Following on yesterday’s report by the Star-Ledger’s Dan Granziano that tipped Kris Benson to the Orioles, Miguel Tejada to Boston and Manny Ramirez to the Mets, the Daily News’ Bill Madden and Anthony McCarren claim that talks have expanded to include the Devils Rays (again). (link courtesy Chuck Meehan)
The basics of the four-team deal that had the baseball executives buzzing yesterday and would appear to satisfy the needs of all four clubs would have Tejada and Tampa Bay’s Joey Gathright going to the Red Sox to fill Boston’s holes at shortstop and center field.
Ramirez and Baez would go to the Mets, giving them one of the game’s best sluggers and a setup man. The Orioles would satisfy their need at shortstop by getting Julio Lugo from Tampa Bay and add pitching by getting Matt Clement from Boston and possibly Kris Benson from the Mets.
The Devil Rays, who have always been difficult to deal with, especially in complicated transactions, are seeking top prospects and young pitching and would be satisfied in that regard by getting third baseman Andy Marte from Boston and Jae Seo and Aaron Heilman from the Mets. In addition, the Mets would send Kaz Matsui to Tampa to give the D-Rays a stopgap shortstop replacement until prospect B.J. Upton is ready.
An executive with one of the teams called the four-team scenario far-fetched, but an official with another of the teams said he expected to broach such talks.
On the less savory side of things, yesterday Deadspin repeated the rumor that Manny’s reluctance to stay in Boston stems from Mrs. Manny’s unhappiness with his fucking around. This scoop is right up there with Kyle Farnsworth being a jerk. What part of “Manny wants more privacy” was so hard to decipher until now?