Here's another story about a possible trade.

Lynne

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NAPLES, Fla. -- Two questions raised as the general managers meetings
concluded last night: Will Manny be Manny somewhere else in 2007, and
can the Red Sox overcome Scott being Scott (as in agent Scott Boras)
in the Daisuke Matsuzaka negotiations?

Nobody, including Theo Epstein, can predict what deals will emerge or
which free agents will be donning Boston uniforms, though there's
growing belief J.D. Drew will be in right field and Julio Lugo will be
at shortstop. But teams feeling they have no shot at free agents
Alfonso Soriano or Carlos Lee have made inquiries about Ramírez.

One National League GM said, "We asked about him, and I know other
teams have asked about him. He's a great hitter and I think everyone
knows the risk involved with his attitude and behavior. But we also
know what he does when he plays. You can't find a better hitter in the
game."

Ramírez has two years left on his contract at $38 million. (The team
then has a two-year option.) That might be less than what Soriano will
get.

With several teams boosted by new revenues, Ramírez might be more
viable than he was last year at this time.

But one thing hasn't changed: The Red Sox won't give Ramírez away,
following the same plan as last offseason, and they need someone to
hit behind David Ortiz.

Ramírez's agent, Greg Genske, was at the GM meetings and had
discussions with Epstein about Ramírez and another of his clients,
free agent closer Danys Baez.

Genske offered little insight on Ramírez, revealing only that he had
just returned from his vacation home in Brazil and was starting his
offseason conditioning program near his Fort Lauderdale home.

"We talked to [Genske] generally about Manny and his free agents,"
said Epstein.

Genske wouldn't comment on whether he thought Ramírez would be traded,
or whether he'd want a contract extension to accept a trade. Ramírez
has 10-5 status (10 years in the big leagues and five years with one
team), which allows him to veto trades.

Genske won't even acknowledge that Ramírez has asked for a trade.

Although Phillies GM Pat Gillick called Ramírez a "headache" he would
not want to saddle manager Charlie Manuel with, Manuel might be able
to convince Gillick to change his mind.

There are many teams looking to spend money on a hitter, but the Sox
would have to have more than Drew and Lugo in place to let Ramírez go.

But the Sox have a bigger fish to fry -- namely Matsuzaka.

Boras views the bidding of $51.1 million for the right to negotiate
with Matsuzaka separate from the actual contract, but major league
sources indicate the Red Sox won't view it that way.

"He's out there talking about Randy Johnson and Roy Oswalt money, and
I doubt that the Red Sox would do that, given the amount they bid,"
said a GM who lost out on the Matsuzaka bidding.

The Mets and Yankees had Matsuzaka pegged as a $6 million-$8 million
player when they were formulating their bid processes, according to
sources familiar with the formulas used by the teams. It seems
unlikely the Red Sox would stray far from that.

Boras is trying to create some leverage for himself, but Matsuzaka
might be under pressure to make a deal with Boston.

"The kid would look like a [expletive] because his country doesn't
want him to come back," an American League scout said. "If he does
come back, it would be all about the money and that doesn't fly in Japan."

There's been much speculation on how the contract will be structured.
Many baseball people don't believe the Red Sox will go for the "out
clause" that was in Hideki Matsui's deal, in which he could opt out
after three years.

Matsui, however, was not a posted player when he received his
three-year, $21 million deal in 2002. Matsuzaka is a posted player.
Ichiro Suzuki also was a posted player, but he did not have an out
clause in his original deal.

Boras is used to playing teams against each other in negotiations, but
the Sox paid $51.1 million for exclusivity.

And don't rule out Roger Clemens joining the Sox staff. If the Sox can
convince Clemens to waive his family clause request (he goes home to
Texas between starts) and come to Boston as a closer, it would solve
Boston's biggest need.

After four days at the GM meetings, Epstein is scheduled to return to
Boston today to deal with Manny being Manny and Scott being Scott.

Source: Nick Cafardo / boston.com