Hot stove

I’m troubled by all this talk of trading Manny Ramirez. Especially as it's accompanied by talk of signing J.D. Drew.

Ramirez is due $18 million in 2007 and $20 million in 2008, which took on added importance when the Sox bid $51.1 million for the right to negotiate with Daisuke Matsuzaka. But Drew isn’t going to come cheap: He just walked away from $33 million over three years with the Dodgers, and his agent is Scott Boras.

By the way, Boras is also Matsuzaka’s agent.

Last season, Drew hit .283 with 20 homers, 100 RBI and a .498 slugging percentage. A nice season, but Ramirez hit .321 with 35 homers, 102 RBI and a .619 slugging percentage.

And those totals are low for Manny, who hit 45 homers and drove in 144 runs in 2005, and hit 43 homers with 130 RBIs in 2004. Drew’s highest HR total? 31, with Atlanta in 2004. His highest RBI total? Last season’s 100. His season in Atlanta, when he had 93 RBI, was the only time he came even close to that total. An injury-prone player, he’s had only one season with 500 at-bats. In two 400+ at-bat seasons in St. Louis (2000 and 2002), he failed to drive in 60 runs.

Manny is simply a better player than Drew. J.D. Drew might save the Sox a couple of bucks (not as many as they would like), but he isn’t going to make anyone pitch to David Ortiz.

Starting outfield, 2004: Ramirez, Johnny Damon, Trot Nixon.
Possible starting outfield, 2007: Wily Mo Pena, Coco Crisp, Drew.

How far a fall, how fast.