Oh, Manny my Manny: The Latest Trade Rumors

by Randy Booth on Jul 30, 2008 2:09 PM EDT in News

Manny Ramirez: Here today, gone tomorrow?

According to Will Carroll from Baseball Prospectus (subscription required), the Marlins may be tempting a trade for Ramirez:

One good source told me that he had heard that the Marlins were involved, willing to give up Jeremy Hermida and Boston-area product Jeff Allison, but I couldn't confirm this. I just don't see this deal getting done.

Where the hell did the Marlins come from? They don't fit the prototypical Manny suitor: have money and have a chance. Obviously if the Marlins added Manny in their lineup, they'd probably make the playoffs. But the Marlins have a $22M payroll and Manny would cost $20M alone next season.

What makes this even more unlikely is what Will writes just one paragraph later:

The Marlins continue to be very proactive in the market. While they can't take on significant payroll or give back premium prospects, the front office is leaving no stone unturned in their quest to stay in the race. When the Braves traded Teixeira this afternoon, for the next hour or so, every call back I got started with "Sorry, I was just talking to the Marlins ..."

So is this a case of "look but don't touch"? 'Hey, that guys might be traded at the deadline, let's see how many bags of balls we can trade for him.'

As much as I do like Jeremy Hermida, this seems like a very lopsided trade. Like Will said, I can't see this deal getting done either.

FOXSports's Ken Rosenthal says Manny being traded "is a longshot."

The rumors will fly for the next day or so, but I don't think Manny is going anywhere. We've played this song and dance 100 times over the years and nothing has ever come together. That's why I think nothing's going to go down but, on the flipside, maybe Theo Epstein is just sick of playing this game? Maybe he'll make the best deal possible for Manny even if it might not be the optimal deal?

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How about...

...Manny for Hanley Ramirez and a top prospect? At this point, if they’re going to trade Manny, I’d make that deal, and it would mean the Marlins wouldn’t be adding quite so much payroll after all, with Hanley’s 6 year, $70M extension.

by RSNexile on Jul 30, 2008 2:19 PM EDT reply actions

The Marlins would never take a deal like that. Hanley Ramirez is young, arguably the best player in baseball right now, and is signed long term for not a lot of money. A Manny for Hanley deal straight up would get laughed at, let alone Manny for Hanley and a top prospect.

by aspeninthewindow on Jul 30, 2008 2:34 PM EDT reply actions

Maybin?

What about Cameron Maybin? I would take him.

by drabidea on Jul 30, 2008 2:55 PM EDT reply actions

Manny being Manny means Manny being in a Sox uniform for the rest of the season

So far there have been rumors around the Mets, Phillies, and now the Marlins going after Manny. Agreeing with Booth, I have no idea where the Marlins fit into the annual “Where might Manny go?” question, except pulling the old “rent-a-player” for the rest of the season (there is no way Florida would pick up Manny’s player option for next year). But even this makes little sense. If the Marlins are going to make a serious push for the playoffs, they need arms, not bats. If the Marlins do make a splash in the trade deadline (which I don’t think they will), look for them to pick up one of the many available relief

"Well let me just quote the late-great Colonel Sanders, who said...'I'm too drunk to taste this chicken.' "
-Ricky Bobby

by nepats108 on Jul 30, 2008 3:03 PM EDT reply actions

Marlins' Payroll

I have no idea if there are any legs to this story, but don’t dismiss it over a money issue. If the Sox agreed to eat most of Manny’s salary this year, the Marlins might be quite interested in him as a rent-a-player (no way they pick up the option). Of course, that would drive up the Sox’ asking price.

by argo0 on Jul 30, 2008 3:51 PM EDT reply actions

I agree with everyone who said

It’ll take big balls out of Theo to not make a move in the deadline, when everyone is sort of expecting he do. This is a big test for him. Let’s hope he does the right thing.

It's the same old story. Boy finds girl, boy loses girl, girl finds boy, boy forgets girl, boy remembers girl, girls dies in a tragic blimp accident over the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day.

by MerryGoByeBye on Jul 30, 2008 5:31 PM EDT reply actions

Willingham

I heard earlier (June) that there was a possibility of Josh Willingham making the move to Boston. Being that he is from my hometown and college, I would like him to defend the Green Monster in Boston. Only down fall of him, he doesnt stay healthy.
Hanley & JW for Manny?

~ ROLL TIDE ~

GO SOX!!

by Bama Sox on Jul 30, 2008 7:22 PM EDT reply actions

Hanley is the definition of untouchable.

OverTheMonster.com

by Randy Booth on Jul 31, 2008 1:53 AM EDT up reply actions

this manny-hanley conversation is going in the wrong direction

it’s not a hanley and a top prospect for manny, that’s completely unrealistic given that manny is about to be 37 and hanley is in his early twenties and putting up comparable if not better numbers than man-ram the past couple years, if any top prospect is going to be involved it’s going to be one of boston’s…

i wouldn’t say hanley is untouchable but it would take a lot on our part to get him, i’ve been hoping that theo will get aggresive and go for hanley, because his offensive numbers would replace manny’s better than anybody we would find to play left and given his age we could rely on that prodcution for a longtime, and let’s be honest we need more help at short than we need in the outfield, that being said here’s my hope….

MANNY RAMIREZ, AND EITHER A COMBO OF LUGO AND MICHAEL BOWDEN OR LOWRIE/CRISP AND A TOP ARM (NOT BOWDEN), PLUS THE SOX PICK UP MANNY’S OPTION FOR 2009 AND AGREE TO EAT A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THAT OPTION PLUS PART OF JULIO’S REMAINING CONTRACT FOR HANLEY RAMIREZ AND MAYBE A MIDDLE TIER PITCHING PROSPECT OR JUST HANLEY ALONE.

like i said it would take alot for us to get him, but we need to get something in return manny at somepoint either now or after the season, theo shouldn’t and won’t just let him walk i’m confident, and let’s face it lugo’s days are and need to be numbered too.. we’ve badly needed a long term solution at short ever since nomar left and hanley would be just that, plus his bat would pick up where manny will inevitably leave off in the lineup, jed lowrie is a solid prospect but we need more offensive production out of that position than he can bring, in my mind if we hold onto him, we should look to him as a potential replacement for lowell down the line, as far as leftfield goes we could always put coco or moss out there and with hanley we wouldn’t have to rely on their numbers in the lineup…

this may sound crazy, but it’s my best attempt to find a realistic way to get hanley back in boston, in theo i trust, he has the balls and conviction to pull off deals most gm’s wouldn’t have the stomach for. i don’t believe this will get done before the deadline, but i’m hopeful it will after the season when the sox pick up manny’s option and then move him then on their own terms, don’t get me wrong i love manny, but things change and the sox need to stay ahead of the eightball, it’s just a waiting game for now, but i’m confident and excited in the eventual outcome and possibilties… beantown in my blood, red sox on my mind, for boston, go sox baby!

p.s. if we were going to trade for an outfielder to replace manny, i wouldn’t mind trading for another ex sox prosect david murphy down in dallas, murphy – ellsbury – drew sounds like a great trio to me, call me nostalgic but i don’t care, i like these guys when they played in pawtucket and i still have hopes of seeing them back in fenway with a B perched atop their caps yet again!

by djsully12 on Jul 31, 2008 3:14 AM EDT reply actions