Red Sox to Land Ramirez for CF?

No, not that Ramirez (although, hey, I'd take him back)...that Ramirez. Check this out:

The Red Sox made a play to re-acquire Marlins superstar Hanley Ramirez after losing out to the rival Yankees for star free agent Mark Teixeira, league sources tell SI.com. But while the Marlins listened to Boston's overtures, Florida isn't anxious to trade its best player, and talks apparently have been aborted after no agreement could be reached.

The Marlins were said to be most interested in a center fielder, and discussions apparently centered on Boston's promising youngster Jacoby Ellsbury, talented pitching prospect Clay Buccholz and others in a package for Ramirez, who began in Boston's organization.

I'll never understand the Red Sox organization's seemingly priaptic hard-on for Jacoby Ellsbury. Even if he does eventually prove to be all that and a barrel of monkeys, there's no way he's ever going to be any better a ballplayer than Hanley Ramirez is right now, and they're nearly the same age. Yes, I know-Ellsbury's fielding is far better than Ramirez', who would likely have to move into the outfield to fit into the Red Sox mix, making defense even dicier. But hey-the Red Sox did splendidly with a good-hit, no-field guy in their lineup for many years, didn't they? So what's the problem now?

The other issue is Clay Buchholz, who in my mind, with the coming-of-age of Lester and Masterson and the rising star of Michael Bowden, frankly becomes expendable as well. I'm not sure a change of scenery might not do him good as well, after the unmitigated disaster that was the 2008 season. He seems like the sensitive sort, trying too hard to live upo to his own hype and be the no-hit guy of 2007 again...maybe a do-over in another place might be just the tonic he needs. Of course, then he'd blossom, and we'd hear "Cla Meredith"-or, God help me, "Jeff Bagwell"-all over again.  

Now, the other thing to remember is this-Ramirez signed a contract extension in May of this year, with the big money not due until 2011, at which point the Marlins will undoubtedly be looking to dump him. Hmmm. Derek Jeter's contract is up in 2010, at which point he'll be 36 years old and maybe ready to stay home, golf, and possibly come out of the closet as well. Who do you think is going to be the Marlins biggest suitor at that point? Of course, the flip side of that is that Ramirez will be trade bait, not a FA, and the Yankees likely have no one in their farm system that can compete for him.

People may not like to hear it-they went to Game 7 with this team! you all say-but the fact of the matter is that the Red Sox should upgrade their lineup if they're going to stay in competition for a division title or even a wild card. The AL East of '09 is going to be tougher than the AL East of '08. Hanley Ramirez would, in fact, be a major upgrade, offensively at least, to either Jacoby Ellsbury or Jed Lowrie. The only current young player I would not consider trading for him is Jon Lester (and look at what I said about him last year! Oh, well, it's hard being a mad genius sometimes). IMO, a trade involving Ellsbury/Buccholz/and some combination thereafter is not unreasonable for a young player of Ramirez' caliber.

Get 'er done, Theo.  

Comments

[Dave]

I'd say the two untouchables on the team from the youngsters and Lester and Masterson. If you were to swap Ellsbury and Ramirez, that'd be fine since it's talent replacing talent. If you were to swap Buchholz and Ramirez I'd be fine with that as well.

I think the Marlins were shooting for moon and wanted both guys plus others. And while I would love to see Hanley back in Boston, I think that'd be too much to give up. Just Ellsbury and Buchholz...that'd I'd have to think on, but it'd be tempting.

[Lisa K]

I'd actually be willing to swap Masterson for Ramirez straight up myself, but not Masterson/Lester or Materson/Buchholz.