Tag Manny Ramirez

MLB Trading Deadline

Danny Vinik 1 Comment

Photo: ESPN

The Major League Baseball Trade Deadline is just two days away and speculation about who is going to be traded to where has taken main stage across the sport. There have already been a couple of minor trades as well as two big ones (C.C. Sabathia and Rich Harden). Harden and Sabathia have already paid huge dividends for the Cubs and Brewers respectively. Though winless in the NL, Harden has struck out 30 batters in 17 1/3 innings, possessing a 1.04ERA. Sabathia is 4-0 with three complete games and a 1.82 ERA. Those were two of the biggest names on the market and the fact that they have already been traded may mean that this year’s Trading Deadline may be uneventful, but anything could happen. Here is a look at a couple of interesting players:

Mark Teixeira: Look who is back on the market. The hottest free agent right now, Teixeira finds himself in an identical situation as last year when he was traded from the Texas Rangers to the Atlanta Braves. This time the Braves are shopping him around. The Diamondbacks seem to be the strongest pursuer of Teixeira, but there are plenty of other offers. The Braves are looking for a big-league bat and a strong pitching prospect for their star first baseman, whose stats speak for themselves (.280 avg, 20 hr, 78 rbi). Arizona is also joined by the Angels, Red Sox, and Rays in pursuit of Teixeira. I think the Braves will move Teixeira and that the offer by the D’backs will trump all other offers Atlanta will receive. Continue reading “MLB Trading Deadline” →

Red Sox Need Lineup Changes

Danny Vinik 2 Comments

The Red Sox once again are ahead of the Yankees by nine games after surviving a surge by the Bronx Bombers. Yet, the Sox batters’ recent success has been from the role players and not from either Manny Ramirez or David Ortiz. On the contrary, Ramirez and Ortiz have been hurting the offense. They have grounded into a ton of rally killing double plays and do not take pitches like the rest of the team. For instance, in the first inning of the Sox game today, both Julio Lugo and Dustin Pedroia put on very good at bats. They used up a combined 12 pitches form Tampa Bay Devil Rays’ starter Scott Kazmir and ended up both getting singles. Ortiz stepped up to the plate and on the first pitch grounded into a double play. Ramirez followed up with a weak ground out to the pitcher, also on the first pitch. Now the seventh inning is over, and the Sox still have no runs. Ramirez and Ortiz blew the Sox best chance to score. They killed a rally and let Kazmir out of a jam. Continue reading “Red Sox Need Lineup Changes” →

Red Sox Feeling the Pressure

Danny Vinik 2 Comments

The Red Sox recent woes cannot be blamed on the pitching, only on the Sox untimely hitting and inability to produce in pressure situations. In the last five games, the Sox are 1-4 and have amassed only 15 runs. With the Sox only scoring three runs a game, the pitching staff needs to be nearly perfect. The only win in their last five games was a 4-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals in which Kason Gabbard pitched a complete game shutout. Perfection. The worst part about the Sox lack of runs is that they have had more than enough opportunities. Continue reading “Red Sox Feeling the Pressure” →