Rays sign Manny and Damon!!!!!

[Coach Deg]

ESPN reports----A couple of former Red Sox are reuniting in another American League East city.

The Tampa Bay Rays have agreed to one-year deals with free agents Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez, sources confirmed to ESPN.com.

Damon agreed to a one-year deal worth $5.25 million plus incentives and Ramirez one year at $2 million, according to SI.com. Both deals are pending physicals.

Damon will likely play left field and Ramirez designated hitter.

The 37-year-old Damon hit .271 with eight home runs and 51 RBIs with the Detroit Tigers last season. He has 2,571 career hits in 16 seasons with Kansas City, Oakland, Boston, New York and Detroit.

Ramirez, 38, hit .298 with nine home runs and 42 RBIs last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox. He was limited to 265 at-bats in 2010 because of problems with his right knee and left groin. The latter led to hernia surgery in October.

In 18 major league seasons, Ramirez has a .313 average with 555 home runs and 1,830 RBIs. The 12-time All-Star believes he can extend his career a bit longer as a DH.





If we get a closer we might actually break .500.

[Salvelinus]

Damon's a gamer, and a good leader. For that price Manny might turn out to be a good deal...might

[kelmac07]

I like these moves for the Rays. Would have been happy to have either one in New York.

[VirtualSmitty]

The Rays still have a really good team. They just need bullpen help, they still have a better rotation than the Yankees. Damon and Manny decent signs, even if they a little old at this point.

[taltos]

With Manny in Tampa, I feel better for Boston's chances. Damon will be helpful if he can stay healthy. What we have said about Damon after he went to the evil empire is: Looks like Jesus, throws like Mary and is loyal like Judas. Good luck in this coming season.

[Subvet642]

With Manny in Tampa, I feel better for Boston's chances. Damon will be helpful if he can stay healthy. What we have said about Damon after he went to the evil empire is: Looks like Jesus, throws like Mary and is loyal like Judas. Good luck in this coming season.

:tpd: Damon doesn't have the speed or range that he used to, and the Trop has a big center field. :=:

[shilala]

I think Damon is a good addition anywhere, and he's a gamer. Good price, too.
Manny? I suppose at DH he could be a bargain. Or just a big bill for nothing. Time will tell, I suppose.

[VirtualSmitty]

:tpd: Damon doesn't have the speed or range that he used to, and the Trop has a big center field. :=:

Damon isn't going to play center field and hasn't in years. And there is no chance when the Rays have an Upton already playing Center. He's likely to platoon out in left.

I think there are two good low risk signings. Neither Damon or Manny got that much, should make up for the loss of Pena at least.

[taltos]

:tpd: Damon doesn't have the speed or range that he used to, and the Trop has a big center field. :=:Damon has played left most recently.

[massphatness]

Lots of old people for Manny to push to the ground in Florida ...

[Subvet642]

Damon has played left most recently.

You're right; I was still half asleep when I posted.

[Subvet642]

...I think there are two good low risk signings. Neither Damon or Manny got that much, should make up for the loss of Pena at least.

With Manny, they got locker-room poison at a good price, though. :D

[Coach Deg]

If Manny has almost as good numbers as last year .297 and 20hr. That is way better protection than longoria has ever had!!! Damon will play left and right and bat infront of longoria. At 7mil for both it is two Great yes Great additions! They are one Yr contracts and if they are locker room cancers or just aren't producing you cut them and lost less then you did when you cut Burrell!!! As a season ticket holder I highly approve of the GM's effort to keep our low budget team competitive in the best division MONEY can buy!

[MikeyC]

Lots of old people for Manny to push to the ground in Florida ...

I think you're thinking of Pedro Martinez pushing down Don Zimmer.

[taltos]

I think you're thinking of Pedro Martinez pushing down Don Zimmer.Manny pushed the Sox's Travelling Secretary, a man over 60.

[jonumberone]

! As a season ticket holder I highly approve of the GM's effort to keep our low budget team competitive in the best division MONEY can buy!

Did you feel the same way after the Rays finished in last place 10 years in a row?
I remember a time when Oakland fans were lauding Billy Beane and his money ball approach. :2

[Coach Deg]

I hated the old ownership and was not a season ticket holder. After we let Crawford, Soriano, and Garza go. I said I will not renew next year unless they do something. And I think these two moves are great. Even if they do not work the ownership is at least willing to take a chance on what can pay huge benefits and if it doesn't work it didn't set us back 10yrs(Vinny Castilla). And I knew my money comment would rile up someone, just thought I would here it from a Red Sox fan first. I loved the Steinbrenner and as much as I would like to see a cap and a floor in baseball as long as there is not, I honestly have no problem with the big teams spending.

[jonumberone]

Money comments are always directed at Yankee fans even tho the Red Sox payroll is only 15 mil behind them.
I like the moves.
I felt the Rays had something and should have spent the coin to keep it.
Crawfords contract was too much but the other Rays left at reasonable prices.
I hope they are good, I was enjoying the 3 teams race for the 2 spots.

[VirtualSmitty]

I loved the Steinbrenner and as much as I would like to see a cap and a floor in baseball as long as there is not, I honestly have no problem with the big teams spending.

Salary cap? In baseball? Not happening any time soon, especially with the Rays finishing first in the toughest division in baseball two times in the last three seasons with a WS appearance to boot. You have nothing to complain about Coach Deg, even with the hits they took this off season the Rays are still money. They still have the best rotation in the division, still have a good offense, really its just the bullpen that needs work and I could see them hanging tough again this year.

[Coach Deg]

Like I said I would like to see a cap with a floor so that teams can't pocket the luxury tax money and not spend. I know it won't happen and I really am ok with it.

Dom I think after dumping Soriano, Pena, and Burrell. We did have the money to pay Crawford.

Then you dump Garza and now we do not have the best rotation in the east. Price is a legit number 1, we do not have a number 2, and then Shields, Helickson, Nieman, or Davis are legit 3/4. But no bullpen at all.

I do have Rays/Red Sox tickets for sale! Let me prefrence this- I have a few friends from Boston that live in Tampa. Great sports fans, know what they are talking about, and are not idiots. Go to the Trop for a Rays Red Sox game get 20,000 idiots that couldn't find Boston on a map. We like to call it Bandwagon Nation!!!! And when they are out these same people are in Rays gear!

[VirtualSmitty]

Dom I think after dumping Soriano, Pena, and Burrell. We did have the money to pay Crawford.

Then you dump Garza and now we do not have the best rotation in the east. Price is a legit number 1, we do not have a number 2, and then Shields, Helickson, Nieman, or Davis are legit 3/4. But no bullpen at all.



Even after losing all those guys, the money still doesn't add up to what Crawford got in Boston. Tying up those kind of funds just doesn't make sense for the Rays anyways.

And who has a better rotation in the AL East than TB? The Yankees sure don't, Toronto no, Baltimore definitely not, maybe Boston is the closest but i'd still give the edge to TB. Bullpen is another story, but even without Garza I still think they have one of the strongest staffs around.