missjohnR
07-31-2005, 02:59 PM
On the Red Sox site, Manny is staying put in Boston. He wants to help his team go to the world series again. His team mates agreed that they nned him around. However he might not be around after his contract is up in 2008. Read Below.
BOSTON -- All week, the talk in Boston was about Manny Ramirez. Early Sunday afternoon, roughly four hours before the trading deadline would pass and he was all but certain to remain with the Red Sox, Ramirez did the talking himself.
Amid the backdrop of manager Terry Francona's cramped office, which was packed with reporters, the star slugger of the Red Sox made his first public comments since May 15, the day he belted his 400th home run in Seattle.
Ramirez, flanked by Kevin Millar, who was serving as a mock moderator, said that he was at peace with playing the remainder of the 2005 season for the Red Sox.
"I want to stay here for 2005. I want to help this team win another World Series," said Ramirez, whose name had surfaced in numerous trade rumors involving the Mets the last few days.
Ultimately, the Red Sox decided that their best chance to repeat as World Series champions was to proceed with Ramirez as their cleanup hitter.
Amid reports that Ramirez and Francona have had a serious falling out, the left fielder said that he was fine with his manager.
Francona was sitting at his desk while Ramirez, in noticeably good spirits, held court.
"I never said that [I have a problem with Francona]," said Ramirez. "My situation with Tito is perfect, man. I never had no problem with no manager."
Ramirez then explained the other big controversy of the week, in which he chose to take a scheduled day off this past Wednesday against the Devil Rays when the team was short-handed with Trot Nixon going on the disabled list before the game.
Said Ramirez: "The things that happened, I was supposed to get Sunday off in Chicago, and I told Tito, 'No, Tito, I'm going to play on Sunday.' I told him, 'Why don't you give me Wednesday off so I could get Thursday [an off-day for the Red Sox] off, [also].' OK, so when Trot got hurt, one of the coaches came up to me and told me, 'You still want Wednesday off?' I told him, 'Yeah.' If they came up to me and told me, 'I want you to play on Wednesday,' I would have played. I want to play. I'm a player. That's what happened. I'm not here because I don't want to play; I'm not that kind of guy."
Francona added later that if there was any lack of communication, he would take the blame.
Ramirez didn't say whether he wanted to remain in Boston beyond 2005. His contract expires following the 2008 season, so there's a chance the Red Sox could explore moving him again in the winter, though he'd have 10-5 rights, which would give him the right to veto any potential trade.
"Hey, I'm still here. I'm here to win and help this team win for 2005," said Ramirez.
Shortly before Saturday night's game, Francona huddled with Ramirez. Considering everything that was swirling around the slugger, Francona opted to give him Saturday and Sunday off, which precedes Monday's off-day with the hope that a mentally and physically refreshed cleanup man will re-join the lineup on Tuesday night against the Royals.
complete coverage >Ramirez, who didn't play at all on Saturday, said he'd be happy to come off the bench on Sunday if his team needed him.
"It's great. I'm getting the day off," said Ramirez. "But I'm here. If they need me, I'll play."
He said there was no truth to rumors he had asked out of the lineup moments before Saturday's game.
"Tito told me he was going to give me a day off. That's what happened," said Ramirez.
On Friday night, Ramirez was booed harshly by the Fenway faithful for the first time since joining the Red Sox in 2001.
"It doesn't bother me, man. This is not my first time I've got booed," said Ramirez. "I don't care about that. I'm just going to go out and do my thing and play the game."
Francona then smiled at Ramirez and said, "This isn't your first rodeo."
Ramirez, like a playful parrot, said, "No, this is not my first rodeo."
As it turns out, he has quite a few more rodeos left in Boston in 2005, and perhaps beyond.
BOSTON -- All week, the talk in Boston was about Manny Ramirez. Early Sunday afternoon, roughly four hours before the trading deadline would pass and he was all but certain to remain with the Red Sox, Ramirez did the talking himself.
Amid the backdrop of manager Terry Francona's cramped office, which was packed with reporters, the star slugger of the Red Sox made his first public comments since May 15, the day he belted his 400th home run in Seattle.
Ramirez, flanked by Kevin Millar, who was serving as a mock moderator, said that he was at peace with playing the remainder of the 2005 season for the Red Sox.
"I want to stay here for 2005. I want to help this team win another World Series," said Ramirez, whose name had surfaced in numerous trade rumors involving the Mets the last few days.
Ultimately, the Red Sox decided that their best chance to repeat as World Series champions was to proceed with Ramirez as their cleanup hitter.
Amid reports that Ramirez and Francona have had a serious falling out, the left fielder said that he was fine with his manager.
Francona was sitting at his desk while Ramirez, in noticeably good spirits, held court.
"I never said that [I have a problem with Francona]," said Ramirez. "My situation with Tito is perfect, man. I never had no problem with no manager."
Ramirez then explained the other big controversy of the week, in which he chose to take a scheduled day off this past Wednesday against the Devil Rays when the team was short-handed with Trot Nixon going on the disabled list before the game.
Said Ramirez: "The things that happened, I was supposed to get Sunday off in Chicago, and I told Tito, 'No, Tito, I'm going to play on Sunday.' I told him, 'Why don't you give me Wednesday off so I could get Thursday [an off-day for the Red Sox] off, [also].' OK, so when Trot got hurt, one of the coaches came up to me and told me, 'You still want Wednesday off?' I told him, 'Yeah.' If they came up to me and told me, 'I want you to play on Wednesday,' I would have played. I want to play. I'm a player. That's what happened. I'm not here because I don't want to play; I'm not that kind of guy."
Francona added later that if there was any lack of communication, he would take the blame.
Ramirez didn't say whether he wanted to remain in Boston beyond 2005. His contract expires following the 2008 season, so there's a chance the Red Sox could explore moving him again in the winter, though he'd have 10-5 rights, which would give him the right to veto any potential trade.
"Hey, I'm still here. I'm here to win and help this team win for 2005," said Ramirez.
Shortly before Saturday night's game, Francona huddled with Ramirez. Considering everything that was swirling around the slugger, Francona opted to give him Saturday and Sunday off, which precedes Monday's off-day with the hope that a mentally and physically refreshed cleanup man will re-join the lineup on Tuesday night against the Royals.
complete coverage >Ramirez, who didn't play at all on Saturday, said he'd be happy to come off the bench on Sunday if his team needed him.
"It's great. I'm getting the day off," said Ramirez. "But I'm here. If they need me, I'll play."
He said there was no truth to rumors he had asked out of the lineup moments before Saturday's game.
"Tito told me he was going to give me a day off. That's what happened," said Ramirez.
On Friday night, Ramirez was booed harshly by the Fenway faithful for the first time since joining the Red Sox in 2001.
"It doesn't bother me, man. This is not my first time I've got booed," said Ramirez. "I don't care about that. I'm just going to go out and do my thing and play the game."
Francona then smiled at Ramirez and said, "This isn't your first rodeo."
Ramirez, like a playful parrot, said, "No, this is not my first rodeo."
As it turns out, he has quite a few more rodeos left in Boston in 2005, and perhaps beyond.