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November 22, 2005
Go West Young Manny
From the AP via FOX:
One of baseball's most fearsome offensive duos in 2005 — Red Sox's David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez — appears to be history.
According to Ortiz, "Manny is not returning to Boston."
"Manny is living through a difficult situation (in Boston) that only he and his family know and he no longer wants to play there," said Ortiz after arriving early Monday in the Dominican Republic.
Ramirez has asked for a trade in each of his five seasons with the Red Sox, but apparently this one is definite.
"I spoke with him last week before he left for Brazil and he told me that he wants to go to a team in the West," Ortiz, the Red Sox's designated hitter, said.
Ramirez has three years worth $160 million remaining on his contract and eight seasons with the Red Sox. Because of his status as a player with 10 seasons in the major leagues and five with the same team, he is allowed to approve any trade.
"I found out that that they are doing everything possible to trade him," Ortiz said.
There's some rain on the Beckett parade. Any team that throws a strike to Ortiz next year without Manny behind him should be sued in court for not trying to win. Get your walkin' shoes on Papi.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at November 22, 2005 02:59 PM
Comments
It wouldn't matter. Bonds has never had anyone "protecting" him in the batting order, and he manages to put up his numbers.
If Manny's traded, Ortiz'll be fine
Posted by: Raf ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.waswatching.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at November 22, 2005 03:23 PM
You saying that Ortiz is equal in talent to Bonds?
Posted by: Steve Lombardi at November 22, 2005 03:29 PM
Raf: Royal air force,
To paraphrase Lloyd Bentsen:
I've watched Barry Bonds.
I've disliked Barry Bonds.
I've been astonished by Barry Bonds,
and, let me assure you, David Ortiz is no Barry Bonds.
Ortiz's numbers (except OBP) will suffer to the tune of a 25% or so decrease next year.
Posted by: Jason O. at November 22, 2005 03:31 PM
Before we can toll the bell for the death of Big Papi, we all have to remember two things:
1) We don't know what will come to Boston in this trade; and
2) They might get Carlos Delgado from the Marlins for two slices of pumpkin pie and a side of stuffing (since the Marlins apparently love getting fleeced by Boston).
I'm not saying that Delgado or anything the BoSox get back for Manny will be as good as Manny singularly was for them but it is possible that the Red Sox do manage to pull off both deals and get marginally better by adding two or more productive players.
Posted by: MJ at November 22, 2005 03:53 PM
Given the trade demand, and his salary, the Sox should get nothing in return for Manny.
Posted by: Steve Lombardi at November 22, 2005 04:03 PM
Steve, Jason, You guys are missing the point;
http://www.baseball1.com/bb-data/grabiner/protstudy.html
"The evidence thus suggests that protection doesn't matter at the major-league level; it doesn't help to bat in front of a big-name hitter."
Posted by: Raf at November 22, 2005 04:08 PM
Given the trade demand, and his salary, the Sox should get nothing in return for Manny.
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I don't know about that. The M's were able to flip Griffey into Cameron & Tomko.
I figure they should be able to do just as well as the M's did, even after eating a chunk of Manny's contract. Who knows, maybe the Sox somehow work out a 3-4 team deal, like the way the Braves got Hampton.
Posted by: Raf at November 22, 2005 04:17 PM
Raf - does that study explain why Bonds had 120 intentional passes in 2004?
Posted by: Steve Lombardi at November 22, 2005 04:44 PM
Raf - does that study explain why Bonds had 120 intentional passes in 2004?
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No, but whoever was hitting behind Bonds couldn't have been worse than anyone who was hitting behind him during his time in SF.
I suppose managers were afraid that he was going to go deep, but it seems that strategy hasn't worked
Year-HR-IBB
2001-73-35
2002-46-68
2003-45-61
2004-45-120
I would like to see the "typical lineup" for all those years.
Posted by: Raf at November 22, 2005 04:59 PM