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Guerrero vs. Ramirez: There can be only one
January 6th, 2009, 6:27 am · 17 Comments · posted by Earl Bloom, staff writer
Still reading internet blurbs “linking” the Angels to renewed Manny Ramirez interest.
My guess is the prevailing theory behind this story reads something like this: Angels owner Arte Moreno will “get over” being spurned by Mark Teixeira and simply replace him in the lineup, protecting Vladimir Guerrero with another big-ticket Scott Boras client in Ramirez.
The Angels have the money, and the lineup, especially Guerrero, could use him.
Well get this. Moreno was over Teixeira before he signed with the Yankees, which is why the Angels pulled their offer two days before.
And the Angels were over Manny Ramirez shortly thereafter.
Angels general manager Tony Reagins put it this way:
“Manny will not be an Angel.”
“It will not happen.”
“We are not going to sign Manny Ramirez.”
“End of story.”
Tony Reagins is not Nick Saban. When Reagins makes statements like those, he means them.
Sure, Ramirez would fit in the Angels lineup nicely. But he would have to be the DH, and he wants a multiyear contract.
Ramirez did play well in left field for the Dodgers last summer, but his misadventures in the outfield in Boston uniform are legendary. The Angels will not tolerate subpar defense, particularly when it’s the result of a clownish effort.
Guerrero (pictured, after his 2,000th career hit, with Detroit’s Placido Polanco) is expected to play more in right field this season than last. It’s a contract year for Vlad, he wants to be an everyday outfielder, and if the Angels want to re-sign him they have to present that possibility for Guerrero.
But if he re-signs, he will be the DH at some point in that contract — his age and achy back will dictate it. Plus a Ramirez signing would impact the Angels’ ability to pay Guerrero, to say nothing about a pending new deal for staff ace John Lackey. Yes the Angels have lots of money, but they do not have the Yankees’ revenue stream. That’s unique.
So if Angels fans want to make a choice between Guerrero or Ramirez, that’s what we’re talking about here.
You decide — but Moreno already has.
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there goes the playoff picture!!
The Angels should definately NOT sign Manny Ramirez! Aside from disrupting the team chemistry, he is not a player to be counted on to give it all his effort every single time he hits the field. He did so great with the Dodgers because his contract was expiring, that is it. We all know he is in it for the money, whereas Vlad, we know he loves the game and strives to help the team in every way possible, there has been no selfishness on his behalf. The Angels organization has always been a very professional organization and does not tolerate insubordination, remember Jose Guillen…?
Maloney Says:
January 6th, 2009 at 8:20 am
The Angels should definately NOT sign Manny Ramirez! Aside from disrupting the team chemistry, he is not a player to be counted on to give it all his effort every single time he hits the field. He did so great with the Dodgers because his contract was expiring, that is it. We all know he is in it for the money, whereas Vlad, we know he loves the game and strives to help the team in every way possible, there has been no selfishness on his behalf. The Angels organization has always been a very professional organization and does not tolerate insubordination, remember Jose Guillen…?
I second this comment………
We need to sign this guy!!! he is the Key to beating Boston. I dont care about his attitude, the guy can straight hit!!! Get him!!!!!!!
[...] Hola… Jump to Comments Cómo se dice “there’s only room for one of in this town?” [...]
Manny or Vlad? VLAD!!!
Earl, this post is a fine example of offering a valid opinion without implicity insulting your readers. See, it can be done. Nice work.
Just drop Mathis! He is horrible!
Look this isnt about Vlady or Manny. This is about Boras …… They have the money for both and Lacky too…… And thats bull about the DH spot. Just rotate Vlady,Manny,and Rivera, they would be just fine with that. Look, I love the Angels…….. Who ever they put on the field. This team should win the west again just as it is. But if they,we,us want to get by the Red Sox or Yankees, get Manny. Its only for 3 yrs, we can live with that……..
Just say NO…
I can’t stand it anymore! Manny is out there for the taking, he HATES Boston, we can’t beat Boston when it counts, we need a BIG BAT (see last six years….). He fits in many ways in Anaheim, he WILL sell tickets and his bat will make all our other bats better (See any Dodger who hit in front of Manny)!!! Can you imagine Vladdy getting pitches to hit in front of Manny? OMG! Its hard to get past what he did in Boston, but its harder to get past what happened to the Angels in Boston last October, and all the other Octobers….. Please make this happen.
Hey Moreno/Reagins !! This isnt about Vlady or Manny. If that were true then why did you make an offer to Teixeria. So you were picking Teixeria over Vlady. No you were will to pay for both of them. So go get Manny, he’s a better post season hitter than Teixeria. Lets do it and take down those Red Sox and Yankees !!!!!!!!!!
this is a big moment for angels management. it can continue to bank on fans enjoying the teams’ character (home grown talent wins; we don’t cater to buttheads; we win with little ball and defense; etc.) or it can do what it needs to do to produce another championship.
though the angels don’t have yankee or red sox bucks, the team does draw a similar number of fans. the team also has a very solid TV deal, great in-stadium revenue and outlandish parking money. meanwhile, the yankee payroll, when you include luxury tax spending, is roughly twice as big as the angels’. boston’s is much higher too.
my point? the angels can sign manny - who would be a huge help to them contending - or they can choose to pocket that money. the DH was invented for teams like the angels to sign guys like manny. if the angels choose to ignore that fact, at this juncture, the decision is about money.
I wrote this article so long ago, but still nobody gets it. I must’ve done a poor job.
Maybe it could work this year, the two of them. But Manny wants a multiyear contract, and Vlad will want one, too. And the Angels can’t have two DHs in 2010 and 2011, which is what they would be stuck with.
Have you watched these guys play in the outfield lately? Do you think either one of them is gonna improve in their 30s?
And $25 million a year is a little steep for a part-time player.
not that it’s relevant, but at this point i’d rather have manny over vlad any day.
yeah, this post was pretty prescient, i guess. (and, yeah, i’m probably misusing/spelling that word) anyway, i agree that manny would be wildly overpriced. i also agree that manny and vlad are fringe outfielders at this point. (worse than fringe in manny’s case) i also agree that signing manny into a period that would overlap more than two years with vlad is a bad move.
but the market is making it possible for the angels to have both manny and vlad in the same lineup during latter parts of their productive years. that opportunity doesn’t come along often, and it gives the angels a legitimate chance at another flag. if the angels choose to let finance dictate this call, i’ll think differently of ownership.
How do you feel about flyballs being caught?