what's up with punk boy

[Velcro]

A proposed three-team deal involving the Boston Red Sox, New York Mets and Tampa Bay Devil Rays "hit a roadblock" Friday night, according to a baseball official familiar with the discussions.

 

Ramirez

The deal proposed would have sent unhappy Boston slugger Manny Ramirez and Tampa Bay closer Danys Baez to the Mets, with the Red Sox acquiring outfielder/designated hitter Aubrey Huff and outfielder Mike Cameron, and the Devil Rays getting two prospects apiece from the Mets and Red Sox.

But with a 4 p.m. ET deadline looming Sunday, it could be too late to finish the blockbuster on time.

"I don't know if it's completely dead," said an official of one of the three teams. "But it's hit a roadblock … unless someone has some other thoughts."

A source said the Red Sox felt they could not go ahead with trading Ramirez and two prime prospects -- reportedly catcher Kelly Shoppach and right-hander Anibal Sanchez -- if all they were receiving was New York's Cameron and Tampa Bay's Huff. So they went back to the Mets "for more pieces," the source reported. At that point, the Mets "squashed the whole thing" and talks broke off.

A baseball man with knowledge of the discussions said the Red Sox asked the Mets for a "key player," whom the Mets felt they couldn't trade.

An official of another club that spoke with the Mets on Friday night said the Mets also had reservations about going ahead with the deal because they would have had to assume all $64 million of Ramirez's contract, and that would have put them both over budget and over the luxury-tax threshhold.

What's uncertain now is whether the deal can be revived, or even whether any portion of it can be revived. The Mets had been talking separately to the Devil Rays about Baez, and the Red Sox had been talking with Tampa Bay about Huff. Then on Friday afternoon, the teams made an attempt to connect the two trades. The Devil Rays were described by sources as being ecstatic about the prospects they would have received -- the Mets were prepared to include right-hander Yusmeiro Petit and outfielder Lastings Milledge -- so they're expected to keep pressing the Mets and Red Sox to put the pieces back together.

But if those efforts take all weekend, "by that time the deadline will be over," said an official of one of the three teams. And that might leave all three clubs empty-handed at the deadline. So the most likely scenario now is that the teams make one more effort Saturday to see if there's another combination that works. And if not, they would be forced to move on to Plan B.

[Bullshiznitz]

The Devil Rays were described by sources as being ecstatic about the prospects they would have received

Hell freakin yeah!!!  The Rays would be making out like bandits if this trade goes through.  Im personally not a Baez fan at all (7 blown saves) and with Jo Borowski on the roster and Orvella up, his loss wouldnt be missed at all. Losing Huff would kind of suck but the reality is he has no position and really only fits as a DH. He's also scheduled to make 7 million next year.  I loved to see the Rays make this trade and then use that extra salary to go after Jarod Washburn in the offseason. Yeah he's no ace, but he's a solid major league pitcher who could be plugged into the #1 spot of the rotation so that Kaz could move down to the #2 to take a little pressure off him and let him mature as a pitcher.  Plus it would be hard for the Rays not to find atleast 2 solid major league pitchers out of the group of Sanchez, Petit, Neimman and Townshend.

[Velcro]

Anibal Sanchez is going to be a stud... just watch.  I hope this trade doesn't go down.  I don't mind losing Manny's salary, but Manny, and 2 prospects for Huff and Cameron is not a good deal for the sox.

I agree it is a great DRays deal.

[smazza]

why did manny fall out of favor so quickly

[Velcro]

because we have a lot more bandwagon fans now than before the WS victory, and those people are the type to cry foul at the drop of a dime.  The die hards aren't as worried.  Manny is always going to be Manny... a great performer with his own baggage.  Most of us have come to accept that.  I don't really care that much, but the "new" fans never had to deal with him before.

That is my guess.

[TripleB]

because we have a lot more bandwagon fans now than before the WS victory, and those people are the type to cry foul at the drop of a dime.  The die hards aren't as worried.  Manny is always going to be Manny... a great performer with his own baggage.  Most of us have come to accept that.  I don't really care that much, but the "new" fans never had to deal with him before.

That is my guess.

If management is contemplating making decisions based on the opinions of new fans, you boys are in trouble.   8)

[Velcro]

Mgmt isn't basing this on a few fans... this is based on Manny's request to be traded, and the fact that trading him before the 5th year of his contract means his no trade clause (5/10) doesn't go into effect and we'd drop his salary off our payroll and free up money for Damon and a big free agent in the off season.   Mgmt doesn't do what the fans think is right.  Alot of fans crucified mgmt for trading Nomar, but that turned out pretty **** good.

[Velcro]

Updated: July 30, 2005, 10:24 PM ET

Ramirez to Mets deal 'hanging by a thread'By Jayson Stark

ESPN.com

Related Video:

Buster Olney tells us who's buying and who's selling

Manny Ramirez may still become a Met, but he won't have to get there via Tampa Bay.

 

Ramirez

The Red Sox and Mets have agreed to stop working on an intricate three-team deal with the Devil Rays, and now have begun talking only with each other, according to an official of one of the three teams.

The current deal being proposed would send Ramirez and about $15 million in cash to the Mets, in exchange for Mike Cameron and the Mets' top prospect, Lastings Milledge. But the Red Sox are believed to have told the Mets they would need more talent back to sign off on the deal. In the meantime, however, Boston is calling other teams to see if it can move either Milledge, or Cameron, or even both, in deals that could help the Red Sox address multiple needs.

With all those details yet to be worked out, and the clock still ticking toward the deadline, the official said that while there was "still a chance" of Ramirez being traded, the trade was "hanging by a thread. I wouldn't say by a noose. I would say it's hanging by a thread."

As the Mets and Red Sox talked with each other, the Devil Rays turned their attention to other deals. According to executives of two teams that spoke with the Devil Rays and White Sox, those two teams were talking about a major deal that would send both Danys Baez and Aubrey Huff to Chicago in exchange for a package of three or four top prospects.

According to three baseball men familiar with the three-way conversations, the original three-team involving Manny broke down over a dispute between Boston and Tampa Bay. The Devil Rays were insisting that Boston trade both its top offensive prospect, Hanley Ramirez, and its top pitching prospect, Jon Lester, to the Rays. The Red Sox were balking at including both, and they were unable to bridge that gap.

The Red Sox, Mets and Devil Rays had managed to revive a proposed three-team blockbuster, at least temporarily, by early Saturday. But by 2 p.m. ET, an official of one of the three teams was describing the trade as "close to dead."

The Red Sox, Mets and Devil Rays had managed to revive a proposed three-team blockbuster, at least temporarily, by early Saturday. But by 2 p.m. ET, an official of one of the three teams was describing the trade as "close to dead."

Under the proposed deal, the Red Sox would have acquired Mets outfielder Mike Cameron and pitcher Aaron Heilman, and Devil Rays outfielder/designated hitter Aubrey Huff; the Mets would have received Ramirez, Devil Rays reliever Danys Baez and shortstop Julio Lugo; and Tampa Bay would get four prospects.

In fact, the official several times referred to the deal in the past tense, also said at one point that the teams were "out of time" and, at another point, that "I just think it's not going to work."

Major League Baseball's trade deadline is 4 p.m. ET on Sunday.

[Velcro]

Despite extensive talks, meetings, proposals and counterproposals, the official said the trade "never got that close where all three sides felt they could sign off on a deal."

Meanwhile, the Toronto Blue Jays have talked to the Red Sox as well and made an "inquisitive call" about Ramirez, sources said.

Late Friday, the Red Sox, Mets and Devil Rays had decided that if they couldn't get a deal patched by noon Saturday, they would have no choice but to move on, an executive with one of the teams said late Friday night. Major League Baseball's trade deadline is 4 p.m. ET on Sunday.

"If there are any complications involving Manny's contract, or any financial ramifications [such as luxury tax or deferral issues, they] would require the approval of the commissioner's office," the executive said. "So this is not the kind of deal you can do at 3:59 p.m. Sunday."

Given that deadline, the executive said, "it's looking like it's not going to happen. Time's just running out. At some point it just becomes too late."

In addition to the initial proposal of Ramirez and Baez being sent to the Mets, the Red Sox would acquire Huff and Cameron, and the Devil Rays would receive two prospects apiece from New York and Boston.

But a source said the Red Sox felt they could not go ahead with trading Ramirez and two prime prospects -- reportedly catcher Kelly Shoppach and right-hander Anibal Sanchez -- if all they were receiving was Cameron and Huff. So they went back to the Mets "for more pieces," the source reported.

At that point, the Mets "squashed the whole thing" and talks broke off. A baseball man with knowledge of the discussions said the Red Sox asked the Mets for a "key player," whom the Mets felt they couldn't trade.

An official with one of the three teams told ESPN.com that the Mets never walked away from the deal Friday night over money -- Ramirez has $64.2 million remaining on his $160 million, eight-year contract. Rather, it was over their reluctance to let go of Lastings Milledge, one of their top prospects. Saturday, however the Mets had softened on that stance to temporarily revive the trade talks.

Red Sox prospect Hanley Ramirez would have been thrown into the mix had Milledge been included in the ultimate proposal. Milledge would potentially have gone to the Red Sox, and Hanley Ramirez would get shipped to Tampa Bay.

[TripleB]

Considering what resources Chuck has had, I think he's doing a fine job .....

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/07/31/Rays/GM_looking_at_long_te.shtml