Projo Sox Blog

Journal photo / Bob Breidenbach

END OF AN ERA: For a few moments yesterday, when the trade deadline had come and gone, it seemed like the Boston Red Sox and Manny Ramirez would have to find a way to go on together, for a couple more months, at least. Then came news of a trade that showed just how desperate the Red Sox were to part with their mercurial slugger -- one that included not only all of Manny's remaining salary for this year being donated to the Dodgers, but also youngsters Craig Hansen and Brandon Moss (who was pretty surprised about it) going off to the Pirates. Steve Krasner says the result will be a less fearsome Red Sox lineup, and Jim Donaldson goes says it makes Boston the underdog in the American League East. And Bill Reynolds states plainly that sports around here just got a lot less, um, colorful. (All projo)

A BIG DEAL: The big trade gets added to the list of the 10 most significant moves in Red Sox history, as compiled by the Boston Herald.

THEY'LL MISS THEIR MANNY: Dan Shaughnessy says that "from the start, Manny was a human bobblehead doll, a huggable cartoon character with savant hitting skill. Fans, especially youngsters, absolutely loved the guy. The Sox should brace for early backlash from the sizable faction of Red Sox Nation that will always worship at the Altar of Manny.

FEELING LEFT HIGH AND DRY: That describes a lot of Red Sox fans today, who feel like their team got worse because Ramirez forced a bad trade. Kevin Dennehy of the Bronx & Beans blog sums it up: "Thanks, Manny! Every other team added depth the trade deadline. The Sox get thinner." Tony Massarotti writes in the Herald that, for one final time in his Boston career, Manny got his way in the end.

INTRODUCING ... Globe correspondent Matt Porter tells you 30 things to know about Jason Bay. And Sean McAdam has scouting reports from two National League observers who know more about Bay than you probably do. (projo)

COULD'VE USED THE HELP: The Dodgers offense was pretty anemic last night, as Brandon Webb held them to one run over eight innings and became baseball's first 15-game winner. (AP)

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN: Before we learned that Bay was destined to Boston, there were erroneous reports that Tampa Bay had worked out a deal for the left fielder. Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman would not say much about the reasons Tampa Bay failed to pull off a deal, but he insisted that the Rays remained in strong position to win their first division title. (Tampa Tribune)

IN YANKEE COUNTRY, IT'S OH HAPPY DAY: The view from the Bronx is one of near universal glee that Ramirez, who more than any single player leveled the playing field between the Red Sox and the Yankees, is gone. Mark Feinsand, on Blogging the Bombers, puts it this way: "The deal that sent Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers weakens the Red Sox, plain and simple. Jason Bay is a nice player, but I don't remember ever hearing him described as one of the two or three greatest righthanded hitters of all time." Roger Rubin of the Daily News described the deal as "more good news for the Yankees." And Kat O'Brien of Newsday said that "the task of facing the Red Sox just got easier."

BUT DON'T GET TOO SMUG: Because just like the Red Sox before them, the Yankees were ripped apart by the red-hot Angels in the first game of their four-game weekend series. (N.Y. Post) Peter Abraham writes that if the Yankees want to get to the World Series, the Halos are the team they'll have to beat. (LoHud Yankees Blog)

ACCENTUATING THE POSITIVE: Fox Sports' Dayn Perry lists both the Red Sox and the Dodgers among his trade deadline winners. He says the Sox "sacrificed a bit (only a bit) of offense ... but they got better defensively, on the bases and -- presumably -- in the clubhouse."

ACCENTUATING THE NEGATIVE: NBC Sports' Michael Ventre sees Manny as a bomb tossed into a tinderbox Dodger clubhouse that had been calmed expertly by Joe Torre. Gerry Callahan, ever the Manny basher, lets loose one final salvo in a column that accuses Manny of snubbing children with cancer. (Boston Herald) The Globe reports that many Red Sox fans who cheered Manny the loudest are happy to see him go.

SHAKY DEBUT: Touted pitching prospect Michael Bowden was less than dominating in his first start at McCoy Stadium, but catcher George Kottaras made winners of the PawSox by continuing his timely hitting. (projo) Still, the Globe's Amalie Benjamin lists Bowden as a potential late-season call-up now that Craig Hansen is gone from the bullpen.

EQUAL PUNISHMENT: The league came down with suspensions for Baltimore starter Daniel Cabrera and Yankees reliever Edwar Ramirez following the beanball nastiness at the Stadium earlier this week. (AP)

HAD TO DO IT: Ken Griffey Jr. doesn't necessarily satisfy any pressing needs that the White Sox had, but GM Kenny Williams decided that getting Griffey was too tempting to pass up. The future Hall of Famer's arrival probably means less playing time for Nick Swisher and Paul Konerko. (Chicago Sun Times)

FINALLY GETTING HIS WISH: Francisco Liriano, who has been agitating for a call-up to the Minnesota Twins, may get his wish, as the Minneapolis Star Tribune predicts that Livan Hernandez's days in the rotation are numbered.

BAD BEHAVIOR IN UNUSUAL PLACES: First it was rowdy fan behavior getting headlines in Toronto, now it's Minnesota. Last night's Twins-White Sox game had to be delayed in the seventh inning when fans threw hats and baseballs onto the turf, (ESPN) forcing the Chicago team to run for the shelter of their dugout, after umpire Marty Foster tossed Ron Gardenhire for arguing a called third strike. Marty Foster, called third strike? We don't condone this kind of thing, but some fans at Fenway felt like rioting over some of the called third strikes in last week's Red Sox-Yankees game -- this is a guy who actually incited Mike Lowell to get angry.

SEE YA NEXT YEAR: Hard-throwing Toronto pitcher Dustin McGowan had shoulder surgery and hopes to be back for the start of 2009. (AP)

FALLEN STAR: That pretty much describes catcher Paul Lo Duca, who was cut by the Washington Nationals along with another veteran, infielder Felpie Lopez. (Washington Post)

OLD FRIENDS: Todd Jones went on the Tigers' disabled list with shoulder inflammation. (Detroit Free Press)

THE RETURN: Art Martone's out of Maine and back in action next week.

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