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November 30, 2006

Schilling: Manny wants out

In a pair of public appearances over the last two days, Curt Schilling may have shed more light onto the Red Sox' offseason plans than the organization has all autumn.

Speaking at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick on Wednesday night, where he was given the ``Spirit of Lou Gehrig Award'' by the Rhode Island chapter of the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Association, Schilling said the possible trade of superstar slugger Manny Ramirez may be best for all concerned. He said Ramirez' desire to leave Boston is so strong that Manny ``might not be here [mentally] if he does'' return, and he hinted that a reprise of the end of the 2006 season -- when Ramirez sat out 26 of the team's last 33 games, allegedly because of a knee injury but amidst loud whispers that he was refusing to play -- might be in store throughout 2007.

And yesterday morning on WEEI Radio's Dennis and Callahan Show, Schilling strongly defended J.D. Drew, whom the Sox are expected to sign as a free agent within the next week, against a growing legion of fan and media critics who feel Drew is too injury-prone and/or passionless to succeed in a hot market like Boston.

Schilling's comments on Ramirez came in response to a question from the crowd during a Q&A session that was taped by WPRI-TV. The entire session can be seen on the station's Web site.

``I think the belief is that trading Manny, and bringing somebody in, would be more valuable than having a Manny here that didn't play,'' Schilling said.

The veteran starting pitcher quickly added that ``I don't know that to be a fact; that's pure speculation on my part.'' But he continued: ``I live with the guys, I have some insight. I don't know for sure [but] I do know that I've spoken with Manny [and] Manny does want to be traded. Manny wants to play somewhere else.

``I believe that if they don't trade him . . . '' he added, and then paused. Apparently not wanting to follow through on that thought, he said, ``My hope and belief is that he'll stay and play like he always has. But I'm not so sure that that's the case anymore. And that concerns me, because in the last year of my career I want to win a World Series.''

Ramirez -- who dislikes the intense scrutiny that comes with playing in Boston -- has asked to be traded many times, beginning as early as the end of his first season (2001) with the Red Sox. The team has tried to accommodate him in each of the last several years, and the feeling is that, with as many as six teams in serious pursuit of Ramirez, the Sox may be able to make a deal this offseason, perhaps as early as next week's winter meetings.

``Here's the thing you have to understand . . . [general manager Theo Epstein] doesn't show up at the ballpark one day and decide that Manny wants to get traded,'' Schilling told the crowd. ``Theo doesn't talk to other people, other than Manny, to find out Manny wants to get traded . . .

``Manny has the heart of a child. He is an incredibly kind person. And he is a good person. [But] I think Manny is less than comfortable playing in Boston, for whatever reason. That's his right. I think it's gotten to the point now where there's some thought that, even though Manny might stay, he might not be here [mentally] if he does.''

His departure is expected to dovetail with the arrival of Drew, and it's hard to know which move is more unpopular with some fans and media people.

During his nine-year career, the oft-injured Drew -- a career .286 hitter who averages 27 home runs and 86 RBI per 162 games -- has played more than 135 games in a season only twice. He's had four seasons of 104, 109, 100 and 72 games. He's also been criticized by some of his past managers, most notably the Cardinals' Tony La Russa and the Braves' Bobby Cox, as being too laid-back. The conclusion in some circles is that Drew would wither under the blazing sun that is Boston baseball, and it has been a hot topic on Internet boards and sports-talk radio over the last week.

Schilling, in an impassioned call to WEEI yesterday, denied that would happen.

``It's a shame,'' he said, ``that people are poisoning the well against him before he even gets here.''

Schilling said Drew's quiet demeanor should not be interpreted as lack of desire. He compared him in that regard to Hall of Fame first baseman Eddie Murray, another quiet individual whose effort was sometimes questioned during his playing career.

Schilling raved about Drew's skills, calling him a five-tool player ``the likes of which have rarely been seen'' in Boston.

``He's as gifted as any player in the big leagues,'' Schilling said. ``There's nothing he can't do. He can fly, he has a cannon [for an arm], he can hit for average, hit for power. The key is staying healthy. If he stays healthy and plays 135, 140 games, he is a very special player.''

Ironically, Drew and Schilling once were involved in a controversy over Drew's refusal to sign with the Phillies -- the team Schilling was playing for at the time -- after they chose him in the first round (second pick overall) of the 1997 draft. ``I said some foolish things,'' Schilling admitted, though he said they were directed at Drew's agent, Scott Boras, and not Drew.

They've mended fences since then. Drew, he told the crowd at the Crowne Plaza, is an ``incredibly gifted human being . . . a very strong Christian, which I love.''

-- ART MARTONE

Posted by Art at 7:36 PM | Permalink | Comments 2

Sox sign lefty reliever from Japan

BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox made another move to obtain a pitcher from Japanese baseball today when they announced a two-year agreement with lefty reliever Hideki Okajima.

Boston already is negotiating with Daisuke Matsuzaka, the ace of the Seibu Lions who was MVP of this year's World Baseball Classic. The Red Sox bid $51.1 million for the rights to negotiate with Matsuzaka and have until Dec. 14 to sign him. If they don't, they don't have to pay the Lions.

Okajima, 30, was 2-2 with a career-low 2.14 ERA and four saves in 55 games last season with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters. He was traded there last March after 11 seasons with the Yomiuri Giants and became an unrestricted free agent after the season.

In 439 career games, he is 34-32 with a 3.36 ERA and 41 saves.

Posted by Jack Perry at 2:31 PM | Permalink

Schilling defends Drew

Curt Schilling today passionately defended the Red Sox' expected signing of free agent outfielder J.D. Drew, whose potential acquisition has been criticized in both fan and media circles.

Appearing on WEEI Radio's "Dennis and Callahan Show," Schilling called Drew "a five-tool player . . . the likes of which have rarely been seen [in Boston]." Drew is thought by some to be too injury-prone and laid-back to succeed in a passionate market such as Boston, but Schilling said a player's outward demeanor wasn't a true measuring stick of his talent or desire. He compared Drew in that regard to Eddie Murray, a Hall of Fame first baseman who also was quiet and, as a result, whose dedication to the game was sometimes questioned.

Schilling made his comments because he said he was troubled by a growing public outcry -- mostly on sports-talk radio -- that was condemning Drew before he arrived.