Ramirez should stay in Boston
FLORIDA TODAY sports copy editor Jim Cawley lists five reasons why the Red Sox should not trade slugging left fielder Manny Ramirez:
1. Dynamic duo. Ramirez and David Ortiz provide the best 1-2 punch in baseball. No matter whom Boston gets in a trade, there will be a dropoff in offensive production.
2. Consistency. Manny's got it -- big time. You can pretty much mark him down for a .300 batting average, 40 home runs and 120 RBI every season. You'd have to go back to 1997 to find the last time he didn't have at least 33 home runs and 107 RBI.
3. World Series MVP. Remember that? It was just last season.
4. Manny being Manny. Ramirez does the "I want to be traded" thing every year. He missed 10 games last season -- mostly because of his antics -- and still batted .292 with 45 homers and 144 RBI.
5. Character. He's an adventure in the outfield who can spice up the occasional boring game.