Manny a Dodger

Manny Ramirez's stormy relationship with the Boston Red Sox appears to be over.

A baseball source has confirmed Ramirez has been traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers, ESPN.com has learned.

Jason Bay is going to Boston as part of the deal, Jayson Stark reported. And the Pittsburgh Pirates get four minor leaguers as part of the three-way deal.

Andy LaRoche and pitcher Bryan Morris, in addition Red Sox prospects, will go to Pittsburgh, Buster Olney reported.

 

As a Sox fan I'm glad he is gone. Of course they couldn't get anyone near his caliber to fill in for the rest of the season but when someone says "They don't deserve me" it's time to go.

Thanks for all of the RBI, HR's, and clutch hits. I sure won't miss the poor fielding, baserunning, and poor attitude.

It's going to be a long two months for the Red Sox, hopefully Tampa Bay slips up and they can turn that crappy bullpen around.

 

Manny Ramirez, Brandon Moss, and Craig Hansen for Jason Bay? That's an awful deal. I would have thought that the Red Sox would at minimum get Grabow from Pittsburgh as well.

 

The Dodgers made out great with this deal.

 

Red Sox won't make the playoffs now...They need Manny more than they think.

 

The Red Sox and Theo Epstein have done a fantastic job in the last few years of knowing when a player is nearing the end of his prime years and when they are not going to be worth the money their next contract is going to demand.

Just a few names they chose not to re-sign.......

Nomar
Pedro
Derek Lowe
Trot Nixon
Kevin Millar
Bill Mueller
Mark Bellhorn
Johnny Damon

All of these players' production dropped significantly after they left Boston. I don't like this deal initially, but the Red Sox brass has made very smart decisions in the last 5 years as far as knowing when a player is nearing the end and gauging their value. The Sox are going to make a major move on a player either in the next month (trade deadline means nothing, really to a team with money) or next summer.

 

Derek Lowe has been better with the Dodgers than he was with the Red Sox, and Damon is performing at about the same level.

 

Lowe had a 40 save season and a 20 win season with the Red Sox

 

Damon, as a Red Sox, batted .295 over 4 years and was paid between 6 and 7 million a year. For the Yankees, he has batted .286 and is being paid 13 million a year. My point was that the Red Sox have a good gauge as to win to cut ties. Damon is still productive, but essientially the Yankees are getting less production, for twice the money.

Lowe is not even close. As a reliever his first 4 seasons in Boston, he saved 85 games including 42 in 2000. His last 3 seasons in Boston his record was 52-27. He was making between 3-4.5 million per year his last 3 seasons with the Red Sox. With the Dodgers he is 48-46 and his cumulative ERA is higher in a weaker hitting league. His is making 9.5 million per year.

The Red Sox have made tremendous player decisions over the past 3-5 years while at the same time developing the best young talent in the game within their farm system (Pedroia, Ellsbury, Bucholz, Masterson, Lester, Papelbon, Daniel Bard, Mike Bowden, Jed Lowery).

This deal doesn't seem apples to apples now, but the Red Sox potenially take 20 million off of their payroll for next year.

 

Damon had an average OPS+ of 107.5 in his four seasons with Boston, but has accumulated an average of 112.7 in his three seasons with the Yankees. The batting average is down a little bit, but his on-base percentage is about the same and his slugging percentage has improved despite going to a park that is tougher on hitters. Yes, he's being paid more but that's irrelevant. You said that his "production dropped significantly" after leaving Boston which was simply wrong.

Then with Lowe, you have to compare apples with apples. As a starting pitcher in Boston, he had 111 starts for 669.7 innings for an ERA of 4.49. With the Dodgers he's started 94 games and thrown 783 innings for an ERA of 3.70. Even adjusting for the league and ballparks, it's clear that he has been a better pitcher in L.A.

Look, you're right about the front office making good decisions with Nomar and Pedro, but the problem is that you tried to extend that too far by mentioning other players who have been as good or better since leaving Boston.