The Rays are officially introducing Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez today and the former Red Sox have lots of good things to say about their new team. Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times has the details (all links go to Twitter):
- The Rays could also add a veteran middle infielder on a minor league deal. Topkin wonders if Felipe Lopez could be a fit.
- Agent Scott Boras says talks started with Damon, then expanded to include another one of his clients: Ramirez.
- Ramirez, who signed for $2MM, says other teams offered more lucrative deals. He chose to play in Tampa since he's "already made [his] money."
- Manager Joe Maddon says he's confident that Ramirez is motivated to help the Rays repeat as AL East champions.
- Damon also thinks the Rays can win the AL East. Disagree? Cast your vote here.
- Damon says he isn't writing the "final chapter" of his career and Ramirez says he can play five more seasons.
Manny, that’s very noble of you, but I have a strange feeling you’re just saving face at this point.
If Manny plays 5 more season, he will be 44 yrs old when he retires. Im sorry but I just dont see that happening! He looked old in Chicago last year. I have always loved manny especially with Boston, but he looks to be in serious decline!
I think next year, when all Manny finds are minor league deals, he may start seeing the writing on the wall.
Yeah that unsightly .298/.409/.460 last season really screams “I’ve lost it.” I can’t believe someone would pay $2M PLUS incentives for such crappy production when they could’ve signed someone elite like Derrek Lee or Lance Berkman for $9M-$10M.
What a bunch of fools.
SLG of .319 with the White Sox is not all that promising. He had an incredible April that balanced out his otherwise average season. Still, his OBP is ridiculous and makes him well worth $2m+.
He is using Alfonso Soriano as his example, if he can play at the age of 51, why can’t Manny do it at 44?
If Manny is talking about 2011-2015, he will be 43 when he retires. And yeah, that is still pretty farfetched. I can see 3 more years tops.
well you have to give it to him, he looked in decline and still put up a very good year and was dealing with a hip and knee injuries(one of which he supposedly didnt even know about untill the surgery)
And people say retiring New Yorkers move to Florida…
First Boggs & Zimmer, now Damon and Manny. Oh wait, all of those guys were both with the Red Sox & Yankees.
Since when did Manny play in the Bronx?
Well, he did grow up in Washington Heights
Hey, are they old? No one has mentioned it. And I have never heard the Pedro joke! Hysterical stuff.
And I would like to see any of your teams upset about getting Manny for 2 million
I was going to make that point. While neither guy is a real impact player anymore, they’re still good value for the pricetag. Manny could easily be the Thome 2010 bargain story.
Damon has a little less value, since he’s potential a liability in the outfield, but Manny is virtually assured to earn his meager paycheck and then some. Great landing spot for him. He gets to be the big swinging [bat] in a lineup that is going to treat him like the star he thinks he still is.
Sorry but Manny is a clubhouse cancer. The White Sox didn’t have him long enough last year to experience that. Like he already said, he has his money now. And he’s in Florida. You see what’s happening here right? right?
“You see what’s happening here right? right?”
A disgrunteled Dodger fan griping? I don’twant to start a “whole thing” but I think DOdger fans really over exaggerated about the Manny/LA drama. He played hard until it was clear Torre didn’t want himin the field and choose Pierre over him.
That guy has no idea what hes talking about. I love Manny, Torre didn’t let him on the field. That deal in COL was the Umpire’s fault, then I’m sure McCourt wanted him to stay healthy so they could get some money back. So he didn’t touch the field. Hell, he really didn’t even pinch hit.
I watched that game, Manny crossed the line, Torre was just so sick of his $#^@ by then that he wasn’t gonna try to stop it.
Manny had issues in Cleveland too, but there they didn’t let the press near him and they never talked about it, so you never heard of it (that and he wasn’t in LA or on the East coast either).
I’m not going to argue signing him that cheaply considering what his bat can do, even though I don’t like the idea of him being a negative influence.
Calling pitches 6 inches off the plate? How did he cross the line?
Manny was the reason the Dodgers had success when he was there. he single handedly carried that team offensively. I hate when people rip Manny after the fact. So quicly they forget the production that came off his bat, especially in big spots where most hitters ground out or K looking.
Pierre was traded after the 2009 season… aside from his 50 game suspension, Manny played pretty much full time in 2009.
2010 is another story, but Pierre was long gone. Reed Johnson, Xavier Paul, Podsednik, and Gibbons got time in LF in 2010.
Jay Gibbons off PEDs. That’s one great punchline.
i really want to see this clubhouse cancer stuff? where is the proof? All of his teammates over the years have raved about him. All the young guys around him over the years have all said how much he taught them. Yeah is is crazy and screws around with management but he has never caused a team to fail by his antics
Ya, Manny decided to take his talents to So. Beach.
I’d be pretty upset if my [insert NL team] signed Manny for 2 million.
EDIT: however I think they are both fine deals for the Rays and find it hard to question any move Friedman makes whilst they are reigning AL East champs (on that budget!)
personally i would be rather upset if the redsox signed him….so 16 nl teams and 1 al team
Do people forget that Manny was in the NL last year, which meant he had to play the outfield. Let’s face, even in his prime he was an eyesore in the field. If he’s going to be just a DH then he can put up monster numbers for his age.
Then went on to end his season as a DH with 2 extra base hits and 2 RBIs. Not saying a permanent move to DH won’t help, but I think people need to expect the typical decline of player his age.
Especially the decline of a player who allegedly uses birth control pills now and then.
You guys are clowns Manny basically batted .300 last year in one of his worst years of his career.
For 98% of the league, batting .300 would be a career year. The Rays got a whooping .240 average from their DH last year; even with Manny regressing to .280 he would still represent a significant upgrade and at that price! $2 million for a guy who batted .300 last year with good perpherials compared to the league average. Haha!
Who are the clowns you’re talking about?? I reviewed the posts before yours and almost all were positive in that the Rays will be getting pretty good production for relatively low money.
Hahaha people are so stupid sometimes it is funny.
Manny basically batted .300 with better than average perpherials compared to the ML average last year. For $2 million dollars and a 3 WAR, that is a STEAL!
The Rays got something like a .240 AVG and a negative .4 WAR or something like that last year. If if Manny regresses more to a .280 average that is a still a significant upgrade!
Some of you homers do not let rational thinking through your think skulls because you are blinded by your love and admiration of your own team.
I wish the DBacks would have picked up Manny for another bargin price. Hell if he played well and we aren’t in contention I could trade him or let him go in the offseason for compensation draft picks! He would still qualify I believe.
your post made my head hurt, people are poking fun having a good time
only homer here is you for taking things so far out of context to write out a lecture.
I love it when Manny says stuff like “I can play 5 more years”.
Why are you people still conversing with each other?
Bottom line is if Manny hits .280 with 20hr’s and 85 RBI it will be monumental improvement over what they’ve gotten from DH spot over last, well, forever. I think he’s very capable of those #’s and his line at the Trop over his career is just plain sick!…If Maddon can get it into his head and he has his pride and the possibility of the playoffs to play for he may even put up better #’s. They said he’s been working out hard and is the best shape he’s been in a few years so we’ll see. I think it depends a LOT on how he and the team start as well. Damon will probably put up similar #’s to last year, but I think they got him to be a presence in the clubhouse (not to mention to get Manny for virtually nothing). It all equals out..they had to overpay for Damon to get Manny so cheap. Someone was comparing this to the “hit show” earlier. Can’t understand that logic because they over paid for all those guys except McGriff. These guys were a steal at the price….
FWIW Manny was abe to hit 1 single fastball for a HR ALL of last season.
20HRs in the AL East in unlikely at this point in his career.
Ok…ANY production at all will be an upgrade over Burrell and the others they trotted out there…..
Agreed.
I wonder who will have better numbers, Mike Cameron or Manny Ramirez?
Manny’s going to play everyday, so probably him. I wouldn’t discount Cameron’s production value as a platoon partner for Drew, though. (Most expensive right field EVER.)
Mike Cameron won’t get nearly as many at-bats. Sox have a full outfield of Crawford, Ellsbury, Drew and McDonald. He’ll probably get the heads up over McDonald, though.
The way the Sox are so lefty stacked I can see Cam getting some at bats @ DH in place of Ortiz who struggles mightilty vs lefties. In fact, considering how the entire OF is lefty and Drew struggled vs lefties in 2010 and is always of a fragile state, I can see Cameron being an important player for the Sox in 2011. It may not be more AB than Manny but it should be 300-400 at least.
Ya I agree. Drew’s health is always a concern and Ortiz doesn’t exactly light up the world against lefties anymore. I would assume the Sox will play Cameron in the field on these sort of days and give one of their OF’s a DH day off. Given the age of Drew and Ortiz I could see Cameron getting a lot of time.
I know im picking nits here, but age? Umm, isnt Cam like 3 years older than either one of them?
Manny Ramirez being gracious about his contract? Boras letting his client take a less lucrative offer? Do I have to start walking backwards and saying goodbye to people when I meet them and hello when they leave?
Manny does have a little to prove as far as his play and obviously playing in the AL east is more attractive to Manny than elsewhere. Do you now how much $$ he has paid to Boras over the years in commissions? Consider this signing a freebie.
Maybe it’s just me, but after listening/reading to the quotes of Manny Ramirez (all five of them) from the last decade, does he come off as liking himself too much?
Manny is one of the most fit guys in the league, even at his age. He may be a slacker on the field, but he is one of the hardest workers off the field. I have no doubts that he would be able to play into his mid-40s if he wanted to, especially as a DH.
Not only that but he his really a “pure” hitter. I agree with you.
Manny earned my respect by just turning down major money to just play.
Let me guess, Tampa is where Damon has always wanted to play
Yeah, Manny was “motivated” in the spring of 08′ too…we ALL saw how that worked out. And he was making $20 mil that year!!!
And he read “The secret”
Call me crazy but if Manny keeps his head on straight, doesn’t create drama in the clubhouse, & most importantly, gets along with his manager & teammates, if he does those 3 things, along with staying healthy, he’s got a chance to put up some good numbers. I don’t think people realize how good of a bargain this might end up being. Damon’s smart at the plate & on the bases. Manny (if focused) is a great hitter, despite his age. With my team hopelessly already out of it, my next favorite team has become the Rays.