MManny Ramirez may be the most lovably quirky player in the Majors, but at what point does it cross the line from amusing to frustrating? A couple of days ago, Ramirez had a classic Manny-being-Manny moment, taking a Family Circus style path to a routine fly ball, botching it, and then loping after the ball as a run scored.
As an non-Red Sox fan, his antics are hilarious, and it's good to see someone having the kind of fun you rarely see in professional sports. But, with Ramirez' adventures in the outfield adding up, you have to wonder how long the organization is willing to value his hitting over the baggage that comes with it.
According to SI, should the Rockies hold onto OF Matt Holliday until after the season, the Sox would pursue him and let Ramirez walk. Manny is currently in the last year of his guaranteed contract, with $20 mil. options for 2009 and '10.
While Holliday is not going to be the face of the franchise, he would represent a major defensive upgrade and give them a hitter in the prime of his career. Ramirez is still one of the best pure hitters in the game, but at 36 years old, there's not much room for improvement.
A 3-4 combo of Ortiz and Holliday would likely be just as potent in the coming years. All of this, however, assumes Holliday is even available by the end of 2008. He is drawing major interest from a number of teams looking to improve at the deadline.
No matter Holliday's status, though, Boston will still have to decide what to do with Ramirez. He is a sure .300+, 25-homer performer, and $20 million is a fair price.
But with Ortiz at DH, he would continue to be a liability in the field. Their best bet may be to dangle Manny in front of teams looking for a top-of-the-line DH, in hopes of getting his equivalent in an outfielder or prospects.
Manny Ramirez is the clown prince of the Red Sox, a player fans would have a tough time parting with, but in the interest of winning and the safety of other fielders, Manny might end up making his phone calls from another team's scoreboard in '09.
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