The Manny Trade
OK, so you’ve all seen my reaction to Manny be shipping out and told not to let the door hit him on the way out. Now let’s look at what else the Sox gave up and what they got in return.
Leaving:
First there’s Craig Hansen. Sox fans have been waiting for three years now for his potential to come anywhere close to his on-field numbers. One day he can make hitters look silly and the next he can’t find the strike zone. Here’s the brilliant part about trading Hansen: he’s out of options. So after this season, if he struggled at the major league level, he couldn’t ride the Pawtuckett express. Using him as trade bait was brilliant.
Even though he’s spent much less time at the major league level than Hansen, I’m much more disappointed to see Brandon Moss leave. Moss wasn’t anything particularly special, but seemed like he was going to turn into a good bench player would could fill in at a number of positions on the diamond. It’s a shame to have to add Moss as a throw in when trading one of the best right-handed hitters the game has ever seen.
Oh, and some guy named Manny.
Arriving:
From the numbers, it looks like this trade is almost a lateral move for the Sox. Jason Bay is hitting 17 points lower than Manny and has two fewer homers, but has four more RBIs, a better OBP and is slugging 75 points higher. That said, we still don’t know how the NL to AL transition will affect his numbers, and, more importantly, I think the entire AL East just threw a party and made Theo the guest of honor because they don’t have to face Manny anymore. Not to mention that Bay is Canadian, and we all know how well the last Canadian the Sox got at the trading deadline panned out (see Gagne, Eric).
In the end, this trade could work out great for the Sox. They could become a more cohesive team, Bay could put up great numbers and they might win another World Series. But right now as a fan, I don’t see how this trade will help the Sox this season. Suddenly the lineup looks ordinary, and no longer has the tandem that will scare any pitcher. I can guarantee you that Big Papi is not a happy man. And when Big Papi’s not happy, I’m not happy.
Given the incident with the traveling secretary, the fight with Youkilis in the dugout and other incidents, the Sox obviously have had enough of Manny and deemed him expendable. In any case, time will tell…
Comment by Ryan Leong — August 1, 2008 @ 12:05 am
If any one of us took to knocking to the ground and smacking around one of our co-workers who was 30 years older than us . . . . would we have a job? Would we not be facing a charge of assault? Maybe he is a ‘bad man.’ He certainly is not an idiot. He played the FO like a maestro. That being said, MBM grew very tiring this year. It’s one thing to play the fool, it is a whole ‘nuther thing to be played for a fool.
Comment by Joe F. — August 1, 2008 @ 5:57 am
Anyone who thinks the Sox are better off without Manny is smoking crack. Yeah, he’s a “distraction”, but he’s also a lethal bat in the lineup, and a huge compliment to Ortiz. The lineup used to be intimidating to opposing pitchers. Now, it’s just kind of “normal”
Comment by EatBoolz — August 1, 2008 @ 7:29 am
I think the Manny for Bay deal will be pretty much a wash when all is said and done. The problem I have is that we didn’t address a need in the bullpen at all, we might have even made it worse. I’ve heard that this is a classic case of addition by subtraction, but the way I see it, I’d rather have Hansen then throw some young kid in the fire in the midst of a pennant race.
Comment by Matt E. — August 1, 2008 @ 9:20 am
Well, the Sox will probably bring up either Chris Smith, who performed well in his cup of coffee with the big club this season (6.1IP, 3H, 2ER, 4BB, 4K) or David Aardsma who is currently on the DL. In fact, when the Sox brought up Hansen last time it was because Aardsma went on the DL. It’s certainly no upgrade in the manner that Damaso Marte would have been, but it’s not like we’re just going to put AAers in there.
Comment by Matt — August 1, 2008 @ 9:30 am
manny was too much of a distraction in the clubhouse on many occasions, everyone felt this way when we traded nomar, and we won another world series, manny hasnt been manny the past few years, hes been a 30 HR 100 RBI guy, and there are others… like bay, he may not have a reputation as a clutch hitter, but we will just have to wait and see, hes 29, and hes signed through next year, unlike manny, we actually got something for him.. who knows, Bay could be the next big thing.
Comment by tc — August 1, 2008 @ 9:46 am
We Sox fans are the big losers here- we all love the Sox and we all wanted them to repeat… chances of that happening now are pretty slim. But would they have made that trade had they been playing well since the all star break? Probably not, as the pressure would have been on Theo to keep Manny, especially since Big Papi was just getting back.
Amazing how a guy making 20mm a year can get away with “dogging it” for so long.
It is also a shame that Theo’s sole focus on trading Manny distracted him from trying to upgrade the bullpen by trade for the stretch drive. Makes you wonder if the Sox are throwing in the towel for 2008.
Comment by Ken G — August 1, 2008 @ 9:55 am
You know what I find fascinating? The countless times I’ve read since thge trade that the “Jason Bay era” begins tonight. HAHAHA! Seriously?!? You’d think Jesus Christ was strapping on a pair of cleats to take his place in left field. Give me a break. This is no “win” for the Sox, and it is in fact a win for every other team in the AL…especially the Yankees. Manny used to chew them up. Better hope Ortiz’s wrist holds up. But than again, Jason Bay will bat 3rd and 4th in the lineup. After all, he walks on water
Comment by EatBoolz — August 1, 2008 @ 10:52 am
I think in the long run this trade will be a good thing. Bay is young and on his way up. Manny was good but not as good as he has been in the past. Besides, what if he decided to play his grudge during a make-or-break inning of the post-season? The Sox management can’t bank on a prima-donna attitude like that and they did what they had to do. As much as I’ll miss Manny, I do think his leaving will be better for the team (except Ortiz) in the long run. It stinks that right when Ortiz is hitting his stride after his injury, we lose Manny, but oh well you can’t have everything.
Comment by WM — August 1, 2008 @ 11:27 am
Red Sox management cannot have it both ways and I hold them responsible. When Manny started being Manny and acting stupid they stood by and let him. No redirecting, no telling him not too, instead they did nothing but look the other way. Now, they bitch and moan about him & when in fact they never had the balls to do anything. If we could get away with the shit he did then hell, we would do it too. If management got their shit together maybe we would not have loss him.
Comment by AMS — August 1, 2008 @ 11:42 am
I really think, that Theo doesn’t know what he’s doing. Giving up Manny is exactly like the Lakers and Shaq. Manny never meant bad, only one two ocasions, he was like a kid playing in someone’s backyard. Lets face it, the Red Sox just got a little boring. I hope the Sox can make it to the playoffs, but now I’m not holding my breath thats for sure.
Comment by Matt — August 1, 2008 @ 11:58 am
Manny is a hitting savant, true, but what’s his utility if you never know when he’s going to decide to pack it in for the night, or the series? What’s his value as a teammate when he ducks Joba Chamberlain, lies down for Mariano Rivera, or punches the 60 + year old traveling secretary? He gave us some great moments when he was truly dialed in, but you never knew when they’d be. He yaps about wanting to “just play ball” but yanks everyone around when given the opportunity. He’s Barry Bonds without the drugs.
Comment by Ref — August 3, 2008 @ 6:52 am
I’m gonna take a wait and see approach with this trade. It’s a new league and you gotta give Bay a chance to adjust. Manny was on his way out within in the next year or two and it didn’t seem that the team chemistry was that great with him. Don’t get me wrong, I love Manny and it would have been awsome to see him finish his career in Boston. One correction to the original post…Bay has 2 more homeruns than Manny.
Comment by Damon — August 3, 2008 @ 8:29 am