonder, does Manny have any leverage? Does he have an option of saying: “If I wave my no trade clause, I want to make sure I don’t go to the following team(s) (fill in whatever team(s) you think he would not like to be traded to). Does he want to be traded to a contender only? As mentioned the original post, is there any contender out there that has any “Manny worthy” trade material?

Whooowee! The next 5 days and the rest of the baseball season should be really interesting. But you wouldn’t know it from the likes of ESPN…The Brett Favre network.

1) if whats holding up a deal for Teixera is Youk being able to play LF, I think this deal is done. Youk seems like a guy who would learn how to catch if the Sox needed him too.

2) IF Manny is really gone, the Sox MUST get Teixera or no one will ever pitch to Big Papi ever again. Plus the Sox need to keep Teixera away from MFY. They are filling spots and the Sox must trump them by keeping Teixera away.

Youk plays LF, Teixera 1b, Lowell 3b…Mike Lowell retires, Youk to 3b, Teixera 1b and the Sox go and get a FA LF in a couple of years.

Things might look bad now, but a deal moving Manny for prospects that can be turned around and sent to Atlanta for Teixera and a deal done with Teixera balances out the AL East/AL again.

Then the Sox can focus on getting another big time arm for 09.

Obviously we don’t need a direct replacement for Manny’s OPS, so long as there is a commensurate uptick in the defence. I’m not a massive fan of Holliday, but overall, I suspect there would be little difference once the leather is taken into account. Assuming he can hit in the AL, of course.

And this is of course the advantage of what Teixeira gives you: GG defence (albeit at a relatively unimportant position) and a high OPS. The disadvantage is moving our GG defence and AL-leading first-baseman off his bag. Which would be problematic and is one reason I think is why Big Tex will end up in New York next season.

Adam Dunn would be a terrific like-for-like replacement.

Yup, this post has brought nothing new to the table. But that’s what the internet’s for. It’s a well into which you drop your thoughts, right?