Will anyone sign Manny Ramirez?
The other day, the question was asked and right now…close to 60% of you think someone will. Now, we’re a long way from the start of the 2011 season, but if you pay any attention to the Hot Stove chatter, there appears to be really only one option for the 38-year old slugger.
The Toronto Blue Jays.
And why the Blue Jays…because HE said he’d play there. It wasn’t the other way around.
“You have to weigh each case by itself,” Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos told the Toronto Sun the other day when asked about the prospect of the team inking Ramirez. “If it’s the right player, the right fit, the right talent at the right price, you’ve got to be open to it.”
So, yeah, basically Anthopoulos said he wouldn’t be scared off by the idea of inking Ramirez, but, by no means, does that suggest that they are going to go out and try to sign the guy.
And before I see any more stories about how much Ramirez likes new Toronto skipper John Farrell…it isn’t like they spent THAT much time together. Farrell landed his gig in Boston following the 2006 season and Ramirez was shown the door a season and a half later.
Oh, and I’m not certain, but do you really think the superstar outfielder spent a second hanging out with the team’s pitching coach? Plus, didn’t he say the same thing about Joe Torre in 2008 when he was shipped to Los Angeles (yes) and last season when he agreed to join Ozzie Guillen and the White Sox (another yes)?
Ramirez is doing what he does best…giving reporters the proper lip service to makes headlines. It’s classic “Manny Being Manny” and, subsequently, Anthopoulos is being Anthopoulos.
But, as long as agent Scott Boras (and, yes, he does represent Ramirez) is involved…it doesn’t matter who is being who.
I’m inclined to think that Ramirez is going to attempt to pull off what Pedro Martinez did in the 2009 campaign (which was essentially what Roger Clemens had done in the past)…wait it out to see how the smoke settles, then show up in time to take the prettiest girl to the dance.
That said, we all saw how effective Martinez was with that strategy last season considering the last time he toed a rubber was two Octobers ago.
So, where is Manny Ramirez going to take his traveling circus to next? Who knows. But the bigger question might be this…does anyone care?
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