The Real Story Behind the Manny Ramirez Trade
This story has been confirmed by nobody. It was reported nowhere. It is officially off the record - so far off that all it really is is my own pure speculation. But I’d bet on it. This is how these things work. You weigh decisions and pull the trigger once you reach the “have to” point.
Bottom line is that the Red Sox got totally screwed by Manny Ramirez, and he cared about nothing, absolutely nothing, more than getting his own contract. But I ask you - can you blame him? Wouldn’t you screw your employer over if it meant, or at least you thought it meant, getting $100 million?
You see, the Red Sox (this begins the speculation part) have dealt with the Marlins in the past, obviously, because their last big trade was with the Red Sox (Lowell-Beckett for Hanley). So when the Marlins expressed interest in Manny, Theo and the gang were pretty sure they would be sending him there. They actually asked Manny specifically for permission to go to the Marlins, and then only later did they ask for blanket permission to go anywhere. So stage 1 was we are sending him to Miami, no matter what. The problem is, the Marlins were wise to this. They saw through it, realized the Sox 100% had to trade Manny, and saw an opportunity to gouge the Sox.
So once the deal was in place, they asked for, and even demanded, a second prospect and additional cash. From their perspective the Sox had no choice. They had us by the proverbial gonads, and were going to take as much as they could. But the Sox had better ideas. Once the asking price of the Marlins was too much, the Sox were ready to enact their contingency plan.
The contingency plan was to go all “Gary Sheffield” on Manny’s ass. I think they were ready to tell him that either you play, play hard, and play every day, or we pick up your option for 2009 and then trade you in the offseason. This would be a good plan. When Sheffield left the Yankees, instead of letting him walk, they chose to pick up the option and trade a 1 year contract of Sheffield to the Tigers and get more than nothing. This is what would have happened to the Sox. All Manny wants is more money, and the Red Sox could have pulled a power play on him making him play this year out to secure his release.
So that was that - the Dodgers aren’t giving up Matt Kemp and the Marlins want too much. The Sox, at probably like 3:40, 20 minutes before the deadline, were ready to fight a war with Manny, keeping him on the team. They couldn’t get better by moving him, so they were keeping him.
But at that point, around 3:45, it was announced that Jason Bay was going to Tampa for their top 2 prospects. The Rays were ready to go for broke. Though this may have been a bluff, it wasn’t seen as such at the time and once Epstein realized he was going to say no to a deal and watch the Rays become the hands-down best team in the AL East while he rolled the dice with Ramirez, everything changed.
So there you are. You are Theo Epstein and basically, you have been given a clear choice. Since you said the price was too high for Jason Bay, he’s going to beat you playing on the Rays, and you are at least potentially stuck with Brandon Moss as your everyday left fielder assuming Manny continues to tank and sit out.
Or, you can overpay for Bay and keep him away from the Rays. Just preventing the Jason “I’m a Ray” Bay calls my Chris Berman every time he hits one out of the Top is probably worth it, but I’m sure they looked beyond that. Theo saw a chance to at least stay about the same when the Rays were staying about the same instead of getting worse, by having a phantom-injured Manny while Bay is driving in runs for Florida.
So that was it. Because the alternative was Bay as a Ray or Manny gone, it was Manny gone.
We definitely gave up too much to see Manny go. I mean, Manny for the rest of this year and then for 09 and 2010 is the best deal you could have. But he screwed us. He checked out and went out of his way to make sure those options would never get picked up. That happened about last week.
From there, the Red Sox really had no choice but to either go to war against him (which I really think they were ready to do) or pay to get rid of him. Given the circumstances, I think the Red Sox did the best they possibly could in getting Bay in return.
Don’t blame the front office for bringing in a top 20 outfielder for Manny - blame Manny for whining and crying and doing his best TO impersonation and rolling the Red Sox and forcing their hand. Part of the reason he got so much money up front was these 2 option years. And he stole them from the Red Sox, and more importantly, he stole 2 years of me being able to cheer for one of the best hitters in the game.
Screw you Manny, you’ve tarnished yourself as far as i can see. You care about nothing other than your new contract and another $100 million. It’s a sad day for baseball, because greed won.
But at least we got Jason Bay, and I hope you, like me, will line up for a Sox t-shirt that says Bay on the back.
Welcome to the Back Bay Jason. May you hit 30 home runs every year and retire a Red Sox. After all, we need a new legacy in Left Field.
Stumble it!