RUMOR!! Manny to Phillies for Abreu

[JStaff17]

Apparently the two teams are talking about a possible deal. This would effectively take two possible Cub targets off the market. While I wasn't holding out any hope of getting Manny, I thought Abreu was at least possible. Who are the Cubs going to have in the OF in '06. Come on JH, make a big splash soon.

[erik316wttn]

If the Phils think they can get Manny for Abreu, I don't really think there is much we can offer them.

[UBlink]

If the Phils think they can get Manny for Abreu, I don't really think there is much we can offer them.

 

If the Red Sox think they can get Abreu for Manny, I don't think there's much we can offer them either.

[cubbyvirus00]

I believe this rumor was already shut down, not to mention Manny has that no trade clause.

 

 

Take it with a grain of salt.

[Blueheart05]

Apparently the two teams are talking about a possible deal. This would effectively take two possible Cub targets off the market. While I wasn't holding out any hope of getting Manny, I thought Abreu was at least possible. Who are the Cubs going to have in the OF in '06. Come on JH, make a big splash soon.

 

From ESPN's MLB Insider:

 

Manny-for-Abreu 'highly unlikely'

Dec 1 - ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reports that a swap of Bobby Abreu for Manny Ramirez is "highly unlikely," according to a baseball official who has spoken with both clubs.

 

The deal was proposed by the Red Sox but quickly shot down, the official said, for several reasons. The primary reason is that the Phillies have been telling teams they are only interested in trading Abreu for top-of-the-rotation starting pitching. The second is that there is a major money imbalance. Ramirez has $57 million coming over the next three years. Abreu has two years, $30 million left on his deal. Both players can veto any trades.

 

The only way this trade could happen, then, is if the Red Sox were interested in trading a starting pitcher along with Ramirez, AND evening out all the money.

 

Meanwhile, Ramirez officially has put his $6.9 million condominium in Boston on the market, the Boston Globe reports. Ramirez wants to be traded, and his wish is to play for the Angels or the Mariners, the Boston Herald reports.

 

Teammate David Ortiz thinks Ramirez won't be in left field for the Red Sox come Opening Day. "Manny is not returning to Boston," Ortiz said recently. "Manny lives a difficult situation that only he and his family know about, and he does not want to play there."

[Zaphkiel]

Poor, poor Manny Ramirez. Life is so hard for some of us.

[E.J.]

I thought the whole reason the Phillies wanted to trade Abreu was to free up some money and get pitching back in return. Why would they want to trade for Manny and his huge contract, even if the Red Sox eat some money?

[Drew Doughty]

I thought another one of the ideas behind trading any of their OFs was to clear room in the outfield.

[Cubzfan64]

Put it in the FWIW column, but the sports jocks in Boston have been commenting that Manny wants out of Boston so badly that he may not show up at spring training - of course in the same breath they said they doubted very much whether he would sit out 2006 and pass up on $20 mil.

[E.J.]

Put it in the FWIW column, but the sports jocks in Boston have been commenting that Manny wants out of Boston so badly that he may not show up at spring training - of course in the same breath they said they doubted very much whether he would sit out 2006 and pass up on $20 mil.

 

Then the Red Sox don't have to trade him. If he doesn't show up for spring training he's violating his contract. Red Sox might be able to void his contract. Let him sit out if he wants to.

[E.J.]

Jason Stark mentioned on Sportscenter tonight about the Phillies and Giants talking trade. Bobby Abreu for Jason Schmidt. The Giants would then sign Matt Morris to replace Schmidt.

[YearofDaCubs]

Put it in the FWIW column, but the sports jocks in Boston have been commenting that Manny wants out of Boston so badly that he may not show up at spring training - of course in the same breath they said they doubted very much whether he would sit out 2006 and pass up on $20 mil.

 

Then the Red Sox don't have to trade him. If he doesn't show up for spring training he's violating his contract. Red Sox might be able to void his contract. Let him sit out if he wants to.

Not a bad strategy actually.

[CubsWin]

The revelation that the Phillies are seeking a top of the rotation starter in exchange for Abreu should tell us a lot about the Cubs chances of getting him. That is unless the Phillies are willing to take Kerry Wood...

 

Anyone here not do Kerry Wood for Bobby Abreu?

[Drew Doughty]

If wood goes to the pen with a contract restructured that actually makes sense for a setup guy then i don't trade him.

 

I would trade him now if at all possible though.

[Cubzfan64]

Put it in the FWIW column, but the sports jocks in Boston have been commenting that Manny wants out of Boston so badly that he may not show up at spring training - of course in the same breath they said they doubted very much whether he would sit out 2006 and pass up on $20 mil.

 

Then the Red Sox don't have to trade him. If he doesn't show up for spring training he's violating his contract. Red Sox might be able to void his contract. Let him sit out if he wants to.

Not a bad strategy actually.

 

Yup - they mentioned that as well as far as what Boston would do if Manny just simply refused to every show up, but they guess that instead he would show up as late as humanly possible and be a pain in the ass all season because he wouldn't turn down the $20 mil. Keep in mind too that if Manny were to just stay home and allow his contract to be voided Boston would besically be minus a starting left fielder at the start of the season and also have wasted any opportunity to replace him this offseason - the only upside is they would have $20 mil to spend, but nothing to spend it on until the 2006 free agent class at the end of the year.

[erik316wttn]

The revelation that the Phillies are seeking a top of the rotation starter in exchange for Abreu should tell us a lot about the Cubs chances of getting him. That is unless the Phillies are willing to take Kerry Wood...

 

Anyone here not do Kerry Wood for Bobby Abreu?

 

Who, then, replaces Kerry in the rotation?

 

Prior

Z

Maddux

Rusch/Williams

?

 

Abreu would be nice, but you'd be creating one hole to fill another.

[Drew Doughty]

Well, you listed 5 starters...

 

Anyways, assuming we trade Williams, let Hill try for the 5th spot. Sign Morris or Millwood or Weaver or trade for someone.

 

There's not a shortage of options. And plus, you're assuming Wood's health, which I'll put stock in when he proves he should get it.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Are the Phillis dumb enough to consider Maddux a top of the rotation starter? :-k

[Tedward]

Are the Phillis dumb enough to consider Maddux a top of the rotation starter? :-k

 

Maybe if Ed Wade was still their GM. :wink:

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

It definitley appears that it will take a "front-line" starter to land Abreu.

 

Anything can happen in the hothouse atmosphere that is created when a bunch of baseball executives are all together in the same place for 4 days, but it appears unlikely at the moment that the Phillies will be making any headline-grabbing trades involving Abreu, Pat Burrell or any other big names.

 

For one thing, while the Phillies have few untouchables, the two corner outfielders likely would be bait only if a top-notch starting pitcher could be acquired in return.

 

"Which I don't see," general manager Pat Gillick said.

 

As far as Abreu is concerned, assistant general manager Ruben Amaro called agent Peter Greenberg in Venezuela 2 weeks ago and asked him to let the outfielder know that, know matter what Abreu might hear, he wasn't being shopped.

 

 

Link.