zimmerolls wrote:Phillips point is far from absurd. In fact I think the RS could have even made the situation more to their advantage than he suggests but they would have lost the option to keep him for another one year deal and they liked having that fall back IMHO opinion knowing how little power hitting there is on the market.
"Furthermore, I believe the Sox could have done what Steve Phillips suggested on ESPN radio: tell Manny they would not pick up his option"
I have a hard time believing that if it was this easy it would have been done. The FO just doesn't seem isn't that naive.
IMHO the RS felt that they had leverage of the options, that they had paid Manny a boat load to have them and will be paying him deferred money from 2012 - 2030 for that right. In their view it was all business and he should just shut up and play. And they have a point.
But not all talented people are that easy. Manny clearly thought if he put his best foot forward he could get an extension with the RS and finish his career here. The RS have always wanted him to be chatty with the media, he was. He came to camp the first day it opened rather than waiting until the deadline. As it became obvious that the RS weren't doing to give up the business advantages that the options offered them he became more and more dysfunctional. That is not mature but that is how it was.
Rather than looking at the signals and trying to work through them the RS became more and more tense. While we will never know if they used the media or stood by, they watched the media storm begin with the absurd assumption Manny's striking out on three called strikes was him sending a message. They felt compelled to fire back at Manny when he made his mostly harmless comments about his contract situation. Henry's need to respond only proves that the RS principal owner can be as high strung, ego driven and thin skinned as a Diva athlete.
They could have sat down with Boras and the player and told them we will not be renegotiating but have offered to restructure Manny's contract for 2008 to release him from his options. They probably could have even proposed that in return Manny would waive some small portion of the deferred money, to make it an official rework of the contract.
The MLBPA approves this because the player is getting return for the restructure. And in the process the RS still had the first right to negotiate a new contract and if he Ramirez declined and they offered arbitration, they would have received maximum draft picks based on his status as a FA. With the option it was always use it or get nothing because Manny became a non-tender. Boras would have advised his client to take the deal IMHO.
But instead this got personal. The RS leaked the tone and tenor of their conversations with Ramirez regarding his alleged knee issues. They leaked the details of his fine for the Houston incident and that they required him to attend anger management. Epstein all but called him out on national TV telling McCarver that he'd gladly trade Ramirez if he'd only waive his no trade.
Manny had it right when he said, "they are sick of me and I am sick of them." The team's handling of this reflects that fact. This a great franchise but how they handle problem children sure could use some work.
As far as Manny goes, of course the RS got the best years from him. They have been very good about getting out a year too soon rather than 2 years to late. But they don't always fix that hole when they do with a like component. So while the player that leaves will not continue to be that player, knowing that and acting on it much easier than finding a player like the one that left was at his height. Look no further than SS or CF for examples. It is good business but couldn't they handle it with a little less ego on their side and a little more dignity?
