Hanley Ramirez has made headlines for the Boston Red Sox this season, but not for the right reasons. He was perhaps the worst outfielder in the MLB and his all-around play this year did not live up to his lucrative contract. Perhaps the latest rumors will force the Red Sox to trade him.
New president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is expected to make some changes to the roster as Boston will miss the postseason for the second straight year. Ramirez has been the subject of trade rumors ever since Dombrowski's arrival, especially after the veteran cleared waivers in August.
Those rumors slowed down a bit after it was reported late last month that Ramirez would move to first base. However, Ramirez's defense has been a significant cause for concern over the past few seasons, and based on how Dombrowski handles his baseball personnel, it's hard to believe he's about to move Ramirez to yet another position he's unfamiliar with in hopes that he picks it up swimmingly.
As a result, the trade winds are blowing once again.
"The pressure on new president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski to not be in a position where he has to trade Ramirez could be significant," writes Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald. "What complicates the issue is not how much of the remaining three years and $66 million on Ramirez' contract the Sox would have to swallow in a swap, but the healthy skepticism within the industry about them hitching their wagon to the idea of Ramirez being the starting first baseman next season."
"The current scenario would seem odd for pretty much any player other than the enigmatic Ramirez," adds Chad Finn of Boston.com. "The Red Sox are saying all the right things about beginning his rehab process, but they've gotten rid of him for the time being. The No. 1 priority this winter - perhaps other than finding a No. 1 starter - is getting him out of here for good."
It's unclear what the plan is right now, but we do know the Red Sox have been one of the best teams in the MLB during the second half of the season. They're 35-33 since the All-Star break and rank third in the MLB over that span with 359 runs scored. And you know what else? Ramirez has been mostly absent in the second half due to injuries, playing only 28 games, during which, by the way, he has batted just .183/.211/.239 with zero home runs and seven RBIs.
Not only did his poor offense and defense contribute to the club's woes, but his ego also was a significant factor, according to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe.
"Yet the ripples from Ramirez's defensive struggles had more far-reaching implications, straining clubhouse relations between Ramirez and the coaching staff due to his unwillingness to work to improve. That dynamic contributed to Ramirez being 'ostracized' from his teammates, in the words of one source familiar with the situation.
"Cherington talked with the coaches frequently, but tried to avoid intervening directly, wanting to avoid a situation that would result in a key player trying to bypass the staff whenever an issue emerged.
"The staff, meanwhile, felt a bit trapped. A player signed to a four-year, $88 million deal wasn't going to be benched; DH, probably his ideal position given Ramirez's love of hitting, wasn't available; and Ramirez couldn't play first unless Napoli was traded.
"The tension was palpable and counterproductive."
And lastly, rookie Travis Shaw has been excellent for the Red Sox ever since making his MLB debut. The 25-year-old is batting .273/.335/.498 with 29 runs scored, 12 home runs and 33 RBIs in 60 games this season (he has played 50 at first base).
Dombrowski likely wants to clear some space in the payroll for a No. 1 starting pitcher, so look for Ramirez to be the first trade casualty in the offseason.
