Take Manny Rumors With a Grain of Salt

First off, I wanted to wish everyone visiting a Happy New Year, as we say goodbye to 2008 and hello to 2009. Now, since the holidays are all over with, I would expect to see Sabean start putting some final touches on the team as they get ready to break for Arizona in the middle of next month. One thing that I highly doubt seeing happen between now and then though is to see the Giants sign Manny Ramirez. ManRam has kind of been under the radar this offseason as most of the attention has gone to the younger players, Mark Texeira and C.C. Sabathia. However, now that those two players are off limits, Ramirez now becomes the new jewel of the free agent class and some people (or at least some people in Denver at the Post where this story broke) now predict that the Giants have just as good a shot, if not better, than anyone at landing the mercurial left fielder. Now, I'm not saying I doubt it would happen because I don't want to see it. Manny would be just what the doctor ordered for this team. Not only would fill up the ballpark, he'd give them an offensive weapon they haven't had since Barry Bonds was last himself, in the 2004 season. He's also in a market which is pushing him to take a 2-3 year deal and if the Giants could get Manny for only 2 seasons, that could make a lot of sense. I think he's still going to be a top hitter for another couple of years and he's better in left than a lot of people give him credit for being.

Now, that being said, I still highly doubt there is any real shot that he lands in San Francisco. Manny right now makes more sense in the AL and you just have to believe that somewhere, there will be some AL or desperate NL team that jumps in at the final second and gives him his wanted (4 year deal). I think Boras brought the Giants name up in effort to raise the bidding war for ManRam's services. Also, if the Giants were to obtain Ramirez, it would essentially ruin their plan of building for the future. It would likely cost 28 year-old Fred Lewis (who some see as a rising star) his job and force Sabean into trying to build around another aging veteran who won't be around in a couple more seasons, a lot like he did towards the end of Barry Bonds career and the sole reason why the Giants have been so bad over the last 3 seasons. Now, again, not saying Ramirez in left wouldn't be a welcome sight for the weak offensive team like the Giants, I just don't think it's a real possibility and like the C.C. Sabtathia rumors, I hope this doesn't grow into some sort of "the Giants were supposed to get Manny" once he signs somewhere else. Something tells me Sabean isn't even talking to Boras right now and if he is, it's about Joe Crede and not Manny Ramirez. Sorry Giants fans, I know it would be nice to think about, but do you really envision another, bigger than the team left fielder coming aboard so soon? I just can't.