So according to today's S.F. Chronicle, Manny Ramirez has said, through his agent, that he "wants to be traded and will not report to spring training if his wish to be dealt is not met." By all accounts, the Red Sox want to be rid of Manny and his astronomical salary, but the market for a $20,000,000/year man-with-a-lousy-attitude are thinner than you might expect, and what the Red Sox don't want is a lot of Manny's salary but none of his offensive prowess. Yet strangely, what other teams want is Manny's offensive prowess but not a lot of his salary. Hence the stalemate, and Manny's continued presence as an ample portion of "Twice Cooked Red Sock in a Rich Sulk Sauce".
So Chapter The Latest One has Ramirez threatening to go on strike. I don't know if Manny's stance is (likely) a big bluff, but if I were the Red Sox I'd call his bluff. Do nothing. Let him not report to spring training. And void his contract on the basis that he refuses to fulfill it. It's like when your overpaid employee who irritates the rest of the office quits before you can fire him. Don't you hate it when you don't get to pay those unemployment benefits?
How exactly does Manny Ramirez figure he has more leverage here?
