Even though I really want this deal to happen, I have to say that it does sadden me a little to see two players of Manny and Nomar's caliber leave this organization. The two players that were the heart of the greatest offense ever. I'll miss Nomar's OCD, his swinging at the first pitch, and his patented throw across his body from deep in the hole, and I'll miss watching Manny hit like he does, and I'll even miss some of his antics, especially his magical power to piss off Tim McCarver ("He should be BANNED from baseball for bringing a water bottle on the field").
So for probably the last time with him as a Red Sox:
NNNNOOOOOOOOMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

And I'd like to welcome the best player in the game.

Pulled this from ESPN - Once the deadline passes, the sides cannot discuss a restructuring of Rodriguez's contract. Beyond today, the Rangers and Red Sox can still discuss a trade and financial considerations, but Rodriguez's deal cannot be restructured.

Just wanted to say hello (1st post) to all of u !

These are very interesting, exciting and nervewrecking times for us RS fans (Schilling, Foulke, ???).
Since I live in Germany the usual suspects (Globe, ESPN, Herald, Projo, etc.) and these message boards are my first-hand information (I really miss listening to all of Boston sportstalk radio).

Though Nomar's been my fav. player I still think trade this has to be done after all those developments (Nomar's contract, the Tellem vs. JWH thing, public expectations etc.).

12 minutes left...keep yr. fingers crossed

Jens

ESPN Radio just announced that the Rangers and Red Sox are VERY busy talking again...1/2 hour to go...

Have faith RSN. Have faith in JWH to get this done. It is the moment of truth. Cross your fingers!!!

I don't know what is worse. Watching game 7 of the ALCS when Pedro came out of the dugout knowing the game was over and knowing that it was all Grady's fault. Or this a deal that might not come to be and leave us with the horrible players of Nomar and Manny. Why does this deal mean so much to us. We have one of the best teams that we have ever rooted for and I believe in our ownership to even make it better but this deal means more for some strange reason. I just know if our previous ownership tried anything like this we would try to run them out of town but this ownership has something else. I believe!!!

Sorry folks, but had to do some cleaning up - too many people posting the same one-line updates. Trying to keep this from becoming a 500-page thread. Don't take it personally if your post was deleted.

Jim D.

I don't understand. Did the Union make this deadline and then spend 90% of the available time at the Bubba Trammell hearing? Could that possibly be correct? If so, that would be the most unreasonable demand they have made!

Hello to all .. breaking the ice here with my first post. So here it goes:

1. Regardless of the outcome we have to remember that this is by far the best management team the Sox have had in place in years. The organization has an ideal complement of baseball insiders and statisticians, contract experts and a market expert in the form of JWH.

2. Management does not have to make a deal. Despite some ruffled feathers, we will be fielding one of the best teams (on paper) the Sox have ever had in '04.

3. We have to remember that while we want it now, this deal is as much about winning past '04. How many times have we seen the management strip the team's future years for underperforming players to win it "this year." Can anyone say Larry Anderson.

If the deal is there, this team is smart enough to make it. If it's not they will walk away. JWH is a self-made billionaire trader. This is his biggest trade as a Red Sock. You better believe he is not going to stretch to make it happen if he doesn't think it's the right move.

We should all realize that the SOX are in a win / win situation. It's not like we'll be compared to the 'Rays if we don't get AROD. I have read that we are at "the point of no return" with Nomah. He's still being paid 9 mill next year and will play to prove he's worth 15 ! And Manny will be Manny. He didn't give a JETER last year and still look how he produced.
I would love to see AROD with the good guys. BUT, worse case scenario......we're still better than last year.


As a wise man once said..." A wise man once said..."

We should all realize that the SOX are in a win / win situation. It's not like we'll be compared to the 'Rays if we don't get AROD. I have read that we are at "the point of no return" with Nomah. He's still being paid 9 mill next year and will play to prove he's worth 15 ! And Manny will be Manny. He didn't give a JETER last year and still look how he produced.
I would love to see AROD with the good guys. BUT, worse case scenario......we're still better than last year.


As a wise man once said..." A wise man once said..."

216 people viewing!!! While I have the chance here's my resume.

Go John Henry, It's yo Birfday....

Hey, regardless of the outcome of this, we all have entered a new area as far as message boards go. The nation is that much stronger no matter what happens.

Anyone see that ESPN insider rumors that the CWS would trade Nomar to ANA??

The suspense is killing me!

Gammons reports Texas will now accept 5 million dollars from the Sox for 3 years, instead of 5.
Looks like things are moving.
Then, of course, he said "Well, it could happen."
Thanks, Pete.

gammons just reported live that the rangers have dropped their 5 mil a year for five years to 5 mil a year for 3 years which would be 15 mil the sox would have to pay-Orza sed that the restructuring could only take off 13-15 mil

so this is very encouraging

If what Gammons is saying is true about hicks reducing the years of money he wants..........Johnny Boy do the deal!

My guess is that JH, LL and Theo orchestrated this excruciating process just so they could wear Hicks down...sort of a "rope-a-dope" strategy, only for guys with really, really big brains.

Would it be so bad to have the best offense in baseball with a greatly improved pitching staff? Actually, one of the top 5 staffs top to bottom in the game?

5M over 3 yrs? DO IT!!

Gasbag reports that texas has come down from their demand of 25 million to 15 which the PA said was negotiable on Arods contract.

ESPN radio saying that deal is not done, but by no means does this mean it's dead. Possibly that the Dodgers have backed out of any relationship to this trade

well... it's 5:06, I guess the deal is off... oh well, now we have to worry about how to sign a deal with nomar, he is still one of the best ss in the league

So, now that the Rangers seem to move somewhat (5M$ for 3 instead of 5) does this mean no restructuring of A-Rod's contract (i.e. no dealing w/ the union)?

For the first time all day I have some sense of hope that this deal will get done. I think there is a lot of pressure on Hick's part to get this done...which is why the Sox would only need to pay the 5M for 3 years, as opposed to the 5 years of Manny's contract. Gammons made it seem like they are working very hard at this. Also, espn said Orza will be available at 6PMET....I don't know if he will be doing an interview or issuing a statement.

why worry hes` GONE and by no means not one of teh best and has not been for 3 years

If Gammons isnn't just reading more tea leaves this is huge. But who knows with Petey...

I thought the union's couterproposal for the restructuing of a-rod's contract discussed yesterday was to bring down the overall value by 12-13 mil. If Tex now wants 5 mil for 3 years, it seems tome they're only 2 mil off on this. Am I understanding correctly?

I don't see how the Rangers have a leg to stand on to ask for more money. If they eat A-Rod's contract for the next 7 years then they have zero chance of putting a competitive team on the field until 2010. We're offering them approx. $90M in salary relief. Maybe they don't see immediate benefits, but if Hicks is as shrewd a trader as he's made out to be then he should understand that the future benefit of getting out from A-Rod's contract should be compensation enough.

SPORTS UPDATE: The 5 p.m. deadline to resolve the Manny Ramirez-for-Alex Rodriguez trade has past, but no deal has been announced. -- Developing


Just posted on Boston.com

It sounds like something IS going to happen.

Anni

Holy Shite, that is a fat stack of members viewing this thread! :eek

Just because it's past 5:00 does not mean the window is closed on the deal. Time has run out regarding the restructuring of the deal, which may or may not have been done. Texas and Boston can continue to discuss the trade for as long as it takes.

ESPN Radio now talking about the 'what if's' and 'who would cares' if A-Rod left the union. Won't happen, but it's a fun conversation for filler time til someone has something substantial to say.

Boston.com got it wrong too then, the 5:00pm deadline was the deadline for restructuring the contract.

can't breathe... but here's what I've gathered:

• ESPN board saying there has been a 3 hour extension (multiple posters)
• Stark saying they're talking
• Gammons says Texas has dropped 2 years off of 5M/yr demands
• Orza has said the Sox can cut 15M off of his deal

This makes me believe it'll get done.

I don't think this deal is dead. This reminds me of some deals I've worked on as a corporate lawyer doing M&A. We'd set a drop dead deadline, fail to come to agreement at the dealine and then set another deadline and another and another. Slowly, when 3 AM hit and after being locked in a war room for over 18 hours, both sides would start to concede terms. And eventually, weeks past the original deadline, a deal would close.

This is starting to smell like that.

p.s. My apologies for blowing my stack at PSF today. Holidays make me crazy.

rumor: a three hour extension has been granted... supposed source is rosenthal, sporting news... if true... i think were close!!!!!

There are only a few SS who can get 100+ RBIs, 25+ HR, 100+ runs, and above the 323 career average. Since nomar is one of them, how could you say he is not one of the best ss in the league?

i heard that the union's offer was in the $14-16 mil range so this would cover it

If in fact an extension is granted...this deal is done.

Don't count your chickens....

Folks -- have faith. Tom Hicks just blinked, as we all knew he would. This deal will get done. I have a final from 6-9 tonight. I am wearing my "good luck" Manny Ramirez shirt. When I walk out of that final, I expect my shirt to be obselete.

Between Gammons and this 3 hour extension rumor, I'm gaining a little bit of hope...Gammons to be on ESPNews again soon, according to the thing next to the ticker.

I think it was Valmoose, if not, correct me, that pointed out earlier in the thread:

ARod is not the 'source' of Texas' problems. He certainly is a big part of it, with that unwieldy contract of his, but the saving from trading ARod don't come into effect immediately. His salary is only a half million more than Manny's next year, and the Rangers don't save half of the 'savings' until after 2007 or so. The main problem with the Rangers is Chan Ho Park's contract, which comes off the books after 2006. Until then, Texas will still be unable to field a competitive team. It's not as if the 90 million dollar savings counts directly onto next season and the end of ARod signals the beginning of a Rangers spending spree...

The Sox are playing chicken with them and winning right now.

Union says no money off the contract

Sox say their offer is on the table.

Hicks says he wants X amount for taking Manny

Sox say their offer is on the table





Now union says ok.....15 mil you can take off

Hicks says ok you can take 2 yrs and 5 mil off.

WHAT SHOULD THE SOX SAY NOW?!

YOU GOT IT

OUR OFFER IS ON THE TABLE.

MLB.com's update

In the spirit of conserving bandwidth, I won't post the whole thing.

Anni

the way I understand it the wanted about $30 mill in relief, the PA said you can have 14 million off and now Texas took 10 million off so that’s essentially 24 million in relief. So the sox need to pay 6 million over 7 years.

Yup- Manny's toes are in Texas and Hicks whole body just got thrown into "middle ground." Who's this guy trying kid? Maybe if he didn't have Chan Ho Park's albatross of a contract, he'd have some real teeth here. Theo's mettle is showing.

Gammons: "Officially did not get done by the deadline." He doesn't know what it all means which is precisely what we knew he'd say.

I wore mine to work today as well !

Can someone please post what Gammons says on ESPN news, not that he will be accurate, but still I would like to know what he has to say.

Thanks

According to Gammons... deal is dead.

Fenway Fan....

With all that's been invested in this, there is no way that they are leaving this deal on the table. It has to get done......