Mets Hot Stove: Ken Rosenthal on Manny

On the Fox Sports web site, Ken Rosenthal discusses what a team will need to do to acquire Manny Ramirez. According to Rosenthal:

One thing to remember about any Manny Ramirez trade: Ramirez's new team wouldn't simply need to satisfy the Red Sox with a package of players. It also would need to satisfy Ramirez, whose no-trade protection gives him the right to block any deal.

As he points out, to get Manny to wave that no-trade clause, a team has to make it worth his while. Rosenthal cites Ramirez' agent that they are "open to talking about" an extension and/or restructuring of the deal.

This is significant, because the "winner" in the Manny sweepstakes will be allowed to overpay for his sure to be dwindling production past the 3 years left on the contract. Maybe it's me, but if I'm going to have to do that, I think I'd feel better if I was the GM of an American League team that had a DH role to slot Manny into down the road. To me, the true cost of Ramirez goes beyond the $57 million over the next 3 years that he is currently owed and whatever players you'd have to give up to Boston to get him.

Among other items of interest Ken Rosenthal mentions:

• Mike Piazza is a "long shot" possibility to wind up with the Padres.
  
  
• Tom Gordon "might not be the answer as the Phillies' closer." Rosenthal points out that his Ks per 9 innings have been declining over the past 3 seasons.
  
  
• The Orioles are no longer interested in pitcher Paul Byrd, feeling his almost $7 million per year asking price is a little rich for their blood. (Given that Byrd can ask for almost $7 mil, does the $7.5 million per year the Mets are paying Kris Benson really seem that high?)