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The Dodgers activated Manny Ramirez after a 35-day stint on
the D.L. and he promptly went 0-3 with 2 strikeouts. Apparently, that effort really tuckered him out since he wasn’t
in Sunday’s lineup. A day game after a
night game was the pathetic reason, come on.
Really? After 35 days on the
D.L., he needed a “rest”?
Rumors are swirling that the Dodgers immediately put Ramirez
on waivers so this is either –
1. A way of preserving his health so they can avoid a David
DeJesus situation, or
2. A really odd way of “showcasing” his talent….”Look how he
eats those sunflower seeds, your team needs a guy like that!”
The White Sox and Rays are the two teams mentioned most
often to have interest in Ramirez, so let’s take a look at where he might be a
suitable fit.
Money to Spend – The White Sox apparently have money to burn
as evidence by the Edwin Jackson acquisition, while Tampa Bay is certainly
cash-strapped and may not be so high on taking on the remaining portion of
Ramirez’s $20 million dollar salary.
Advantage - Chicago
Need of a DH – Both teams could use a designated hitter, so
this is even. The Willy Aybar, Dan
Johnson, Hank Blalock combination isn’t exactly formidable and the White Sox
just started Mark Kotsay as their DH for the 44th time– enough said.
Advantage – Tie
Clubhouse - Can you
really envision cerebral Joe Madden and Manny Ramirez carpooling over to the
park? Now imagine the same scenario
with Ozzie Guillen behind the wheel – pretty funny huh? I’d pay big bucks to ride along.
Advantage - Chicago
Upper Management – Kenny Williams obviously isn’t averse to
pulling off blockbuster yet questionable trades so a deal for Manny Ramirez
wouldn’t be out of the question. On the
flip side, the Rays’ last major acquisition to fill the DH role was a $9
million dollar contract to Pat Burrell.
That didn’t work out too well, so the Rays might be a little gun-shy
this time around.
Advantage - Chicago
If Manny Ramirez were to be traded, it looks like Chicago
might be the destination. They have the
need, the money, and a crazy enough management team to pull the trigger.
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