Comments on: The Ramirez Situation http://37feetup.com/2008/07/28/the-ramirez-situation/ Red Sox Obsessed Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:42:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Tim (@Twalk) Walker http://37feetup.com/2008/07/28/the-ramirez-situation/#comment-128 Tim (@Twalk) Walker Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:06:18 +0000 http://37feetup.com/2008/07/28/the-ramirez-situation/#comment-128 Interesting perspective, JJ. In particular, I like that you've balanced the personality against the performance at the plate. Too many folks coming down hard on Manny want to diminish his hitting accomplishments -- and you just can't. It's not just the counting stats, which easily put Manny in the company of the best, but the quality of individual at-bats for the highest possible stakes. While Manny is still a big-time hitter, and probably will be for another year or two, I agree with you that the Sox shouldn't put themselves on the hook for a multi-year deal with him. 36 is 36, and the risk of tying up a player through his age-40 year -- for dollar figures like we're talking about -- isn't worth it. Let him get homer #600 and #650 for some other team. BTW, Holliday is not the answer. From what I understand, he's a me-first player, and while he's hard-nosed and competitive, I don't see him having the impact that Teixeira could. Interesting perspective, JJ. In particular, I like that you’ve balanced the personality against the performance at the plate. Too many folks coming down hard on Manny want to diminish his hitting accomplishments — and you just can’t. It’s not just the counting stats, which easily put Manny in the company of the best, but the quality of individual at-bats for the highest possible stakes.

While Manny is still a big-time hitter, and probably will be for another year or two, I agree with you that the Sox shouldn’t put themselves on the hook for a multi-year deal with him. 36 is 36, and the risk of tying up a player through his age-40 year — for dollar figures like we’re talking about — isn’t worth it. Let him get homer #600 and #650 for some other team.

BTW, Holliday is not the answer. From what I understand, he’s a me-first player, and while he’s hard-nosed and competitive, I don’t see him having the impact that Teixeira could.

]]> By: Aaron Strout http://37feetup.com/2008/07/28/the-ramirez-situation/#comment-127 Aaron Strout Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:48:17 +0000 http://37feetup.com/2008/07/28/the-ramirez-situation/#comment-127 JJ - fantastic post. A well balanced perspective of the good, the bad and the ugly of what Ramirez has meant/still means to the Sox. I tend to agree that Theo needs to roll the dice and stand pat with Ramirez and then walk away from him at the end of the season. The caveat is that they MUST sign Teixeira in the offseason. Otherwise, I think the Sox either need to pick up one of Manny's options OR suck it up and trade some of their young studs to get a 28-30 year old bat that can hit 25+ HRs, bat .300 and drive in 100 RBI a year (not a ton of players beyond Teixeira/Holliday fit that bill, at least that other teams are willing to part with. Regardless, it should be an interesting next two plus months! Well done! Aaron | @astrout JJ - fantastic post. A well balanced perspective of the good, the bad and the ugly of what Ramirez has meant/still means to the Sox. I tend to agree that Theo needs to roll the dice and stand pat with Ramirez and then walk away from him at the end of the season. The caveat is that they MUST sign Teixeira in the offseason. Otherwise, I think the Sox either need to pick up one of Manny’s options OR suck it up and trade some of their young studs to get a 28-30 year old bat that can hit 25+ HRs, bat .300 and drive in 100 RBI a year (not a ton of players beyond Teixeira/Holliday fit that bill, at least that other teams are willing to part with. Regardless, it should be an interesting next two plus months!

Well done!

Aaron | @astrout

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