Manny is now a Dodger? OMG!!

[dolphinmickey9170]

I just got note that Red Sox Manny Ramirez was traded to LA Dodgers.....I am shocked. How could they do this? Why would they do this? We need his bat.

This was posted on a Red Sox notification email:

In the one of the most dramatic non-waiver Trade Deadline deals in club history, the Red Sox sent Manny Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-way deal that brought Pirates left fielder Jason Bay to Boston.

The Red Sox also sent pitcher Craig Hansen and outfielder Brandon Moss to Pittsburgh, and the Pirates also obtained third baseman Andy LaRoche and pitcher Bryan Morris from the Dodgers.

Bay, 29, appeared to be the only bat on the market who had comparable numbers to Ramirez this season. The right-handed hitting Bay has a .282 average with 22 homers, 64 RBIs and a .519 slugging percentage. The 36-year-old Ramirez, who is having what is basically a par year by his standards, is hitting .299 with 20 homers and 68 RBIs.

The blockbuster move literally came down to the buzzer, just like it did in 2004, when the Sox traded Nomar Garciaparra to the Cubs.

[IamBelle]

Nooo! I'm going to miss "Manny being Manny" in Boston!!

[Tink2002]

I love the sox, but Manny was beginning to really push "being Manny" to the limits. It gets to be rediculous when a 20 million dollar a year player is basically pulling stunts to tell his ball club when he will and won't play... I don't think anyone should panic just yet, Bay could be just as good for us in the lineup and he's younger with potential for growth to boot. I'm sad to see one of our most popular players go, but change isn't always bad.

[Damon18]

I really enjoyed Manny and I will always like him but he left them little choice. Once you start slamming the organization as publicly and as often as he was it's time to go! He was clearly not happy there and they were clearly fed up with his antics. I will always appreciate that he played a big part in the 2 World Series they won and I am sad to see it end this way. I wish him well.

I am excited about Jason Bay though. He is a great player as well. Hopefully they can sign him up past next season.

[Twinsowner]

Best news any Red Sox fan has heard all year!

[kakn7294]

I never liked Jason Bay - yinz can have him! He's good, but I always thought he was too highly overrated here in the 'Burgh.

[RedSoxFan]

I will miss Manny. He was always so funny to watch at the ballparks. But, I guess it was time to let him go with everything that has been going on the past couple of weeks. It was obvious he didn't want to be in Boston anymore and it seems to have brought down the clubhouse. I'm looking forward to tonight's game and everyone's reaction to Bay. GO SOX.

[DizneyFreak2002]

As a Yankee fan, I loved this news... But, gotta face it, Manny being Manny was wearing thin... I think it really started affecting the team... And seriously, if the Red Sox didn't trade him, how helpful do you think he would have been down the stretch.. Anyone who thought Manny would give any more than 20 percent was kidding themselves... I don't think Jason Bay will help the Red Sox get into the playoffs this year, wild card nor first place, but, in the end I think it really does help their team chemistry..

[goofhook]

Manny is going down... Jason Bay is going up. Bay will most likely out produce him this year, and all the years after that. But I have to wonder, they probably went after Bay because the Yankees went after Nady. Its the same old thing, they get Randy Johnson we get Curt Schilling they get Carl Pavano, we get Josh Beckett. They get Xavier Nady, we get Jason Bay... its never going to end.

[DizneyFreak2002]

Manny is going down... Jason Bay is going up. Bay will most likely out produce him this year, and all the years after that. But I have to wonder, they probably went after Bay because the Yankees went after Nady. Its the same old thing, they get Randy Johnson we get Curt Schilling they get Carl Pavano, we get Josh Beckett. They get Xavier Nady, we get Jason Bay... its never going to end.

The only difference, in the last two examples, Red Sox got the better of the deals with Beckett and Schilling.. This time around, I think the Yankees did better with Nady, Marte, and Pudge... But, time will tell... The end of this season will be exciting, that is for sure...

[AdventurelandTikiGirl]

Manny who??? Jason Bay scores both runs in his debut

Welcome to the Bay State

[kakn7294]

Manny who??? Jason Bay scores both runs in his debut

Welcome to the Bay State

Enjoy it now - don't expect it to last... Take it from one who has watched him for the past 3 1/2 years. He may have been leading the Pirates in HR's this season and have been a HR king here, but we could never count on him when it counted most.

[Tink2002]

Enjoy it now - don't expect it to last... Take it from one who has watched him for the past 3 1/2 years. He may have been leading the Pirates in HR's this season and have been a HR king here, but we could never count on him when it counted most.

I wouldn't encourage anyone to base their opinions on his performance with his old team for the last three years, however... it's well-known in baseball that a player can be very sporadic in one environment and flourish in another. He may be great for us in Boston, he may not. Only time will tell.

[AdventurelandTikiGirl]

He may have been leading the Pirates in HR's this season and have been a HR king here, but we could never count on him when it counted most.

Sounds like A-Rod! I'm just happy to have a breath of fresh air......someone who wants to play rather than looking for excuses to not play

[MamaStyles]

Having attended one of Manny's last 'lackluster' appearances (Tues July 29), I am glad to see someone in left field put TOTAL effort into the game. It is a welcome relief not to see the Red Sox left fielder disappear into the 'green monster' during pitching changes!

__________________________________
There's a great,big, beautiful tomorrow
Shining at the end of ev'ry day

[kakn7294]

I wouldn't encourage anyone to base their opinions on his performance with his old team for the last three years, however... it's well-known in baseball that a player can be very sporadic in one environment and flourish in another. He may be great for us in Boston, he may not. Only time will tell.

You're right, only time will tell, but just know this - many of his homeruns were solo, he's not known for production with men on base - his RBI total is not great for someone who's a HR leader, and he was a leader in strikeouts. I can't imagine that's going to change much.

[barnaby]

You're right, only time will tell, but just know this - many of his homeruns were solo, he's not known for production with men on base - his RBI total is not great for someone who's a HR leader, and he was a leader in strikeouts. I can't imagine that's going to change much.

Why wouldn't it change?
Instead of having stiffs like Doug Mientkiewicz and José Bautista hitting around him, Bay will get to hit in a lineup with guys like David Ortiz and Mike Lowell.
Kinda hard to drive in alot of runs when you don't get alot of people on base.
I know Bay's avg with RISP is bad, but when you are the only star player in the lineup, you aren't going to get pitched to because the guys behind you aren't that good.

The Pirates have stunk pretty much every year Bay was there. Bay will finally get to play with a good baseball team.

I am not guaranteeing Bay will produce, but I don't know if judging him by what he has done in Pittsburgh is a good comparision.

[kakn7294]

Why wouldn't it change?
Instead of having stiffs like Doug Mientkiewicz and José Bautista hitting around him, Bay will get to hit in a lineup with guys like David Ortiz and Mike Lowell.

The Pirates have stunk every year Bay was there. Bay will finally get to play with a good baseball team.

I am not guaranteeing Bay will produce, but I don't know if judging him by what he has done in Pittsburgh is a good comparision.

I watch the Pirates all the time and I can tell you that when he has men on base ahead of him, Bay doesn't produce. He leaves a lot of guys hanging when he has chances to bring them in. The Pirates are very capable of getting men on base - that's never been their issue. It's actually getting them home where they are so bad - and Bay was always a big part of that stranding men on base. It doesn't matter who he has hitting around him is he doesn't bring them in. Maybe he'll be great for Boston or maybe not, but I'm glad he's gone from Pittsburgh.

[DizneyFreak2002]

You're right, only time will tell, but just know this - many of his homeruns were solo, he's not known for production with men on base - his RBI total is not great for someone who's a HR leader, and he was a leader in strikeouts. I can't imagine that's going to change much.

To be fair, you are talking about the Pirates here.. Comparing them to the Red Sox, well, there is no comparison... Many of his homers may have been solo shots because there weren't any good hitters in front of him... He has a few decent hitters in front of him in Boston... He is now in pressure situations... Let's see if he sinks or swims..

[barnaby]

It doesn't matter who he has hitting around him is he doesn't bring them in.

I think who hits around him does matter.
They could pitch around him in Pitts with guys like Bautista behind him.
He'll get pitched more in Boston because the lineup is far more dangerous than the Pirates.
You get your choice of Ortiz, Lowell, JD Drew or Bay in the middle of the lineup - pick your poison.