It’s November, which means — like February, March, June, and July — there are the obligatory “Manny wants out of town” rumors, coupled with the “the Red Sox want to get rid of Manny” and the “why do the Red Sox always trade their best players, like Roger and Pedro?” queries.
Yesterday, Buster Olney wrote about the possibility of Manny’s being traded in his ESPN column. The crux of Olney’s argument — that Manny’s two remaining years at $19 mil per looks pretty damn good in this market — is exactly why it makes sense for the Sox to hold onto that lovable lug. It’s been five months since I made almost that exact same argument; I say almost because I wrote that Manny’s now not-so-unreasonable deal made it much less likely the Red Sox would look to jettison #24. Indeed, at the time, Sox execs were saying exactly the same thing.
Of course, at the time, Manny hadn’t yet decided to take the month of September off, and there are plenty of people in the team’s front office that aren’t in love — and by that I mean are actively bothered by — Manny’s frequently maddening approach to the game. So sure, Manny could be traded. But I think it’s less likely as opposed to more; I also think this is yet another example of sportswriters grabbing ahold of the tastiest rumor and using it as fodder when there’s not a lot of information and not a lot to report on coming out of Naples…
In the midst of Nick Cafardo’s piece on Manny, Cafardo writes that there’s a growing consensus that “J.D. Drew will be in right field and Julio Lugo will be at shortstop.” I’m never sure where these “growing consensi” (consensuses? it’s 6:30 and I’m rushing to catch a train…) come from; in ‘05, when I was with the team, I was amazed by the insane trade “rumors” that were floated as being “all but agreed on” according to this or that reporter but hadn’t even been discussed by the team itself. (I wasn’t the only one amazed; some of the more outlandish stories were occasionally read aloud.) Drew’s name has certainly come up a lot, and I know the Sox have had discussions. And maybe I’m hoping his patrolling right at Fenway is less of a growing certainty and more of a growing rumor because Drew he worries me. In his eight-year career, he’s played 145 games exactly twice, with 146 last year and 145 in ‘04. If we’re looking for someone to replace Trot, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to go for someone who seems to be even gimpier; if we’re looking for someone to split time with Wily Mo, J.D. at big money for four years ain’t the right guy.
And with that, I’m off to South Station…
Just can’t picture the Sox FO justifying a trade of Manny (either publicly or privately). Think about it…what scenario could possibly offered that rationalizes trading one of the most potent right handed bats of the last twenty years? Three grade A prospects? Two proven major leaguers? And with the Dice-K posting, its not like the Sox could plead economic despair with this one (or ever again).
What the Dice-K posting also proved was that Theo was bluffing at the trading deadline when he mentioned the financial disparity between the Sox and the Yankees. I gotta believe he was setting up the team to blow the rest of the bidders out of the water (especially the NY teams). What else is $13 million mark up if not an announcement that the Red Sox have every intention of competing toe-to-toe with the Yankees financially?
At first I was against the JD Drew rumors because of his injury history and the general perception of him as a b!tch for not signing with the Phillies. Then Gammons wrote a piece on him saying that there may not be a better RF out there and that a lot of his negative perception is unjustified. Based on that, I was in favor of the signing. Then I read Eric Wilbur’s blog that says Drew’s number 1 comparable on his baseball reference page is Trot Nixon:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/d/drewj.01.shtml
I was skeptical and had to check. It turns out that their three year average in stats is pretty close. Plus LA Times’ Bill Plaschke wrote, “Drew is the sort of player who hates the hassles that come with being a star. He wanted to go somewhere and do what he does best — disappear.”
That and 14 to 16 million per is not what I want in RF. Give Wily Mo the job full time or get a decent affordable platoon player for him to share time with. We don’t need another Renteria.
One more thought on Dice-K and the media. How many days of rest does he pitch on? Here’s what Gammons said on Tuesday:
“…on days before he pitches he throws a 200-pitch bullpen session; it’s also every fifth, not every sixth or seventh, day that he starts.”
I’ve read at least half a dozen articles claiming he pitches in a six man rotation, therefore pitching on five days rest (every sixth day).
Am I missing something here? And if I’m not, how can there be confusion over such a basic part of a story that the media has covered ad nauseum? Dice-K is the biggest pitcher to ever come out of Japan, his former employer called him a “national treasure”, there have 40,000 stories about him in the last week and somehow we can’t decide how days of rest he pitches on?
I’ve heard from someone with strong ties to the FO that Manny is all but gone. He pissed off the wrong people by quitting on the team and the fans. I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt with his “injury”, but said someone said that was a bunch of crap and Manny just did’nt want to play anymore. I believe this person and I believe that we may have seen the last of Manny in a Red Sox uniform.
No disrespect meant to you — or to whomever said person with strong ties to the front office is — but I’ve heard so many things this or that person who worked in the front office or was a minority owner or lived in John Henry’s house absolutely positively 100% knew to be true even though I absolutely, positively, 100% knew it not to be true (and I was never wrong) that I wouldn’t put much stock in this. Manny may be traded, but it won’t be a trade done out of anger or spite. And nothing’s been settled yet.
– Seth
i think your point of what is written this time of year is dead on. what is your take on cafardo’s blub this morning. here it is:
“And don’t rule out Roger Clemens joining the Sox staff. If the Sox can convince Clemens to waive his family clause request (he goes home to Texas between starts) and come to Boston as a closer, it would solve Boston’s biggest need.”
what? and if hell froze over it would be a more confortable place. where does something like this come from??
Seth, no disrespect take — I would be doubtful of my statement and source if I read it too.
“Manny hadn’t yet decided to take the month of September off”
Come on, Seth. This sounds like a quote from a WEEI idiot. (sigh)
Are you saying that Manny was not hurt in September? That he essentially was fine and “called in sick” for four weeks? If so, I could use some evidence.
As was reported at the time, Manny’s legs/knees needed rest more than anything else, and after The August From Hell, there was little reason to put him out there (and risk further injury) if he was not 100%.
Let’s remember that in the 5-game sweep by the MFY, Manny was just about the only Sock that showed up, reaching base 19 times in 20 plate appearances.
Like many things about Manny, I don’t think we’ll ever know the truth about why he sat out. When Manny checked into training camp this year he said some things to the effect of ‘I’ve got a special career going here’. It gave the impression that maybe he was starting to think about his career numbers and the Hall of Fame. If so then it seems strange that he would throw away a month’s worth of homers and RBI’s for no reason, especially at his age.
I’m not buying that Manny called in sick or sat out in protest at the end of last season. If he was legitimately injured, and we have zero proof that he wasn’t, shouldn’t he be pissed when donkeys like Sean McAdam start writing articles that he isn’t? The injury that he is said to have had is the same thing that ended Jon Valentin’s career. Now if I was in the same position and the choice was to push a legitimate career threatening injury or finish up the year strong when we are clearly not going to make the playoffs, I make the same decision. Has anybody come back to work after being out with the flu and had some jag off ask if you were on vacation while you were actually holed up in your pad with the chills for the last couple of days? Pisses me off. If I had a serious injury I would be even more pissed off.
Now based on the rumor that the Rangers are asking for Manny…if they are offering Mike Young you have to seriously think about it. You could then move Wily Mo to LF full time and find someone to play RF or create a platoon situation over there. I’m more and more weary of a potential JD Drew signing. I’m starting to think it will be Renteria all over again. (Doesn’t want to sign here but does because of the cash and is not cut out for this type of environment).
What Michael Young is: a damn good hitter, extra-durable and very tough. What Michael Young isn’t: a good defensive SS.
What Bill Plaschke is: A sportswriter for the LA Times. What Bill Plaschke isn’t: a good sportswriter for the LA Times.