Ramirez will welcome trade by Red Sox

Jul 27, 2008 - 11:24 PM By Mike Petraglia PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

BOSTON (Ticker) -- Boston Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez has taken his biggest swing yet at trying to secure his financial future in baseball.

Speaking for just over 90 seconds to a group of reporters in the Red Sox clubhouse prior to Sunday's scheduled game with the New York Yankees, Ramirez said he would welcome a trade before Thursday's deadline if the Red Sox can find a taker.

Ramirez spoke earlier in the day to ESPN Deportes and said he would not stand in the way of a deal. He then clarified those remarks with Boston and New York reporters.

"What I said was, 'If the Red Sox think they can find a trade that's going to make their team better and both sides are going to be happy, I'm going to agree.' But they cannot find a trade. It's something simple. It's no big deal," Ramirez said.

Finding a fitting trade partner could be difficult for the Red Sox if Ramirez - who holds "10-5" no-trade rights - demands that a team pick up one or both of the remaining options on his contract at $20 million per season.

"At the end of the season," Ramirez said, "all they (the Red Sox) got to do is call my agent and say, 'Hey, we're not going to pick up Manny's option for '09, he's going to become a free agent.' That's it. I go my way and you guys go your way, something simple.

"I don't want to talk to them about contracts right now. So what? Enough is enough. I'm tired of them, they're tired of me, and after 2008, just send me a letter, whatever. You don't even have to call my agent. 'Thank you for everything, you're going to become a free agent. We're not going to pick up your option in '09,'" he continued.

In the end, Ramirez concluded that it's not likely that the Red Sox would be the ones to pick up his two remaining options.

"That's not going to happen," he said. "They're not stupid. Boston is not stupid. They can say whatever they want but when it comes to make a deal, they're not going to pull the trigger because they know what they got here."

Asked if his contract is bothering him or the team, Ramirez said the question was better suited for ownership.

"I'm happy but enough is enough," Ramirez said. "You have to ask (general manager) Theo (Epstein) and (principal owner) John Henry, they know."

Ownership and manager Terry Francona met with Ramirez this week after the superstar complained of nagging soreness in his right knee, forcing him to miss two games, including Friday's opener against the Yankees.

Ramirez was ordered to take MRIs on both knees, which revealed no serious injury.