Hot- Stove

Ramirez would be more attractive in a trade if he did not require a contact extension or the exercising of his two $20 million option years. In fact, all he might want to waive his no-trade clause is the assurance that his new team would make him a free agent at the end of the season. If that’s the case, his new team would get an extremely motivated player without needing to worry about paying him $20 million per year after this season. That team also would get two premium draft picks once Ramirez departed as a free agent, helping replenish the talent it lost in the trade.

The Mets and Phillies have contacted the Red Sox about a possible deal, major-league sources say, but the Mets deny serious interest in Ramirez and the Phillies are even more of a longshot.
The bottom line is this: If the Red Sox could not trade Ramirez when he was at his peak, it will be difficult for them to deal him in the next four days, even though the dynamics have changed.

The Mets? Who exactly would they give the Red Sox, Moises Alou? The Mets can’t trade any more trade top prospects, can’t mess with their improved vibe under new manager Jerry Manuel.

The Phillies? Yes, Ramirez goes way back with manager Charlie Manuel, but perhaps no general manager emphasizes makeup more than Pat Gillick, who plans to retire at the end of the season.
Besides, the Phillies probably would need to include Pat Burrell to make the deal work financially, and Burrell, too, has a no-trade clause. He also is having a better year than Ramirez.

The Sox are a financial behemoth, and they’ll gain flexibility if they lose Ramirez’s $20 million salary. They could pick up his option and try to send him to the Rockies, Rangers or some other team in a hitter-friendly park — a move that would entail risk, for it would still require Ramirez’s approval. Or, they can decline the option and trade for the Rockies’ Matt Holliday or Pirates’ Jason Bay to be their right-handed hitting slugger in left field.

Those are just some of the possibilities, and Epstein no doubt would explore others. Francona handles the Sox’s diverse personalities with aplomb, but imagine how much easier his life will be once Manny is gone. The team might suffer some, but if Holliday or Bay enters the equation, maybe not much.

Manny Ramirez is “tired” of the Boston Red Sox and would agree to a trade that would make both him and the team happy. But he doesn’t think it will happen and Boston, battling for a playoff spot, needs the production of their cleanup hitter despite its oft-contentious relationship with him.

The Red Sox have until Nov. 9 to pick up a $20 million option for next year on Ramirez, who would have to approve any trade as a 10-year veteran with five years on the same team. They also have a $20 million option for 2010. Ramirez is in the final year of his guaranteed eight-year, $160 million contract.

Ramirez spoke for less than two minutes in Boston’s clubhouse before Sunday night’s game with the New York Yankees.

Ramirez originally told ESPNdeportes.com on Sunday that he wouldn’t object to a trade if the Red Sox are better without him. Later, in the clubhouse, he said, “What I said was, if the Red Sox think they can find a trade that’s going to make their team better and both sides are going to be happy, I’m going to agree. But they cannot find a trade. It’s something simple. It’s no big deal.”

Ramirez entered Sunday’s game batting .298 with 19 homers and 63 RBIs in 96 games. He has 509 career homers, 23rd on the all-time list and two behind Mel Ott. He hit his 500th on May 31 at Baltimore.