SATURDAY, 9:24pm: SI.com's Jon Heyman tweets that the Blue Jays are still considering Ramirez.
FRIDAY, 10:04am: At least five teams have shown some level of interest in Manny Ramirez, according to Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportes.com (link in Spanish). The Angels, Twins, Rangers, Rays and Blue Jays have asked about Manny, according to Rojas’ source.
Ramirez is training in Arizona and he’s preparing to play defense if necessary. Agent Scott Boras made the case for Manny yesterday, speaking to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick. Crasnick heard that Ramirez could be a fit in Tampa Bay, but suggested that the Blue Jays are less likely to sign him.
The five clubs mentioned in Rojas' report all appeared on my list of teams with potential interest in designated hitters.
As much as I’d love to have Manny hitting between Mauer and Morneau I don’t see any way the Twins would bring him on due to all the headaches.
I could actually see it happening if the right deal could be struck. If they could sign him to a cheap enough deal where they could cut him if it doesn’t work out, I’d be game for it. They’ve been willing to cut their losses with other low-risk deals in the past (think Batista, although not quickly enough, Ramon Ortiz, Livan Hernandez, Mike Lamb, etc.)
That being said, I doubt it will happen. Just wanted to be clear on that. I’m more playing devil’s advocate than anything else.
that would be a scary line-up
not really. besides mauer ramirez and morneau, there is not much there. not to mention that ramirez is no guarentee to do anything and these past couple of years morneau has been fairly injury prone. not that scary
not really. besides mauer ramirez and morneau, there is not much there. not to mention that ramirez is no guarentee to do anything and these past couple of years morneau has been fairly injury prone. not that scary
That would be interesting, but he’d have to take the place of a 4th outfielder/speedy defensive specialist like Repko or possibly Benson, and I’d don’t think it’d be in the best interest of the Twins now that they have their slugging bench bat in Thome.
However, we all know what a motivated Manny can do, and all the turmoil of the last two year may have just turned Manny into a hungry hitting machine. I’m very curious to see where he goes, and I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if he has a very good season this year similar to Thome’s last year, if not better.
Why are the Rangers going after Manny and Thome? if thats the case might as well just bring back Vlad
Likely seeing which of the three is the last man standing so they can get him at a cheaper price. Seems like a bunch of AL teams are playing chicken with the DH market right now and hoping that waiting for other teams to pounce first lowers the price of one of the three remaining good DH options.
thome is off the table
Wouldn’t the only one that makes true sense be Tampa? It’s short money and they’re just starting to rebuild so he’s not taking anyone’s spot except some AAA guy that should be in the minors anyways.
Tampa Bay would be perfect for Manny or Vlad. I would much rather have “the impailer” but he would cost more than Manny (although it’d be money well spent).
PREDICTION on the type of contract MANNY gets this season?!!?
I’ll start, Incentive laden deal worth 4 mill guaranteed and incentives add another 4 mill.
He signs in Anaheim, and Arte Moreno holds a huge press conference stating Manny was the goal the whole off season and believes the 5 million plus incentives for plate appearances will push his club over the Rangers.
8 mill for manyy with 2 mill incentive
“Some level of interest”. Yeah, that’s not vague or anything.
Picking up the phone and asking, “Is it true your client actually thinks someone is going to sign him next year?” is some level of interest, I suppose.
I see Manny fast approaching Bonds territory…
Manny isn’t nearly as toxic as Bonds. If he were willing to sign for 2-3 mil base there would be teams scrambling to sign him. Headache or not, the guy will still give you a .900 OPS
His OPS dropped .080 last year, to .870. He hasn’t played a full season in 2 years. I don’t see his age 39 season getting any better…
He also dealt with leg issues and a sports hernia which can account for his drop in power. He still hit for a .300 average and got on base at a .410 clip. His pitch recognition and strike zone knowledge are still strong (he swung out of the zone more than usual last year but less than league average) and he swings and misses less than league average as well.
There’s more reason to believe it would get better than worse. Love him or hate him (and most hate him, which is fine), he’s one of the best right-handed hitters you’ll ever see. He may not be a 35 HR bat anymore, but he can still hit 20+ HR still and put up a line close to .300/.400/.490 if his injuries are behind him.
Do you really believe Manny Ramirez is the kind of guy who’s taking his off-season conditioning seriously?
Guys who invest serious time off the field into conditioning tend to recover better from injuries, and tend to have more longevity. Guys who were lazy off the field, and/or used PED’s, age much less gracefully.
Manny is a notoriously hard worker. Just because he’s a goofball doesn’t mean he doesn’t try hard to be good.
Given that he’s remained productive into his late 30’s, yes.
In case you haven’t heard, major league baseball is still a pretty difficult game to play.
More like Dye territory
Here we go again. Please no. At this point, Manny does not significantly improve what the Angels have in LF. Rivera or Abreu can nearly match his production at the plate and, sad defenders though they are, can still outplay Manny in left. And this is NOT a clubhouse that needs an idiot like Manny. No. Please no.
couldnt agree more…two thumbs up
The Angels didn’t want Manny when he was good… what makes anyone think they want him now that he is off the juice and has no power?
The Angels didn’t want Manny when he was good… what makes anyone think they want him now that he is off the juice and has no power?
Here we go again. Please no. At this point, Manny does not significantly improve what the Angels have in LF. Rivera or Abreu can nearly match his production at the plate and, sad defenders though they are, can still outplay Manny in left. And this is NOT a clubhouse that needs an idiot like Manny. No. Please no.
Manny is aweful. I hope the Twins sign him because when we(White Sox) traded for him we thought we had something. Manny is done and so is his power.
This is one Boras client, unsigned in mid-winter, who has no grievance with his agent.
To be entirely fair, if Manny hadn’t fought so hard to get out of Boston (There’s debate over whether it was his own idiocy or Boras pushing him because Boras wouldn’t see a dime if the Sox picked up his options), he wouldn’t be considered such a horrible malcontent at this point. Honestly, I hate to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but it’s hard to consider it a coincidence that Manny went from oafish buffoon with eccentricities to outright jerk within months of moving to Boras.
Angels signing Manny woudl just be icing on the disastrous-offseason cake they’ve already baked.
My guess (for as little as it is worth) is NL – Phillies or Marlins, AL – Blue Jays or the Angels. However as a Yankee fan, I have a sick feeling that Manny will be playing in the Bronx.
as a redsox fan i have a sick feeling that manny will be playing in the bronx, with a vengeance.
“However as a Yankee fan, I have a sick feeling that Manny will be playing in the Bronx.”
I’d love to see this.
If you do see Manny playing in the Bronx, it will most likely be on some playground on the Grand Concourse. Not at the New Yankees Stadium
My guess is Yanks! With Rangers and Angels as alternantives. He will want to contend that is certian. Another point, I read some guys bashing his work ethic, I’ve heard from big leaguers that said he is usually early to the park and hits off a tee for hours before BP or even early BP just to groove his swing. He is really stong looking too, not fat but pretty jacked I’d say. I just don’t buy that one of the greatest hitters of all time is lazy!
I’d rather have Andruw Jones
At this point, it seems to me that he will have to take a minor league deal to come to spring training with lots of incentives built in if he makes the big club. He was absolutely dreadful after coming over to the White Sox last year. His bat looked markedly slower and he is clearly no longer the great hitter he used to be. He is now on a “make good” status I think and I cannot imagine why ant team would sign him to a major league deal.
Umm I can gaurantee you he will get a major league deal. Manny would retire before accepting a minor lg deal.
P.T.Barnum,”There’s a sucker born every day.” Someone will sign him. Won’t be the Sox though.
L Ron Hubbard said the exact same thing.
I see a lower market team pull a Nationals and come out of nowhere and sign him cheap only because people will come to the park to see him, I see the Royals, Orioles, Astros, A’s, and maybe the Rays signing him if he doesn’t sign with the Angels as my joke at the top suggested.
I really hope he signs with Tampa Bay.
angels will sign him and work on making a trad for thirdbase no matter what you guys say manny is a fabulous player no matter how much i hate him he would improve the angels and be backup for kendry morales in the lineup.
I think Damon would be a better fit – Manny on the bases would not achieve what the Angels are best at. I hope that Angel management has a better plan than this for improving the lack of power in Angel stadium.
I don’t think that Manny is the answer to the power shortage at Angel stadium. I think Damon would be the better fit for what the angels do. I hope that Angel management has a better plan than that. But, we just paid a Million to a .199 hitter so go figure!
With Thome gone, the Angels move to the front of the line.
I think Toronto would be a WONDERFUL choice for Manny. Please, Manny. Go north.
Apparently, one of the five listed teams is about to be fleeced by Scott Boras.
Manny is gunna be a Blue Jay folks. Bank on it.
3 of the 5 teams are in Japan and the other 2 aren’t serious.
Jays Opening Day Lineup
R. Davis-LF
Y.Escorbar-SS
J.Bautista-3B
M.Ramirez-DH
V.Wells-CF
A.Lind-1B
A.Hill-2B
T.Snider-LF
J.P-C
Sick Lineup 1-9 Lind,Hill will hit this year, can’t be worse then last year, so you 6,7,8 hitters can all be studs along with the top of the order!!!
Snider in Right of course. And best yet EE will be on the bench!!
No one want Manny. He killed the dodgers and it will take years for them to get back. Seriously though, Manny is a bum and he sucked last year in a contract year. He gives no effort and he is bad for a lockerroom. Maybe they need something similar to that pee wee football league for him to be good again