Manny the Putz

Here we are at the trade deadline, or wait, I have to say this properly as deemed by the network of sports writers.
"As the trade deadline looms just 4 hours away" here is where we stand on a few Red Sox issues that are still out there.

~The fashionable thing to say about the wide spread rumor that the Red Sox are going to trade Manny Ramirez to the Florida Marlins in a three way trade where the Sox would obtain Jason Bay and John Grabow, is that the deal isn't going to happen. That's because 12 hours ago the rumor going around on baseballprospectus.com was that the deal was finished and it was at the commissioner's office waiting for the t's to be crossed and the lower case j's to be dotted. Then Gammons spoke, saying that the deal wasn't done yet and there were still "obstacles" standing in the way of the trade.
My take: This deal is probably 50/50 right now. I am always a pessimist about these big trades at the deadline and I'm always surprised about big trades going down. I remember being shocked last season when the Sox got Eric "Game Over" Gagne, and being beyond psyched about getting him. If this deal goes through it will reach Nomar like proportions for me, because right now this team is past the point of no return when it comes to Manny and this team in general right now. Something has to happen or this season is going to become like 2001 when Carl Everett killed the team chemistry and after Jimy "One M" Williams got fired Joe Kerrigan absolutely killed whatever was left. (They even fired the bullpen coach John Cumberland who was named pitching coach and when Cumberland claimed they had no reason for firing him Dan Duquette called him an alcoholic and a lush. This was next to the days after Aaron Boone the darkest days of being a Sox fan in the last decade.) I fear that this will happen again if Manny stays with this team, because I can't take many more games like last night, it was an absolute embarrassment. Just when the unthinkable happened (Coco Crisp homering) the game went right down the urinal. The defense turned into a group of Julio Lugo's, even gold glover Kevin Youkilis looked like Bob Hamlin for a couple innings. I like Jason Bay a lot, I think he's the best case scenario of what the Red Sox would get in turn for Manny. Either he walks at the end of the season or they trade him to Florida for a couple prospects and Josh Willingham? The fundamental difference between the two are that the Pittsburgh deal would keep the Sox in the race, the Florida deal would maybe put them in contention next year if they make a couple more deals in the off season.

~The latest rumor that I've heard is that the Mariners might have made JJ Putz available for trade talks. There are no match ups or anything like that, but the rumored teams to be interested are the Red Sox and the Mets.
My take: I don't see anything happening here, but it would be a great move for the Red Sox. It would be like Gagne x 30. He has had injuries worries but his fastball is still lightining and in the high 90's and has movement on his slider. This would be a great move, not sure what they would have to give up for him, it would have to be something fairly substantial I would guess. Who knows, this is intriguing.

~Just got a text message from my buddy Zach. "Griffey to the Sox!!!" I got excited for a second even though I know he is going to the White Sox, for a second, a dream almost came true. Ken Griffey Jr, was the greatest player I've seen play in my lifetime. In the 1990's he was the best player by a mile, there wasn't even a comparison. He's a transparent guy, just seeing him in my team's uniform would be surreal.
I'm off to Bangor to spend the trading deadline with Jackson. Maybe a double post later from the Sea Dog?
We'll see.

Sterling Pingree