Giants Making Play for Manny Ramirez?

It's no secret that the Giants need offensive help. They've finished 15th in the National League in scoring two years running. It's also become abundantly clear that they're gearing up for a run at the NL West crown in 2009, having signed Randy Johnson, Edgar Renteria, Jeremy Affeldt and Bobby Howry this offseason.

So it shouldn't come as a surprise then, that San Francisco is making a run at the biggest and best bat still available.

The Giants, the NL West's most active team this winter, are quietly making an aggressive play for free agent Manny Ramirez, according to a major-league source.

Acquiring Ramirez would come with a number of headaches -- from simply having the mercurial slugger on their roster to likely having to trade one of their incumbent outfielders (Randy Winn, Aaron Rowand, Dave Roberts). But all in all, he'd probably be worth it for a team that isn't all that far from seriously contending. They play in a soft division where 85 wins could easily equal a playoff berth.

That's especially true when you consider three factors: (1) the market for Ramirez is severely depressed because of the number of all-hit, no-field corner bats on the market, (2) signing him would simultaneously improve the Giants' offense and weaken the rival Dodgers and (3) it would save GM Brian Sabean from having to engineer a complex trade for a bat that would cost him one of his top young pitchers like Jonathan Sanchez.

Sign Manny? Sure, why not? It's not like folks in San Francisco aren't used to having a sometimes-surly, Hall of Fame slugger prowling around in left field after all.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

1-01-2009 @ 8:54PM

M Haggard said...

Dave Roberts is not a starter. Fred Lewis.

1-01-2009 @ 7:16PM

Ted Sillanpaa said...

Hey...Dave Roberts isn't an "incumbent" outfielder. The Giants are set on Fred Lewis in left, Rowand in center and Winn in right. People reporting this Ramirez/Giants rumor lose credibility when they don't know the actual lineup the Giants are looking at right now...

They could release Roberts outright. He's no factor.

If the Giants thought they wanted and could sign Ramirez...that would change everything and mean they're not willing to stick with Lewis.

Fred Lewis is the guy the Giants are banking on...even if folks who don't follow the club every day don't know anything about him. And, while Ramirez is the game-changer who could prompt a team to change a plan...the organization guys, especially GM Sabean, seems sold on Lewis. And...Lewis is a weak defender who'd seem to be a liability in rightfield.

It's hard to believe the Giants would actually change this "go younger" approach for 2, 3 years with Ramirez...but, if they do (and I would), it's a statement about the younger outfielders and particularly Lewis...not Rowand and Winn.

1-01-2009 @ 7:19PM

Andrew said...

Ted, Roberts might not be the starting left fielder, but you have to think Sabean is going to want to clear some payroll if he does go out and get Ramirez.

Quibble with the meaning of "incumbent" if you want.

1-01-2009 @ 8:59PM

Bob said...

Manny desperately needs a stalking horse to get the Dodgers to pay up and what better horse than the Giants? The Giants sure need the bat but not the baggage that comes with him...they need to stick to the plan of pitching, speed and developing the young guys for at least another year and keep their core nucleus in place.

1-01-2009 @ 9:08PM

Ethan said...

The next move after this one would be to bring back Bonds! LOL!!!!!!!

1-01-2009 @ 10:25PM

jerrad said...

this would be great for the giants. i just want to win for once

lauren said...

manny licks balls..... seriously no way

1-02-2009 @ 12:31AM

GJ said...

Manny's bat makes the Giants an instant contender and favorite in the soft NL West division plus his offense will out weigh his defensive deficiences.

Sign him NOW!

1-11-2009 @ 12:53PM

Tony Frisa said...

So let me get this straight...the Giants WANT Manny? Where does this make a shred of sense? Instead of signing Bonds to an incentive laden, affordable contract they opted not to sign him. Too much drama surrounded him and he was a clubhouse cancer, albeit good at the plate with stunning stats, no glove, and a cancer none the less. Now comes 2009 and they want to sign Manny to a $20 million plus contract because he has stunning stats at the plate. Oh did someone forget to mention he's a clubhouse cancer with no glove??? Am I the only one seeing the similarity here??? When Bonds tried to sign on anywhere as a free agent NOBODY was interested. Looking at this off season where's all the interest in Manny? Nowhere. The Yankees who use dollar bills instead of Charmin wouldn't even consider him. Does this say anything positive for Ramirez? Lets face it, he is the new Barry Bonds. Maybe there's no steroids controversy but there are enough other issues that teams are avoiding him like the plague. Baseball needs to make a statement and let him fade into oblivion. If MLB sees fit to ban Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe for "cheating", then how can they let a guy like Ramirez continue to play. Not playing to win, as he did in Boston, gave the other teams an unfair advantage,and led to losses for the Sox, which is essentially the same as throwing a game. Why should he not be reprimanded the same as anyone else in that situation? A message to the owners, just say no.

1-03-2009 @ 7:26PM

Butcher said...

Manny this year 30 homers,.295 avg. loses team at least 5 games with base running & fielding. Let him go elsewhere, too much money & too many headaches.

1-03-2009 @ 10:18PM

superdutta said...

I'm sorry....isn't this the same Manny who got traded to a lifeless Dodgers organization, brought them back from the brink with some absolutely absurd hitting numbers, turned Jeff Kent back into Superman, and carried the team into the playoffs. And then didn't he hit .520 in those playoffs? C'mon, if you don't like him, fine...but don't say his glove is going to cost you games, and don't compare him to the shell of a player Barry Bonds is now. He's arguably the most complete hitter in my lifetime, and he's still playing like it.

1-04-2009 @ 11:18PM

steeltoast said...

The reason Manny's still out there is he quit on the Redsox. Players dont want that in the clubhouse. Neither do owners and exec's. San Fran's a good fit Liberal town with a do what you want attitude.
That fits Manny to a tee. He isnt that bad a fielder when he tries. Playing Left in Boston was not that tough and he did do a good job. I seen worst, Jose Consecco comes to mind.