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Tuesday, December 12
Ramirez, Red Sox agree on eight-year deal
Associated Press
DALLAS -- Money won out with Manny Ramirez, not the memories
of his years with the Cleveland Indians.
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| 2000 SEASON STATISTICS |
| AB |
R |
H |
HR |
RBI |
AVG. |
| 439 |
92 | 154 |
38 | 122 |
.351 | |
|
The power-hitting outfielder reached a preliminary agreement
Monday night on a $160 million, eight-year contract with the Boston
Red Sox. It was set to be announced at noon ET Wednesday.
"He just felt the challenge of playing elsewhere plus a more
attractive economic package were factors he couldn't turn away
from," Ramirez's agent, Jeff Moorad, said Tuesday.
Ramirez turned down a $136 million, eight-year offer from the
Cleveland Indians, according to two sources with knowledge of that
team's offer who spoke on condition of anonymity.
His deal with the Red Sox calls for a $16 million signing bonus
to be paid over five years, $13 million next season, $15.5 million
in 2002, $18 million in 2003, $20.5 million in 2004, $20 million in
2005, $19 million in 2006, $18 million in 2007 and $20 million in
2008.
Boston holds club options of $20 million for 2009 and 2010.
A total of $31 million is deferred with interest, $3 million
from next season's salary and $4 million a year after that. Ramirez
will donate $1 million from his contract to Boston-area charities
aiding Hispanic youth.
"I'm looking forward to see what's going to happen. I'm good
friends with Pedro (Martinez). Here in Boston we have a good chance
to get the ring," Ramirez told Boston station WHDH-TV on arriving
at Logan International Airport on Tuesday.
Ramirez spent three hours Tuesday at the University of
Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester taking a physical. He was
accompanied by Dr. Arthur Pappas and Red Sox doctor Bill Morgan and
team trainer Jim Rowe.
Ramirez signed a few autographs when he arrived, but did not
comment.
"Yesterday was a roller-coaster day as we evaluated offers from
Boston and Cleveland," Moorad said. "Manny had two great
choices."
Red Sox general manager Dan Duquette could not immediately be
reached for comment. News of the agreement was first reported by
The Boston Globe.
"We've done what we can do," said Indians general manager John
Hart, who would not confirm his team's offer. "Maybe even beyond
what we should do. We hope Manny takes this offer. But if he
doesn't, we have a lot to be proud of because we feel our owner
really stepped up."
Moorad said about 20 people from the Indians' organization had
tried to convince Ramirez to stay, including manager Charlie Manuel
and teammates Kenny Lofton, Jim Thome, Travis Fryman and Dave
Burba.
Ramirez spoke with the video crew and the clubhouse attendant,
whom he tried to persuade to move on to the Red Sox with him.
Ramirez, 28, hit .351 last season with 38 homers and 122 RBI in
439 at-bats. He missed 44 games with a hamstring injury, but still
led the league in slugging percentage and was third in on-base
average.
After returning from the DL, Ramirez, a .313 career hitter,
batted .371 with 25 homers and 75 RBI in his final 71 games. In
the last three years, only Sammy Sosa (437) has driven in more runs
than Ramirez's 432.
Two years ago, Boston also tried to sign a run-producing
outfielder. But all the Red Sox wound up doing was raising the
price for the New York Yankees to re-sign Bernie Williams, who
stayed home for an $87.5 million, seven-year contract.
Ramirez's signing by the Red Sox should only spice up their
rivalry with the Indians.
The teams have met in the postseason three times since 1995,
with the Red Sox rallying from a 2-0 deficit to win the '99
division series in five games.
There is also bad blood between the clubs stemming from pitcher
Pedro Martinez's dominance of the Indians. Last season, Martinez
hit Indians second baseman Roberto Alomar with a pitch, touching
off a bench-clearing scene that resulted in Martinez being
suspended for five games.
Ramirez, drafted by the Indians in the 1991 draft, set a
franchise record in 1999 with 165 RBI -- the most in the majors
since Jimmie Foxx in 1938.
Ramirez was wildly popular with Indians fans. They embraced his
quirkiness off the field and forgave his occasional mental lapses
on it because of his mind-boggling offensive numbers.
He finished his career with Cleveland by homering in his final
at-bat at Jacobs Field last season against Toronto.
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