Let The Rumors Begin...

From the Post:

"Multiple sources tell Kevin Kernan the Red Sox's No. 1 goal is to sign Gary Sheffield if the Yankees don't pick up his option. If the Yankees do pass the buck on Sheffield, the slugger would like nothing better than to come back and play for Boston."

And this:

"There's also the chance the Red Sox will trade Manny Ramirez to the Angels, possibly for young shortstop Brandon Wood. Angels owner Arte Moreno wants to upgrade his offense and said there will be no financial barriers."

And from a dream I had last night:

"According to ESPN's Peter Gammons, the New York Yankees are close to signing little-known amateur blogger/graduate school student/righty, Nick-YF, to a 5 year deal worth a reported $60 Million. The native New Yorker throws an assortment of slow to slower junk. 'My point is: If I can reach the plate, then I at least have a chance. Hey, anything can happen. Right?' Nick-YF explained at a press conference yesterday.  He should fit in nicely behind Randy Johnson in the rotation."

It's still over a month away from the beginning of the off-season, and the Manny rumors are heating up already. I'm going to write something that will probably be refuted in the months to come, but I have this spidey-sense about this. The writing is on the wall and I'm feeling it's going down: Manny Ramirez is not playing for the Boston Red Sox next season. He's a goner. And if the Yanks do not resign Sheff, would you Sox Fans be happy with Sheffield patrolling right field in Fenway for two years?

Comments

[brooklynSF]

Another ageing outfielder? Oh yes please =(

[Rob SF]

What would a Boston off season be without Manny trade rumors? As a Sox fan would I accept Sheff in the lineup? Hell Yeah!! Nothing better than to have a guy who would absolutely hate the Yanks for 18 games a season.

I am unsure though if the Yanks will let Sheff walk though. The Sox may not trade Manny because the asking price always is mega high. Sheff is the only/possible way to possibly replace Manny's production.

Nick is on the money with the refuting thing. Manny is like a cat with nine lives. The guy is constantly asking to be traded and is still in Boston.

Perhaps the thing this past off season was that the FO asked that he tone down the trade thing for a year and they would try again during the offseason.

Whatever happens, should provide for some Indonesian Parliment get togethers here.

[yankeemonkey]

It's not an offseason until Manny trade rumors surface..

[yankeemonkey]

Off topic: Nick, what's your PhD going to be in?

[Nick-YF]

actually doing a Master's in Ed. I'm going to teach the elementary ed. Just started the program this fall, and with the student teaching and the classes, it's more work than I expected.

[Nick-YF]

no need for that "the" before elementary ed. I guess I'm excited about the Borat movie or something.

[SF]

Would the Angels actually give up Wood for Manny?

[Rob SF]

Not sure SF...I have not seen much of this Wood kid this year. Is he god enough to accept this trade? A really tough label to slap on a kid and be the one that was traded for Manny.

Look how Coco has been slaughtered at times this year replacing Damon.

[SF]

As for Sheff, a one year deal would be fine. Two years? Pass.

[SF]

Does anyone besides me think that Sheff nugget was planted by his agent? Seems like if Theo's #1 priority is to sign an aging rightfielder then we Sox fans have the right to demand a new GM. This story doesn't pass the smell test.

[Rob SF]

Agree SF...I would think that this is a scare tactic by Sheff to make the Yanks sign him.

The thought of him hitting for 81 games in Fenway though for a season is intriguing.

[Paul SF]

I can't see Sheff being anything close to what the Red Sox are looking at for next year... Not only do I not want him, I would be very disappointed. Trading away Manny for anybody would be equally disappointing.

Before the injuries, the Sox were tied with the Yanks for top offense in the AL. They don't need bats; they need arms.

[Rob SF]

So true Paul.

The only reason I would accept Sheff (If Manny was traded) waould be to buy a year to allow Murphy one more season to prep himself.

[Paul SF]

Also, not sure what the Post means when it says signing Sheff if the Yanks don't pick up the option is th Sox' "No. 1 goal." That's just idiotic. Any casual observer knows the Sox' No. 1 goal is to sign a top-line pitcher and get bullpen help. So this does indeed sttrike me as a planted rumor, as opposed to a real possibility.

[yankeemonkey]

This is the Post we're talking about. I wouldn't put too much stock into anything they say.

[Paul SF]

The Globe this morning makes it sound like Torii Hunter would be very interested in Boston were the Twins to forego his option. David Ortiz has been recruiting him, which makes it sound like the Sox are at ;east equally interested in Hunter.

Hunter and Jones are the only two center fielders worth acquiring to replace Crisp, who is going to have a very good year next year -- but I wonder how you get rid of a CF coming off a subpar year who's undergoing season-ending surgery? Doesn't seem very likely or worthwhile...

[yankeemonkey]

Theoretically, you could stick Hunter/Jones in center, Wily Mo in LF provided Manny goes bye-bye, and move Coco to RF to replace Nixon, no?

[Quo]

YM, I wouldn't personally be upset with those names in the outfield, but Coco's arm needs to be hidden in CF (where he'd have cutoff men anyway) or Fenway's LF. As bad of an outfielder as Wily Mo is, he'd definitely have at least the second best arm of any of those names you mentioned.

[LouGYF]

The Post loves to stir the pot. How the hell would they know that Sheff would be the number one choice for the Sox? Because Theo told them? Right. Obviously the Sox want pitching and probably they want a centerfielder. I'm not sure anyone but Sox fans thinks Coco will have a good year next year, or that Theo is willing to bet on that.

Don't be surprised to see Sheff at 1st in Yankee Stadium next year, with Giambi at DH. That's a hell of a lineup. But you have to ask if Sheff's wrist will be 100%, because he's not the same hitter without his wrists, or if this was a breakdown caused by steroids and just the beginning of the end. He's had breakdowns the last 3 years, but he can't play through wrist injuries and still be the feared hitter he has been.

Muscle tears and broken bones in the wrist are typical steroid injuries.

[Paul SF]

"I'm not sure anyone but Sox fans thinks Coco will have a good year next year, or that Theo is willing to bet on that."

No one knows for sure, but isn't it a reasonable assumption that Crisp given an offseason to get healthy will play to expectations next year? The man missed significant playing time, played hurt all season long and suffered for it.

[Seth]

If we are starting rumors, what about Arod for Wood and few other prospects/players.
LAA could use the offense. They would still be able to get another big OF bat. And if the yankees got some pitching back, they would have to consider it.

[Brad]

Seth,
That's a great idea.