Is it a bad thing to trade Mr. Ramirez?

I certainly do not think so.  Manny Ramirez is getting on years (36?) and supposedly the Red Sox management like to keep their team young and do not like to keep re-signing guys who are older than 33 (Mike Lowell was the exception).

There is no doubt that the Boston Red Sox need to pick up the slack they have been putting on for the last couple of weeks.  They lost the recent series to the New York Yankees, they are losing to, what could be a play-off matchup, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and they are losing ground against the Tampa Bay Rays (whom, which, are facing the Yankees and Red Sox throughout September).  Do teams really want to give away their top prospects to a 36-year-old with a bad attitude but has one of the best swings in baseball?  Do teams want to give up an ace that could possibly turn out to be a bust in another uniform? 

Whatever the case, they must trade him now because then they will waste a good opportunity come autumn or winter when they must decide to pick up the $20 million option on Mr. Ramirez.  Boston Red Sox Manager Terry Francona said in an interview with ESPN last week, “I’d rather have an unhappy .500 hitter than a happy-go-lucky buck sixty-eight hitter.”  That is true however, with Manny being a distraction to the front-office and quite possibly the clubhouse, is it really worth it having a left-fielder who is getting on in years and whom could give you some young players in an exchange?  I certainly don’t think so and a lot of people on the Boston Red Sox Fan Site possibly support that notion as well.  

There needs to be a deal done like what the Angels did with Mark Teixeira. Trade with a National League team and get something good in return.  I’m proposing this: Manny Ramirez and Manny Delcarmen for a first-round draft pick, a minor-leaguer, a relief pitcher like Hong-Chih Kuo and player similar to Justin Upton. 

That will not happen but something similar could possibly benefit the Red Sox in the long-term.