Waivers remain among the most secretive bits of the baseball business. At some point this month, Chicago Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez was placed on, and cleared, waivers, according to Ken Rosenthal. But neither Rosenthal, nor anyone else at this point, believes the Cubs will be able to trade Ramirez, who has full no-trade rights.
Earlier this year, Ramirez and his agent stated that he’d be open to an August trade, after his family returned to the Dominican Republic. And then he said he wasn’t open to it. And then he said he’d consider a July trade. And then he didn’t. On it went.
In any event, Ramirez is scorching hot, and likely to continue to scorch for a losing team this year.
Though Ramirez is likely to stay for the rest of 2011, he continues to suggest that he may not be around in 2012.
I don’t know what to expect because I’ve never been through [free agency],” Ramirez said. “Yeah, I’d like to stay but I’d like to see which direction [the Cubs] want to go.
“I don’t know how much longer I want to play. I’m 33. I don’t have much time left. You want at least a chance to compete. I’m not saying we have to put a World Series-type of ballclub on the field because that’s hard to do, but you have to be able to compete.”
In other words, Ramirez is saying: if you’re rebuilding, don’t bother trying to re-sign me (and don’t pick up my $16 million option, either – of course, if the Cubs are rebuilding, they won’t).