Tag: Boston Red Sox (Page 37 of 37)

Red Sox acquire Indians starter Paul Byrd

August 12, 2008 / Anthony Stalter

The pitching-starved Boston Red Sox acquired Cleveland Indians’ starter Paul Byrd in exchange for a player to be named later or cash. Boston’s rotation has been weakened by an injury to Tim Wakefield (15-day DL) and the struggles of youngster Clay Buchholz.

The Red Sox are awfully familiar with Byrd.

Byrd was at Fenway Park for Game 7 of last year’s American League Championship Series on the day the San Francisco Chronicle reported he had used human growth hormone from 2002 to 2005. He then said before the game that he had used HGH for a medical condition but that he never injected the banned drug without a doctor’s prescription.
“I have nothing to hide,” Byrd said about two hours before Game 7, in which Boston clinched the ALCS with its third straight win. “Everything has been done out in the open. I have a reputation. I do not want the fans of Cleveland or honest, caring people to think that I cheated.
“Because I didn’t.”

Byrd is 7-10 with a 4.53 ERA this season, but he’s been outstanding since the All-Star Break, going 4-0 with a 1.24 ERA. Byrd will be a free agent at the end of the season, so the Tribe did a nice job getting something in return for the 37-year old vet.

Fantasy Baseball, MLB

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Manny Ramirez wants to be a Yankee

August 9, 2008 / Anthony Stalter

According to the New York Post via a close friend of Manny Ramirez, the former Red Sox outfielder wants to be a Yankee next year.

According to people who have spoken to the eccentric outfielder since he was dealt to L.A. on July 31, Ramirez wants to sign a free-agent deal with the Yankees this offseason and get 19 chances a year to punish Boston.
“He wants to play for the Yankees so he can get at the Red Sox,” a close friend of Ramirez’s told The Post.
Of course, every free agent says he wants to play for the Yankees. They pay well, will always have a chance to make the postseason, and when they show an interest in a free agent, the price from other clubs skyrockets.
Considering Ramirez is represented by Scott Boras, every imaginable angle will be played when the 36-year-old, a product of George Washington High School in Washington Heights, will become a free agent following the World Series.
Yankees GM Brian Cashman would not comment on the situation. Ramirez forced the Red Sox to deal him to the Dodgers by badmouthing the organization, not hustling and sitting out a July 25 game against the Yankees with a knee injury that didn’t show up on an MRI the next day.

Well that’s a big middle finger to the Red Sox now isn’t it? How about the Dodgers, too? Hey thanks for trading for me L.A., but there’s no chance in hell I’m going to re-sign with you because I want to piss off my former team.

Obvious statement of the century: Manny is a nut, regardless of if this report is true or not.

General Sports, MLB

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Report: Dodgers, Red Sox talking Manny Ramirez trade

July 29, 2008 / Anthony Stalter

The New York Post is reporting that the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox are talking about a trade that would send Manny Ramirez and cash to L.A. in exchange for either Matt Kemp or Andre Ethier. The Post also believes that if Boston unloads Ramirez, the club would likely make a move for Mark Teixeria of the Braves.

The Mets have continued to talk to the Red Sox without much possibility of finding a deal for Ramirez. The main track now involves the Dodgers. An executive who has spoken with officials from an involved team said it is his understanding that Boston would eat most, if not all, of the roughly $7 million left on Ramirez’s 2008 contract and in exchange would receive a top youngster such as Matt Kemp or Andre Ethier.
The Red Sox would then have another deal in place to obtain Teixeira, who like Ramirez is a Scott Boras client who can be a free agent at the end of the season. The Red Sox would view the overall switch-hitting offense/Gold Glove defense package of Teixeira combined with the removal of the Manny being Manny soap opera as a plus for this season. In addition, they would get an insider two-month look at Teixeira to determine if they want to make a strong, long-term bid on him or simply offset what they give up now to get him by getting two draft picks when he signs elsewhere this winter.

While it seems foolish that the Red Sox would trade one of the best players and eat most of his salary, landing Kemp would be huge. He’s 13 years younger than Manny, hits for average and can run exceptionally well for a guy that is 6-2 and 230 pounds. Kemp might not develop into the power hitter Ramirez is, but he’s an exceptional player and surely the Sox are hoping to land him over Ethier.

MLB, Rumors & Gossip

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