Commentary: Moving Manny was the right thing to do

The following comes from an e-mail exchange I had with Cooch:

What needs to be stated right off the bat is this trade wasn't made in a vacuum. The Sox were painted into a corner. Between pushing Jack McCormick down, his altercation with Youk, and his statements to ESPNDeportes essentially throwing the organization under the bus, the Sox were in an unenviable position to sever the relationship. With that as a backdrop, we had no leverage, so it was impossible to get "equal value" for Manny. Instead, we had to get the best compensation possible which allowed us to have as little dropoff as possible. After all, we're in a pennant race. The last thing we needed was to downgrade an already offensive-challenged club.

Given the circumstances, to get someone of Jason Bay's caliber, a guy with legit .290/30/100 capabilities who's an above avg on-base guy, for a disgruntled malcontented superstar, a crappy reliever who just wasn't coming around, and a spare outfielder, I'm not sure you can ask for much more as a Sox fan.

He's signed through '09, as you said, so this is not a rental situation like the Dodgers are doing with Manny. We'll have all of 2009 to evaluate him, and our cost is $7.5 million + $7 million of Manny's '08 salary for the last two months of the season; a savings of $5.5 million from Manny's '09 option.

Bay is probably 80-85% the hitter Manny is. But he's able to help us in different areas where Manny couldn't-- namely defense and baserunning, and do it at a reduced salary without the headaches.

The biggest question mark is how Bay adjusts to the American League, most notably in a pennant race with the pressure intensified. How he adapts will go a long way in evaluating this trade.

In the meantime, the Sox rid themselves of a headache, cancer, disruption, distraction, and malcontent. By doing that, I feel a huge weight was lifted from the team.

Fast Forward: 2008

My wish to trade Manny finally came through - 3 years later, in a 3-team deal.

Los Angeles gets:
Manny

Boston gets:
Jason Bay (from Pittsburgh)

Pittsburgh gets:
Craig Hansen and Brandon Moss (from Boston)
Andy LaRouche and Bryan Morris (from LA)

Flashback: 2005

I wrote this in 2005. Rather than re-writing it, I'll just re-post since the sentiment remains.

"Sunday, July 31, 2005

Manny, don't let the door hit you on the way out...

Honestly, can we just dump this chump? Of course I'm referring to Manny Ramirez. Cleveland was happy to get rid of the clubhouse cancer and I'm counting the days until Manny's off the squad. Despite his undeniable hitting prowress, his lackadaisical play and horrendous defense is just intolerable. On top of that, his clubhouse antics have pissed off everyone. At this point, his talent is not worth his unpredictable behavior. I put him in the same boat as Pedro Martinez - a world-class headache.

Can anyone feel sorry for a guy making $20mn per year who jogs down the first base line in the 10th inning of a tight game? Or, how about his yearly MIA stunts when the team needs him? He's consistently let the team down and it's time to eat some of his salary to dump his unreliable ass. Any outfield acquisition will be an immediate defensive upgrade.

Time to cut our losses and dump this piece of shit. Please, someone take him..."

Major Pwnage!

Click on Image

Chien-Ming Wang's younger brother

Here

Lester solid... again.

That musta hurt...

(seriously, was the editor drunk?)

Manny Delcaacaa (aka Manny Delcarmen aka Manny Delchokeman)

Lavinius: (from SOSH)

editor's note 1: "One Less Than Lowell" means one less nut
editor's note 2: SOSH= Sons of Sam Horn website

From Baseballreference.com, through yesterday (these numbers will be worse now. Yay)
The OPS against Manny "One Less Than Lowell" Delcarmen when the game is various margins of runs one or the other:

1 run margin--.842
2 run margin--.833
3 run margin--.762
4 run margin--.702

and if the game is totally out of hand, that's when OLTL is at his best >4 run margin--.605 OPS against

Cooch: i've been calling for his resignation for months!

sox desperately need masterson to step up and to get a quality pitcher.

Lavinius: No, but wait, he's a local guy!

Cooch: i'd trade him for a sack of beernuts. how 'bout him and youk for teixeira?!

Lavinius: I'd do it but Atlanta would never go for it.

Cooch: atlanta asked for hansen and youk for teix. wouldn't be that much of a stretch to try and dump delcaacaa instead.

Lavinius: Hansen has the greater upside, though. MDC is just local trash...

Cooch: i concur. but atlanta's in a selling position. i think l&c could craft the deal.

Lavinius: MDC's trade value is so low, waivers wouldn't take him.

Cooch: waivers would ask for two PTBNL.

Dan Uggla needs a huggla

Wanna get away? 0-4, 3 K's, 3 errors, GIDP

Gives new meaning to the term str-Uggla-ing.

bush2bush

Lavinius' 2008 NL all-stars

C-- Soto/Martin, McCann
1B-- Berkman/Lee
2B-- Utley/Uggla, Phillips
SS-- Hanley/Guzman
3B-- Chipper/Wright
LF-- Braun/Holliday
CF-- McCloth/Rowand
RF-- Nady/Hart, Ludwick
DH-- Pujols

SP-- Lincecum, Volquez, Webb, Sheets, Haren, Hamels, Santana, Dempster
RP-- Wood, Lidge, Wagner, Raunchy

ACTUAL ALL-STAR TEAM

STARTERS
POS PLAYER TEAM ALL-STAR APPEARANCES
C Geovany Soto Chicago 1
1B Lance Berkman Houston 5
2B Chase Utley Philadelphia 3
3B Chipper Jones Atlanta 6
SS Hanley Ramirez Florida 1
OF Ryan Braun Milwaukee 1
OF Alfonso Soriano Chicago 7
OF Kosuke Fukudome Chicago 1

PITCHERS
POS PLAYER TEAM ALL-STAR APPEARANCES
RHP @Aaron Cook Colorado 1
RHP Ryan Dempster Chicago 2
RHP @Dan Haren Arizona 2
RHP Brad Lidge Philadelphia 2
RHP Tim Lincecum San Francisco 1
RHP Ben Sheets Milwaukee 4
RHP Edinson Volquez Cincinnati 1
LHP @Billy Wagner New York 6
RHP Brandon Webb Arizona 3
RHP Brian Wilson San Francisco 1
RHP Kerry Wood Chicago 2
RHP @Carlos Zambrano CHC 3

RESERVES
POS PLAYER TEAM ALL-STAR APPEARANCES
C Russell Martin Los Angeles 2
C @Brian McCann Atlanta 3
1B Adrian Gonzalez San Diego 1
1B @Albert Pujols St. Louis 7
2B Dan Uggla Florida 1
3B Aramis Ramirez Chicago 2
SS @Cristian Guzman Washington 2
SS Miguel Tejada Houston 5
OF Matt Holliday Colorado 3
OF Ryan Ludwick St. Louis 1
OF Nate McLouth Pittsburgh 1

Lavinius' 2008 AL all-stars

Since the league selection committee can't get it right...

STARTERS/RESERVES

C-- Joe Mauer/A.J. Pierzynski, Dioner Navarro
1B-- Justin Morneau/Kevin Youkilis
2B-- Ian Kinsler/Dustin Pedroia
SS-- Michael Young/Derek Jeter
3B-- A-Rod/Lowell, Longoria
OF-- Hamilton, Dye, Drew/Ichiro, Ordonez, Sizemore
DH-- Bradley/Matsui

PITCHERS

SP-- C. Lee, Duchscherer, Halladay, Lester, Saunders, E. Santana, Marcum, Floyd
RP-- K-Rod, Nathan, Papelbon, Rivera


THE REAL ALL-STARS...
(WARNING: Please refrain from sipping a beverage)

STARTERS
POS PLAYER TEAM ALL-STAR GAME APPEARANCES
C Joe Mauer MIN 2
1B Kevin Youkilis BOS 1
2B Dustin Pedroia BOS 1
3B Alex Rodriguez NYY 12
SS Derek Jeter NYY 9
OF Josh Hamilton TEX 1
OF Manny Ramirez BOS 12
OF Ichiro Suzuki SEA 8
DH # David Ortiz BOS 5

PITCHERS
POS PLAYER TEAM ALL-STAR GAME APPEARANCES
RHP Justin Duchscherer OAK 2
RHP Roy Halladay TOR 5
LHP Scott Kazmir TB 2
LHP Cliff Lee CLE 1
RHP Joe Nathan MIN 3
RHP Jonathan Papelbon BOS 3
RHP Mariano Rivera NYY 9
RHP Francisco Rodriguez LAA 3
RHP Ervin Santana LAA 1
LHP Joe Saunders LAA 1
RHP George Sherrill BAL 1
RHP Joakim Soria KC 1


RESERVES
POS PLAYER TEAM ALL-STAR GAME APPEARANCES
C Dioner Navarro TB 1
C Jason Varitek BOS 3
1B Justin Morneau MIN 2
2B Ian Kinsler TEX 1
SS Michael Young TEX 5
3B Joe Crede CWS 1
3B Carlos Guillen DET 3
OF J.D. Drew BOS 1
OF Carlos Quentin CWS 1
OF Grady Sizemore CLE 3
DH Milton Bradley TEX 1

How could I forget my BIGGEST surprise of the first half?

This man deserves his own post, seriously.

Jon MFin Lester: The best story in baseball keeps getting better. As if a no-hitter wasn't enough, he shut the Yankees out in the Toilet-- the first time such a feat took place by a Red Sox pitcher since April 2004. It was the first CG shutout by a Red Sox pitcher since his own no-hitter on May 19.

He checks in with a 7-3 record with a sparkling ERA of 3.21, with two CG-shutouts on the resume including a no-no and a blanking of the Yankees. Did I mention he's a cancer survivor?

I'll be honest-- I didn't have this guy pegged for anything more than a middle of the rotation starter. Right now you could make the argument he's been the best pitcher on this staff. Modestly, he's gotta be top 5 for best lefty pitcher in the game: Johan, Hamels, Kazmir, Sabathia...and I think you can make an argument for Johnny Ballgame 5th, especially with the lackluster first half Erik Bedard has had.

Lester, you da man!

2008 Red Sox: Midyear-ish Surprises

Not exactly mid-year. Sox are 50-36 at time of writing...

Julio Lugo: 1 HR. Wasn't expecting a ton of power, but even for the light-hitting Lugo, this is well short of what he's capable of. 16 errors won't help us forget his lack of hitting.

J.D. Drew: After a very light 2007, save for a great post-season, did anyone expect Drew to have a .298 average, lead the team in HRs (16), runs (58), OPS (.978) and be named player of the month for a torrid June?

Jason Varitek: Batting .219 with a measly .302 OBP and looking every bit like an aged washed-up-catcher. One of the most common phrases mentioned by broadcasters this year: "Varitek strikes out and the Red Sox strand a pair."

Manny Ramirez: Hitting .281 and an OPS of .878 the year the team needs to decide whether to pick up his 2009 option of ~$20mn = no brainer for management. I doubt we'll see Manny next year, especially considering the dissension he's shown in the dugout this year.

LAVINIUS CHECKING IN WITH HIS SURPRISES:

Dice-K: Bestowed with the nickname "Dice-BB" by L&C, he's inexplicably walked 49 in 75 innings this season. He had 80 walks all of last year, in 205 innings. [Cooch's note: The only person with more Woks than Dice-K is the local Asian restaurant supply guy.]

Lopez: 2.20 ERA and best non-Papelbon reliever on the staff? He's the last guy I thought would emerge with that crown. Unfortunately, it also signifies that the Sox bullpen is in a world of shit. [Cooh's note: And to think J-Lo's sitting in the pen while we watch Oki, Delcarmen, and Hansen serve up runs all night long.]

Okajima: From a peripheral sense, his numbers are respectable-- 3.02 ERA, 35 K's in 35.1 innings against just 11 walks. But what's surprising to me is the # of inherited runners he's allowed to score. Something like 12 of 15, or 13 of 16. [Cooch's note: Hideki's 9.64 ERA in June made L&C vomit many times, and I think it's way too early in the season to claim dead arm. It's time to stop overusing Oki.]

Hansen and Delcarmen: Expected at least one of them to emerge and provide late game stability. The only thing that's emerged are curse words from Lavinius's mouth and keyboard when they take the bump.

Buchholz: Didn't expect the Mancrush sequel to Beckett to get treated like a Mexican pinata. He found his way to the DL with a purported fingernail ailment. He's since been down in Pawtucket tinkering with his release point. The results have been staggering-- a 4-1 record with a 1.63 ERA in 8 starts, including a 4-0 with a 0.40 ERA in his last 4.

Starting Pitchers: Lead the AL in walks. This was not something I expected from this staff, and definitely not something I expected from a John Farrell coached staff.

As for hitters, co-sizzle on all of Cooch's picks, especially Drew. That boy be tearing it up! Varitek is getting to the point where Wakefield or Beckett would be better options--with the bat!

Tito's decision to hit-and-run with Lowell and Tek on 7/2 in the 9th inning: Seriously Tito, WTF? Lowell gets timed in the 40 using days on a calendar and Tek can't hit the broad side of a barn door. You're smarter than that.