[quote name='Chitown021']Are the Red Sox actually trying to deal Manny? I just got back from the store and on ESPN radio they said that's the rumor...[/quote]
well i think they are sick and tired of manny being manny...in the past couple of weeks, he has thrown a mid 60's travel secretary to the ground, he has openly criticized ownership and management, and now suddenly he has this knee injury. Earliery in the season, he also bitchslapped kevin youkillis, after youk was giving manny shit for not running out to the bench clearing brawl vs the rays. People from the bullpen got there quicker then manny did.
I thought once he pushed the travel secretary to the ground that he was pushing buttons to not come back next season. I know for a fact that local reporters were asking francona, and manny if there was anything wrong with him physically over a week ago. Then out of no where he says his knee has been hurting him for over a week. He hadn't told the team, hadn't spoken to the trainers about it, and all of a sudden he has a bad knee. Maybe it does hurt. I don't believe manny though, as he has pulled this shit in the past. The redsox management felt he was bullshitting about the knee, and francona penciled him into the starting lineup last night, after 2 days off. While you didn't seem to be a big fan of francona at the all star game, IMO and most reporters/other manager, francona is highly respected. He also takes the hit for his players and protects them. When manny has pulled this shit before, he has never ever put him in the lineup unless manny told him he was playing. Last night he put him in and manny told the bench coach, brad mills, that he wasn't going to be playing last night.
In what is the biggest series of the season so far for the sox, you have 1 of your best hitters acting like a little bitch to sting the redsox. The ownership, managment, francona, and his teamates are all pissed at him. There has been talk about the looking strikeout that manny had vs rivera before the all star break. It was the same day he was fined 6 figures by the team for pushing the travel secretary. He acted like a bitch then, and didn't want to play that day. With runners in scoring position to tie/win the game they pinch hit manny. He didn't even move the bat off his shoulder. It was very strange/shady Ab for him.
So yes, IMO, the redsox would move manny this trade deadline. I don't know what they could get and still remain in contention though. I guess you could get prospects, and move youkillis out to the OF, and either play the minor league prospect that is crushing the ball, and/or sign bonds and move ortiz to 1b, with youk in the OF. For the money he is making, and the output we are getting from him I don't think it is worth putting up with his shit anymore.