Paul Kinzer, Chicago Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez’s agent, today told Ken Rosenthal that Ramirez is unlikely to accept a trade before his family returns to the Dominican Republic in August. Because the non-waiver trade deadline passes on July 31, that would mean Ramirez could be traded only if he clears waivers – or if he’s traded to a team that claims him on waivers.
None of that, of course, is particularly surprising, as it comports with what Ramirez and Kinzer have been saying for months.
But here’s the very, very surprising part of Rosenthal’s story.
Contrary to Bruce Levine’s report just this weekend, Ramirez’s $16 million 2012 club option does vest if he’s traded. If that isn’t surprising enough, get this: Ramirez wants any trading team to agree to drop the option as a precondition to his accepting a trade.
Wow.
Let me state that plainly so the shock registers: the very thing that, until yesterday, seemed like the greatest hurdle to a Ramirez trade (i.e., the fact that the trading team would be on the hook for $16 million to Ramirez in 2012) is now something Ramirez wants to get RID OF before he’ll accept a trade. I can barely wrap my head around it, but one thing it strongly suggests: Ramirez is very, very open to being traded.
Ramirez, according to his agent, would prefer to be a free agent at the end of 2011, and he also knows that agreeing to forfeit the option will make him more attractive to potential trade partners.
Does that sound like a guy who is going to veto a trade?
I think not.
In fact, to me, it sounds like a guy who will strongly consider accepting the right deal in late July, even if it means he moves on to another team a week or two before his family heads home to the Dominican Republic. Even the most ardent family man wouldn’t pass up the opportunity he’s clearly angling for just to spend an extra week or two with his family, right?
This is all very interesting, to say the least.
Maybe he knows he’ll cash in with the lack of hitters on the market next year.. it’s slim pickins’ after Poo Holes and Fielder.
Maybe so. And that’s just fine with me if it helps the Cubs get more for him in trade AND gets him to approve a trade. I’m still processing this, but it almost seems too good to be true. Or completely true, anyway.
I think ARam realized in June that if he wanted another payday he better start performing and if can continue this performance into the post season he might just get paid. There is a lot of double-speak going on here and it doesn’t speak highly of his teammate/leadership stock. Get the right return and say thanks for memories and headaches.
he’s playing roulette & he’ll probably win cuz he’ll have a Top5 free agent bat this winter ..Ramirez’s agent saw sees the Beltre signing (5yrs/$80mil for a desparate team) &knows (cuz of tampering) Ramy will get paid
Hopefully something news worthy will occur besides us losing.
Ha. Then again, is the losing even newsworthy?
Hes fed up with Quade….watch others with no trades or options volunteer to do the same…abandon ship!!!!!….
What an interesting turn of events with the option. Who knows, maybe Ramirez does not want to play baseball after 2011. I know that sounds silly, but Ramirez has made enough money and also comes from a wealthy family to retire and spend more time with his family.
I called this over a month ago. I thought all that posturing he did to remain on a last place caliber team was Aramis wanting to control where he played after this season.
http://www.bleachernation.com/2011/06/07/aramis-ramirezs-agent-ramirez-wont-waive-no-trade/
This is the best case scenario for the Cubs and Ramirez. He can become a free agent after the season in a very weak third base market. The Cubs can get the best prospects possible back now that teams won’t be on the hook for such a huge contract next year, and Hendry has some where to spend all that money next year, because you know he’s going to want to give A-Ram a big contract, even if he trades him away.
It would be sad to see Ramirez leave. I have an affinity for third basemen. Especially when I remember how long it took to find a good one for the Cubs. And he has been good. I hope that if he is traded, that it’s to a team that makes it to the series. He deserves it. I also hope (more so) that the Cubs get something of equal value or better. Not likely.
This has nothing to do with this article, but on MLB Tonight Ken Rosenthal said that Mike Quade is a good manager. I don’t think that he has ever watched Quade manage.
Yeesh. I know it’s not possible to watch every game for every team (or even half of every team’s games – unless you’re those super fan guys), but it’s got to be hard not to have at least heard the complaints.
I’ve heard him talk about it. He’s heard the complaints, and has stated Quade has made mistakes. His POV is that every new manager makes mistakes, but that his are magnified because he has so little to work with and the team is so bad.
He also thinks he is gone after this year.
He does (say that he thinks Quade is gone)? Did he say that was just his opinion, or that he’s heard things?
Just trying to add to the picture – I’ve heard that Hendry is gone, so I’m assuming Quade will be gone; Boers and Bernstein have said they’ve heard both are gone.
I think they asked his opinion (is he a one and done), and he said, unfortunately yes, he thinks he is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NefM2gVo9mw
Iam going to be really sad..we’ve hadnt had any decent 3rd baseman since santo..if we trade him to the Yankees hendry better ask for eduardo Nunez!
1 down and 7 more to go. I would be happy with only Castro remaining from this year. Hell, I think by himself he could do better than 19 games under .500 in mid-July.
[...] rights even though there are rumblings that he'd accept a trade 10 f'ing days later (though maybe we're getting closer on this [...]
[...] aside his agent’s suggestion yesterday that Aramis Ramirez would approve a trade – after the non-waiver trade deadline, or [...]