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Heyman_jon
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LAS VEGAS -- Yankees co-owner Hank Steinbrenner is said by people close to him to want Manny Ramirez in pinstripes. Unlike his father, who dreaded dreadlocks, Steinbrenner the junior is said by a Yankees person "not to give a (hoot) about his hair.''

Just because the Yankees are about to sign CC Sabathia and are trying hard for two more great free-agent pitchers doesn't mean they're ignoring the offensive end of things. With about $160 million going to Sabathia, Mark Teixeira is all but out of the Yankees' picture. But even if they sign three free-agent pitches -- and if they don't get either Derek Lowe or A.J. Burnett, with Ben Sheets next on the radar -- the Yankees are mulling a run at Ramirez.
The Dodgers have been pursuing Ramirez, and if the Angels miss out on Teixeira, they might join the Manny fray as well.
December 10, 2008  11:12 AM ET

The proglem with Manny is the length of contract. Look, he's a great hitter but the most I would be willing to go with him is 2 years, perhaps with some kind of vested option for 2011. But there's no way I guarantee the full four. Someone will, most likely.

December 10, 2008  11:13 AM ET

Aren't teams limited to signing 3 Type A FAs?

December 10, 2008  12:05 PM ET

I hope that the Yankees pick Manny to see him against the KKKsox !

December 10, 2008  12:15 PM ET
QUOTE(#1):

The proglem with Manny is the length of contract. Look, he's a great hitter but the most I would be willing to go with him is 2 years, perhaps with some kind of vested option for 2011. But there's no way I guarantee the full four. Someone will, most likely.

Someone will, because he hasn't shown any real signs of slowing down.

I can understand people's trepidation about a 4 year contract for a 36 yr old player 15 to 20 years ago. Nowadays though,players take much better care of themselves year-round, and are way more likely to stay productive right up to the age of 40.

I can almost guarantee you that 4 years from now, Manny will still be hitting .300 with 30-35 HRs and 100+ RBIs.

December 10, 2008  12:17 PM ET

Hey why not, 22 mill to CC, 15 mill to Manny, 15 Mill to Sheets and 20 to Tex... 72 mill total, remember they just shed 80 - 90 Mill this year... The yank would have great rotation CC, Wang, Chamberlain, Sheets and most likely Hughes, and just picture the ofense: Damon, Jeter, Manny, Tex, A Rod, Cano, Posada, Nady.... They would give a hell of a fight to anybody. Having names doesnt give a Championship, but come on this is going to be a great team to watch.

December 10, 2008  12:18 PM ET

Btw, I am a Red Sox fan, but would actually like to see Manny on the Yankees. That may sound a bit odd, since I am pretty damn sure he would wreck Red Sox pitching and give the Yankees a huge edge in the rivalry.

However, the sub-plot to every game and the sheer entertainment value of the whole thing would be unbelievable, no matter which side you view it from.

December 10, 2008  12:20 PM ET

where will he play?

December 10, 2008  12:25 PM ET

If Hank the Yank signs this cancer, then he needs a kick in the baseballs.

December 10, 2008  12:26 PM ET

Abreu is gone, right? So I would imagine - if this happened - that Manny would play in left, and they'd move Matsui/their LF platoon to right.

But I admittedly don't know a ton about the Yankees roster or plans...so take that with a grain of salt.

December 10, 2008  12:28 PM ET

I'm both a Yankee and a Manny fan and really would like to see him in Pinstripes. But it looks like Boras is doing a "Hail Mary" since it is evident that the Yankees are the only game if town. Added to that is the probability that Manny would like to return to his roots especially with the opening of the new stadium. Boras is not in the driver's seat; the Yankees, know that full well and will continue with its "minimal approach until the end and then pick up the ManRam on their terms as Boras will have no other realistic alternative.

December 10, 2008  12:34 PM ET

I'm not so sure Manny wants to return to a baseball town where everything is under a microscope - regardless of whether or not it's his hometown.

I have the feeling that if the Dodgers make a serious offer, he'd be glad to resign there. He wants to play the game, and then go home and be left alone.

December 10, 2008  12:38 PM ET

I think it would be a great idea if they signed him to a 2 year deal max. It would instill fear into pitchers when they face this lineup. I mean right now, there's no one really that does that to them...A-Rod? Nady? don't think so. He's the one guy that can single handedly change a lineup.

I also agree with Ariel777, good point

December 10, 2008  12:50 PM ET

Hardball


I think it is more like Hardhead. This Manny crap is complete BS. I am a Red Sox fan of 50 years and am so tired of hearing all the Manny bashing. I particularly hate the word "cancer" being applied to ANYONE! Grow up and get over your stood up prom queen drama!

December 10, 2008  12:55 PM ET

If the yanks sign manny, him beating the Redsox would simply be icing on the cake for Hank. Remember that Torre is in LA because of Hank, so Hank wanting to sign Manny is soley about taking a toy away from Torre so he doesn't make the playoffs again. Torre in and the Yanks at home was a tough nut for all Yankee fans, but it put Hank on cardiac arrest watch.

December 10, 2008  12:59 PM ET
QUOTE(#13):

HardballI think it is more like Hardhead. This Manny crap is complete BS. I am a Red Sox fan of 50 years and am so tired of hearing all the Manny bashing. I particularly hate the word "cancer" being applied to ANYONE! Grow up and get over your stood up prom queen drama!

Agreed. Manny wasn't exactly a cancer while he produced HoF numbers for the Red Sox for 7 years and lef them to two championships - and don't let silly statements by people like Youkilis mask this fact - yes, it's 25 guys and a team sport, but the Red Sox don't win either of those World Series without Manny Ramirez.

Contrary to the popular nonsense by columnists for the last 5 months or so, Manny was no "clubhouse cancer". In actuality, his team mates loved the guy (with the notable exception of Curt Schilling). Yes, they grew tired of the circus atmosphere and answering stupid questions for the last 2 months he was there, but he's not the brooding jackass team mates hate such as Barry Bonds or Jeff Kent.

December 10, 2008  01:13 PM ET

Riki, nice to hear a Sox fan stand up and tell it like it "really was". My sense is that more Bostonians than not are mindful of what Manny meant to the Red Sox during his stay, and the role of Sox management in the resultant fiasco. Indeed Manny went off the deep end from mid-June or so and his conduct was inexcusable. However, Sox management was enabling and to some degree encouraged his aberrant conduct. Manny is not the devil incarnate. As a Yankee fan, I certainly hope the decision regarding Manny is based not on 2-3 months of conduct, but his prospective on-field performance and the "minimal probability" of any events of that nature re-occurring in New York. I

December 10, 2008  01:17 PM ET

It sounds like a marriage made in heaven. :-)

December 10, 2008  01:19 PM ET

pretty sweet spending spree for a club asking city officials for a couple hundred million to complete their stadium. cc 7yr./160 million check, man-ram 3yr./ 75 million why not, burnett 5yr./75 million why not, lowe ditto the burnett deal. only the yanks would be so arrogant to ask for public assistance then spend like they have money to burn

December 10, 2008  01:22 PM ET

Manny would be playing, literally, on a diamond he grew up on--the very diamond new yankee stadium sits on was close to his park and occasionally used by his little league team. Having left Boston petulant, unprofessional and unappreciative of what was, at the time, the most expensive contract in baseball history, playing against the Sox in the greatest rivalry in the sport would be fantastic drama. But Manny is absolutely terrible in left field, a fact that was masked during his tenure in Boston due to the park's idiosyncrasies. It's impossible to really "play" the wall, besides reading fair balls bouncing off it and fielding them well, skills that neutralize the effects of unbelievable slowness (while increasing the value of a strong throwing arm). Like many of the great players in Red Sox history (Ted Williams, Yaz), Manny was, in many ways, built for Fenway Park. He will not, I promise you, look as good at Yankee stadium. They have an enormous left field. How many terrible fielders that hit well does that club really want to have on their daily roster? Please, Hank, sign Manny, and learn what happens to the biggest baby in baseball when confronted with the hometown crowd: just look at what happened to Stephon Marbury if you need a hint.

 
December 10, 2008  01:25 PM ET

I think signing manny would be GREAT!!!!! Yeah we all know that he can be a cancer but he wants to play in the Bronx, how much would he love to stick it to the Sox 19 times a year? There is no question that manny is one of the best hitters of our time. Can you imagine the numbers that lineup can put up with Manny in it? Look all you boston fans would hate to see this happen and all true yankee fans would love it, I do hope to see him in pintstripes and hopefully we get another top pitchers either Burnett or Sheets.,....:LETS GO YANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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