The Athletics are "very interested" in adding Manny Ramirez as a designated hitter for 2012, Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportesLosAngeles.com reports. The Orioles and Blue Jays also watched Ramirez hit at an indoor cage, Rojas adds.
MLB reinstated Ramirez from the voluntary retirement list in December, but he would still have to serve a 50-game suspension for violating MLB's drug policy if and when signs. The 39-year-old slugger has 547 home runs and a career batting line of .312/.411/.585 in 19 MLB seasons. He hit .298/.409/.460 for the Dodgers and White Sox in 2010, his last extended stint in the Major Leagues.
Of course they are, he’s or at least was a OF’er, gotta collect em all.
When they signed Frank Thomas, they reached the ALCs, so you never really know.
mannyball!
yes, i know that was horrible
*golf clap*
Lol.
Hey why not? He’ll be cheap and they don’t have much to lose this year.
50 game suspension puts an estimated timeframe at what, the beginning of June?
Oakland, where the once-mighty go to die… And the future greats are not allowed to live.
Piazza fail in OAk
Frank Thomas Fail
Matsui Fail
MAnny…
Actually in 2006 Thomas had a great season in Oakland.
Yeah, he brought them to the ALCs.
Ya Thomas had 46 jacks in 2006 and lead them to a ALCS….total fail
39 regular season, 2 in the postseason (both game 1 vs. MIN). He was a big reason 2006 was such a good year. He wasn’t as good the 2nd time around, but that’s okay. Thanks for 2006.
Right. The Big Hurt along with Milton Headcase helped the A’s make the playoffs in ’06. Of course, that’s when the A’s had major league hitters. 2007, he came down to earth.
Fail. Thomas was awesome in Oakland. He stank in Toronto. Nice try, though. How’s Jason Bay working out? Johan? K-Rod?
Your a mets fan. Period
why not either thier or pittsburg only place he will get a shot he is a cancer for any club and shouldnt be allowed back in mlb but if any team going to take him in would be A’S or Pittsburg just saying he won’t go in hall thats for sure well at least not first few tries
Thier? No comment… Thier are no words to describe this choice of spelling
“Thier are no words to describe this choice of spelling”
If that part isn’t a joke, I’m going to cry.
For future posters:
There – States a place of being. Shows that something is at a place
and is telling the reader/listener where something is held or placed.
Their – A form of ownership. Something that they have with them,
replace their with a name or proper noun. You could say, “I like Mike
and Julie’s dog.” But with their, you could say, “I like their dog.” It
could show one or more than one person’s ownership, whichever pronoun
(he, she [singular], they [plural] needs it.
They’re – A contraction meaning, “they are”. If you want to make a
sentence using this, make sure the there/their/they’re that your using
reflects upon who your talking about. Make sure saying “they are” makes
sense within the sentence before you place it there.
Haha have no fear. I am fully aware of all the spellings and meanings. I was simply poking fun at him
While I appreciate you trying to educate, you’re on the internet. It’s hopeless.
“If you want to make a sentence using this, make sure the there/their/they’re that your using reflects upon who your talking about”
Really? You feel the need to lecture people on the internet about the proper there/their/they’re to use and yet you improperly use “your” instead of “you’re” twice? Really?
Sheeesh, lighten up some.
Actually, I made no typos. That was a clear copy/paste from yahoo answers. 😀 I didn’t care enough to type it, so I let Google do the work.
Could be a nice addition for the A’s.
Ahem. Looks like Chris Carter may not be a lock at DH after all as some have said. Didn’t Billy say they were going young? No he didn’t.
Even after signing Gomes?
I’ve been told in no uncertain terms (Pete) that Gomes will NOT be the DH this year. But, Manny (and I’m no fan of his by ANY stretch) illustrates my point about being a selective hitter v. a player who looks to walk first and always (DH Jack Cust.)
Your right thats what I keep telling pete I like selective hitters but I dont like guys like barton and cust who troll for walks all the time. Selective hitters get in good hitters counts and swing at their pitch. Guys like barton go up to walk and take fastballs down the pipe its really annoying.
At least, Manny would be a defensive upgrade over Gomes in LF.
I thought it was 100 game suspension for a 2nd offense.
I believe he was able to talk it down considering he didn’t play at all last year
noooo! no no no! stay away, stay far away! you’re already tinkering and backlogging pieces for this rebuild as it is
do not want!
this would be a great signing if chris carter was useful in the field or if we didn’t sign gomes to take up a roster spot with 0 value
BILLY BEING BILLY.
Exactly, and nice play on manny being manny. This is Beane’s MO—he loves to bring in the older star thumpers at the end of their careers. Can’t resist: Frank Thomas, Giambi, Matsui, Piazza.
This move wouldn’t block anybody. We’re talking DH. I know some are enamored of Carter, but Beane isn’t apparently. Just put it into an easily discernable pattern re: Allen/Carter/Taylor/Outman/Ross—all the AAAA players—are expendable.
Beane said he was open to trading/moving any player not named Jemile Weeks. He did NOT say I’m creating room for Brandon Allen and Chris Carter.
I’m not enamored with carter, but i just don’t want them spending money on useless guys like manny. signing him will only create another pointless back log is all, without bringing anything in terms of prospects/draft picks in return.
the only guy who i want to see billy sign who won’t be able to bring back prospects or draft picks is at least one more sp to keep guys like peacock and parker in AAA
I think they need to spend to a minimum and Ramirez probably wouldn’t cost too much.
As for Parker and Peacock, we’ll see. They got Colon cheap. Wouldn’t be surprised if Beane brings in at least one more journeyman starter, considering the problem the A’s have with pitchers/health.
I could very well be wrong, but I see Parker (barring health setbacks) pitching in Oakland at some point this season.
Manny would still cost more than league minimum, which for the a’s, is too much to spend on a DH only type right now.
And Parker, i hope he comes up by july. I see milone being in our rotation on opening day.
Manny Ramirez is a joke now. Oakland shouldn’t even be looking at this guy. If they are looking for a Veteran to mentor the young ones, this is the last player they should be looking at. Plus they just signed Gomes.
Maybe Beane is trying to get himself fired?? Idk, but if they sign Manny….
Why not sign Manny. At least with him on the team people will pay attention to the A’s to see what manny is up too. Who knows maybe he will come outta nowhere like frank thomas did and have one last good year even though the chances of that happening are close to nill
Yeah his last 2 years played in the MLB are real inspiring right? NO. It’d be a pointless signing. Plus he still has to serve his 50 game suspension. And knowing him, he would probably convince players on the team to take roids. He will be more of a locker room cancer than a good influence which isn’t good especially since oakland is a younger team
there’s all that, plus he’s useless in a rebuild when we have two dh’s who have nothing left to prove, one with no more options, and he won’t bring anything back in the end, whether it’s a prospect or draft pick
yep. I think it would be smarter to give a roster spot to a younger talent like Chris carter rather than give a washed up Manny one
Who are these two mystery players you speak of?
But when Oakland has no chance of winning, Manny could add a spark.
a spark is the last thing we need in a wash year like 2012/13
we’ll get our “spark” player when we move to SJ
I don’t know about that… is SJ even a confirmation yet?
It’s not, but we won’t be contending until we get permission for a new stadium, wherever it may be. There’s no point to signing guys just for the “oh my god people know this guy!” factor
he won’t bring in a prospect, or a draft pick, he’s pretty much useless
He could bring in money if he performs well. Remember Mannywood?
Maybe it another message to Selig re: San Jose—“Approving the move or I’ll sign Canseco next.” Bud, you don’t want to even think about Roger Clemens in Kelly Green and Fort Knox gold.
I’d like to see what Manny has left in the tank in Oakland, if they can get him on the cheap. The A’s have nothing to lose in 2012. Why not?
because we already have 2 dh’s on the team, and we’re rebuilding, and he wouldn’t do anything to help our rebuild but block players who have already mashed in the minors and haven’t yet had a consistent chance to at least TRY to hit in the majors
Manny wouldn’t be up til June and by that time those “young mashers” will be back in Sacramento because they can’t make the transition to the MLB. Oakland needs all the entertainment it can to attract fans
it really doesn’t need the entertainment of mannywood, if they’re going to sign someone, sign someone who will for sure bring back a good prospect or net a draft pick, that’s who billy should be aiming for
and that someone should be a pitcher on a 1 or 2 year contract
I go to games and based off the attendance, Oakland needs someone who comes up to the plate and the crowd gets excited. Oakland doesn’t have any players like that. Manny brings that swagger. Also with Weeks and Crisp, they need someone who can drive them in and Manny can hit (like it or not)
Exactly.
Again who are these players you mention. Carter? He has a lot to prove—like leaning how to hit major league pitching and improving his work ethic. Who’s the other—Allen? See the proving the major league level comment describing Carter.
kila ka’aiahue who has no more options, and carter. Carter was never given consistent at bats which hurt his production. given more consistent at bats, i’m sure he could at least be mediocre.
I forgot about Kila and thank you for mentioning the consistent AB’s re: Carter. Geren really messed-up these young players.
god geren was awful…nobody liked that guy
Nobody except Beane. We all hated when he’d force Barton to bunt a runner to third base in the early innings (with nobody out!)…and then pretend it was Derek’s decision.
Moneyball 2..Billy Beane trades his young good players for a team of misfits and wins the world series. The baseball wporld is stunned. A script only written in hollywood.
There is a line in the Moneyball movie; something like “there are rich clubs, then there are poor clubs, then there is 50 feet of crap, then there is the Oakland A’s”.
So true.
That would be awesome. Not gonna happen, but it would rock the baseball world if it did. Like the St. Louis Cardinals Gashouse Gang of the early 1930’s. Bartolo Colon could be Dizzy Dean. Jarrod Parker, his younger brother.
i am sure they hope manny comes in on fire and then they can trade him at the trade deadline ,because he will have trade value if they sign him cheap
Okay now. Looks like the A’s are about to totally rebrand themselves along with the sooner or later relocation.
I mean, Manny AND Bartolo? Last time they were in the same sentence along with Athletic is probably “Ramirez’s HR helps Colon down A’s” a decade ago.
(Yes, a bad attempt at Manny/Athletic joke.. Someone had to do it)
I actually wouldn’t mind this signing an when manny gets a day off, give chris carter a chance. I say we sign him!
Christ no. This would be atrocious—giant stink bomb in the face of Melvin as the team tries to build a new direction. No amount of production is worth the clubhouse mess Manny would probably end up being, especially since Carter could easily break out, and even if not, still be, say, Mark Reynolds for the league minimum
If the A’s want to blow money on an older hitter, trade a bag of baseballs for Soriano or Carlos Lee and take on those contracts. Manny is just too, well, Manny
i would rather have derrek lee
i’d rather roy oswalt
me to what about both
ehhh we’d have to get rid of allen and kila before i’d want lee
Be nice to have some pop at first for a change.
A’s just became my 3rd fav team
pretty good storyline for moneyball2
fallen star looking for redemption, Brad Pitt aka Billy Beane interested with the guy, a big fan of the star in fact, gave him second chance, and the rest is history…
I thought second offense was 100 games.
Manny has hit 555 total career home runs not 547 in the ML.
He’s got nothing left
wasn’t manny well out of shape when he was suspended/quit? he always, in recent years, looked “fat” and sloppy to me. can you imagine what he looks like by now? so, even if he can hit, can run bases? and, what kind of motivational leader does he represent? imo he’s a real unproductive, bad idea.
That’s been gone for awhile
Well, at this point i think chris carter is the dh, but yeah, we don’t need manny, he won’t net us a prospect, he won’t get us a draft pick, he’s useless
cliff pennington definitely isn’t available right now, a’s don’t have anyone that can take over for him (ESPECIALLY not rosales) and he’s pre-arb, so unless they wanna give up one of their top 4 or 5 prospects, a trade probably is out of the question
Sosa,McGuire,Bonds and Clemens will eventually make the hall. In the next few years the HOF ballot will be 85% of people who are accused or confessed to using PED’s. So in the end, they’ll make the HOF. PED’s don’t help your swing play to line up the barrel of the bat with the ball. You can be huge with steroids/PED’s and still strike out every time at the plate and never make contact with the ball. That’s what people have to understand. PED’s do not make you a homerun hitter.
You’re right…if carter sucks on the team after 50 games he doesn’t deserve the spot
hand it to kila and see what he can do
and if kila doesn’t work, see what recker can do, and bring up donaldson to back up at catcher
Kila is the backup plan for both areas i bet, dh if we hold onto allen
and i hope the same about suzuki/recker
in that case gomes dh’s full time and let cowgill be the platoon partner with smith, with mitchell as the 4th or 5th OF
if you’re saying blue jays please sign manny, then yes, please do!
if you’re telling the a’s to sign manny, i say they get compensation from the rest of the league to take him on, sayyyyy three doors, 1 hiding a new stadium in SJ, another hiding absolutely nothing, and a third hiding bud selig with a dunce cap on sitting on a mule
exactly what i was thinking, carter has a 50 game audition
i agree i like pennington
I disagree. From what I hear it makes your muscles bigger and your swings faster, thus making you a better hitter.
Ahem. What 50-game suspension? He sat out all of last season. And, Carter is going to have to compete with somebody, whether it’s Kila or somebody not on the roster. They aren’t going to just hand him the job. This isn’t the post office.
You may not like the view, but it’s a fact. The Jack Cust’s and Derek Barton’s of the world have minimal value. It’s too bd really, because unlike Cust, Barton can play quite well defensively. You can’t win with nine Scott Hatteberg’s Pete.
Notice the abosolute certainty you make your claim, with no evidence to back it up. Now, it’s true Geren sabotauged Carter’s last audition by not giving him a proper chance, but any thoughtful analysis of the Oakland DH situation will acknowledge the fact that Beane is covering his bases at DH
1. Carter (if he makes the team, and following your insistence of Barton at 1B Chris can only make it as a DH)
2. Gomes
3. Kila
4. Manny
5. Another FA bat not named manny
Face it Pete, the A’s are no more counting on Carter at DH, than they were Allen at 1B or Allen/Taylor/Carter in the outfield. Even you must see that by now.
Oh Pete, please stop putting words in my mouth. I didn’t say that.
Most selective hitters aren’t HOF’s. I said the team will never get to the playoffs by building a team of Derek Barton’s and Jack Cust’s, whether in Oakland or San Jose.
They haven’t made the playoffs (despite superb pitching and good defense for the most part since 2006, when selective HITTERS like Thomas and Bradley led the way. That’s just a fact.
Watch what Beane is doing, rather than what you think he SHOULD do. Choice, Norris, Head, even Green—there isn’t a Derek Barton in the lot.
I agree, but if Beane was sold on Carter/Kila why is he reportedly pursuing Manny?
i can honestly say i have no idea, it’s a stupid move if he makes it
ok, to avoid moderation, i have no idea, it’s a very bad move if he makes it
Easy there, bro. Go ahead and be passionate, but keep it civil.
Nothing I say in response to one of your posts is “pointless.”
As for trolling, I think your definition of a troll is anybody who dares disagree with you. Doesn’t bother me, though. It just means you can’t think a a decent comeback when I challenge your assumptions.
And, when do you cite Beane? Most of your opinions are based on your absolute certainty of what the A’s WILL do, no ifs ands or buts.
How can you be so certain? Did Beane say this?
I’ve been reading this site for years and have been an A’s fan since 1969…so I think I will stay. Deal with it.
As for accuracy, most of what you’ve predicted has not come true this off-season, your opionion notwithstanding. You aren’t going to bully me into silence as you do others. (And, people have said as much here, your “likes” aside.)
By the way, your cruelty to Randy, who most compassionate people can see as lacking perfect grammar but choose not to comment, hasn’t escaped my notice. Kindly, leave him alone.
Who are you inviting to leave now Pete?
Oswalt would be a surprise and he won’t come cheap like Colon. He would also block Parker and or Peacock this year and both are ML ready or very close. (I think we see Parker by June/July if not sooner.) I wouldn’t mind a less expensive alternative, though, to hedge against injury.
You know what I meant, Pete. I was referring to Thomas and Bradly who carried that team into the playoffs.
The A’s haven’t even had a winning season since 2006 (let alone make the playoffs) utilizing your preferred Walk-trollers like Barton and Cust. That’s what we call a fact and I didn’t need to cherry-pick arcane info from the almanac to come up w/that.
So, who really got “destroyed” here? You, sir, need to cut down on the caffeine.
Jemile weeks is a selecitve hitter. I know you are going to say oh he only drew 21 walks in 97 games. But he always works the count gets into nice 2-1 2-0 1-0 counts and hits his pitch or he fouls off a bunch of pitches. Patience is not all about walks. Pennington is a selective hitter he isnt a very good hitter but he is selective. I think the best combo a hitter can have is to be agressivly selctive. If the first pitch is down the pipe swing hit it if not let it go. If it takes 10 pitches to get your pitch then it takes 10 if you get your pitch if you get your pitch on the first pitch hit it. Thats my philosophy.
not for the first 50 games, lol xD