Hot Stove news

[PHINATIC13]

According to Peter Gammons/rotoworld.com:

"Agent Greg Genske told ESPN's Peter Gammons today that Manny Ramirez still isn't interested in going to the Mets.
Then where can Manny go? According to the Boston Globe's Gordon Edes, the Angels might be out, as neither Ramirez nor Garret Anderson wants to be a DH. Ramirez's other supposed preferred choice, Cleveland, doesn't seem very interested. If Ramirez would really block a trade to the Mets, then there's a good chance he'll be stuck in Boston."

Good news for Red Sox fans.... (for now). Who knows when Manny will change his mind again. It's funny because everytime a paper or someone puts out a report Manny wants to leave, something else comes out later that day saying he wants to stay or he doesn't want to go to Team A.

I would love to see Manny in a Halo uniform next year,it would be awesome to have him protect Vlad or vice versa.
Garret could always go back to CF,having said that I'm not sure what kind of contract Finley signed.Do you know? Cause if it was a one year deal,well see ya Steve(really let us down) and thanks for having a sh**y year.

 

[MikeO]

Sorry but you know nothing about Manny in the clubhouse. The players LOVE the guy. He keeps everyone loose by playing pranks and joking around etc. He also has an extremely high work ethic and is one of the first players in the ballpark everyday working on both hitting and fielding. Of course none of these stories get out in the press because it doesn't get people talking.

How can you say the team doesn't want him? There has been numerous players that have come out and said that trading Manny would be a huge mistake. There's only 1 person in the Red Sox F.O. that wants Manny gone. Don't assume things if you don't have facts to back then up.

If Manny hated Boston so much like all the writers claim then why wouldn't Manny jump at a chance to play elsewhere with one of his best friends (Pedro)? The Red Sox can put numerous offers on the table to get rid of him but now it's going to be Manny's decision on whether or not he wants to stay. He has to ok the trade.

The players weren't loving him when he REFUSED to play that game in Tampa in August. They were ready to choke him and he started a mini-war and divided the clubhouse.

 

[NJFINSFAN1]

I bet Manny doesn't even know what Manny is thinking. The only reason why I know a little bit more about Manny is because I know some of the current and ex-players, as well as a few people within the Red Sox organization.

I would not forget that Omar Minya and Martinez can be a big factor in talking with Manny. Again, I think its iffy, but could happen.

Word is the Mets are making a very big push for Wagner. And they may sign Dotel also to help the bullpen.

 

[Ray Finkle]

I would love to see Manny in a Halo uniform next year,it would be awesome to have him protect Vlad or vice versa.
Garret could always go back to CF,having said that I'm not sure what kind of contract Finley signed.Do you know? Cause if it was a one year deal,well see ya Steve(really let us down) and thanks for having a sh**y year.

Steve Finley has a team option after the 2006 season. I'm not sure if there's a buy out involved but eventhough he looked pretty much done this year the Angels could possibly move him at the right price. But it'll be tough, the Angels would have to probably take on another teams bad contract.

 

[Ray Finkle]

The players weren't loving him when he REFUSED to play that game in Tampa in August. They were ready to choke him and he started a mini-war and divided the clubhouse.

Mini-war and divided the clubhouse? Is MikeO Dan Shaughnessy? Is this a fact or just something you heard in the papers like everyone else? How do you know? Were you in the clubhouse? Do you talk to people in the organization to get these details?

Yes players were mad at him but it wasn't a big deal it was over and done with within a day. Just like the time he refused to play in 2002 or 2003 when he was spotted in a bar with Enique Wilson when he was suppose to be sick, remember that one? Players spend 9 months together so of course they're going to have their problems. There were tons of problems this year with the Red Sox (as well as every team in baseball), Manny wasn't the only one who made news. However that was very overblown by the media and of course the media didn't include the part of the story where Francona promised Manny that day off (which was a Wednesday) if he played in the Sunday's game vs. Chicago so he could have 2 days off to rest his leg injury.

Again just because the players got mad at him for 1 game doesn't mean they don't want him around. I'm sure you get into fights with family members or friends but still want them around too. You have no bases for saying that the team doesn't want him. Show me 1 article where players don't want him or said they would be better off without him. Because I can show you about 5 articles where players came out and said the Sox should keep Manny. Yeah he's a big cancer in the clubhouse if players are defending him.

He's a recent quote by Curt Schilling (who has been probably the most criticial of Manny): "I think Manny is just looking for change more than anything, and I think that this coming up every… and that’s not to belittle his emotions and feelings, I talked to Manny about this a couple of times towards the end of the season and expressed my desire that I didn’t want him to go if he could find a way to make it here. I think one of the things that tends to really catch guys off-guard is the attention you get off the field." -- 10.29, Curt Schilling on WEEI

Enough said, moving on....

 

[Roman529]

I would think the Yankees would be trying to "retire" Bernie Williams in Centerfield, and maybe going for a guy like Juan Pierre who can cover a lot of
ground at the CF position and he can also be your leadoff hitter. In other sad news, relevier Ugueth Urbina tried to machete down five people in Venezuela so the Phillies are gonna need a new set up man :yell: .......But Ryan Howard got the NL Rook of the year. :1st:

 

[MikeO]

I would think the Yankees would be trying to "retire" Bernie Williams in Centerfield, and maybe going for a guy like Juan Pierre who can cover a lot of
ground at the CF position and he can also be your leadoff hitter. In other sad news, relevier Ugueth Urbina tried to machete down five people in Venezuela so the Phillies are gonna need a new set up man :yell: .......But Ryan Howard got the NL Rook of the year. :1st:

Juan Pierre is old and on the downside of his career. He has no value at all, period.

Bernie is coming back to the NY and will take over the "Ruben Sierra role" of being that bat off the bench to pinch hit late in games. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[MikeO]

I would not forget that Omar Minya and Martinez can be a big factor in talking with Manny. Again, I think its iffy, but could happen.

Word is the Mets are making a very big push for Wagner. And they may sign Dotel also to help the bullpen.

I really don't think Manny wants to go to the NL let alone the Mets. IF he has no other options he will, but its his last choice.

1) Those NL parks are killer, he won't hit his 45 home runs in the NL, probably only around 35.

2) In NY the first time he doens't run out a ground ball, he will be fried on the cross.

3) He will have to play right field not left.

4) In the NL things like baserunning and the other finer points of the games are emphasised unlike in the AL with the DH.

The NL is a bad fit for Manny which is why Manny is trying to work LAA, Tex, and Cleveland first. But if his last option is the Mets I think he jumps. Tom Verduicci today on WFAN said Boston's front office hates the guy and wants him gone in the worst way and doesn't care about getting equal value in return at this point.

 

[RWhitney014]

Juan Pierre is old and on the downside of his career. He has no value at all, period.

Bernie is coming back to the NY and will take over the "Ruben Sierra role" of being that bat off the bench to pinch hit late in games. Nothing more, nothing less.

Juan Pierre is 28 and can still fly. He had a down year last year, but he had a few hot streaks where he looked like normal. Believe me, the guy can still play. And he's better than a majority of leadoff hitters in MLB...to say he has no value is to say that Yanks will find someone to take Jorge Posada off their hands.

 

[MikeO]

Juan Pierre is 28 and can still fly. He had a down year last year, but he had a few hot streaks where he looked like normal. Believe me, the guy can still play. And he's better than a majority of leadoff hitters in MLB...to say he has no value is to say that Yanks will find someone to take Jorge Posada off their hands.

He can't fly. The guy was caught stealing a ton this year. Pierre was once a great leadoff hitter those days are long gone. He had the most strikeouts in his career since 2002.

Pierre hit .276 this year. AWFUL for a lead off hitter. His OBP (which is huge for a leadoff hitter) took a huge drop this year. His best days are behind him and he isn't very good at all anymore

 

[RWhitney014]

He can't fly. The guy was caught stealing a ton this year. Pierre was once a great leadoff hitter those days are long gone. He had the most strikeouts in his career since 2002.

Pierre hit .276 this year. AWFUL for a lead off hitter. His OBP (which is huge for a leadoff hitter) took a huge drop this year. His best days are behind him and he isn't very good at all anymore

I watched him play all season, Mike. In spring training he had a calf injury and rushed back. As a result, I think it affected him all season, on the bases and in the field. He didn't have nearly as many chopped infield hits and his jumps both in center and from first were poor. As the year went on, he got frustrated and started expanding the strike zone, leading to more Ks. I'm not going to sit here and argue he had a great year, because he didn't. In fact, his underwhelming performance was as costly for the Marlins as Lowell's, because without him on base Cabrera and Delgado had one less guy to drive in.

However, at 28 he should be entering his prime. He's got a lot left in the tank, and with his work ethic, the best in baseball, he won't stop until he's running on fumes. Literally.

 

[FinsNYanksFan13]

I'll take Juan Pierre is center for the Yankees in a heartbeat. He's the truth!

 

[NJFINSFAN1]

I would think the Yankees would be trying to "retire" Bernie Williams in Centerfield, and maybe going for a guy like Juan Pierre who can cover a lot of
ground at the CF position and he can also be your leadoff hitter. In other sad news, relevier Ugueth Urbina tried to machete down five people in Venezuela so the Phillies are gonna need a new set up man :yell: .......But Ryan Howard got the NL Rook of the year. :1st:

And a new closer when we steal Wagner from you!

The Phillies' last standing offer to Billy Wagner, the 34-year-old with the 100 mph fastball, was for two years with a vesting third based on appearances. According to a baseball official it's for well below the $10 million per season he is almost certain to be offered by other clubs, including the Mets.
-- New York Daily News

 

[NJFINSFAN1]

Last winter, the Mets went after the best free-agent starter on the market and landed Pedro Martinez. This winter, they could be looking at making it a back-to-back with A.J. Burnett. The Mets met with Burnett's agent, Darek Braunecker, yesterday at the GM meetings, and Braunecker said he believed "there's significant interest on their part.''
-- New York Post

 

[FaninPatsyLand]

Juan Pierre is 28 and can still fly. He had a down year last year, but he had a few hot streaks where he looked like normal. Believe me, the guy can still play. And he's better than a majority of leadoff hitters in MLB...to say he has no value is to say that Yanks will find someone to take Jorge Posada off their hands.