Outfielder Manny Ramirez has been traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-way deal between the Boston Red Sox, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the L.A. Dodgers.

To Red Sox
Jason Bay, OF (Pittsburgh)

To Dodgers
Manny Ramirez, OF (Boston)

To Pirates
Craig Hansen, RHP (Boston)
Brandon Moss, OF (AAA Boston)
Andy LaRoche, 3B (L.A.)
Bryan Morris, SP (AAA L.A.)

It is also believed that the Red Sox will pay $7 million of Manny’s contract for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Manny Ramirez being traded from Boston was inevitable. But it came as a shock that this was the trade made. Year after year there was speculation Manny was unhappy and that he would be traded. Year after year he stayed with Boston and seemed happy and quiet for the rest of the season. Things have changed though and the rift between himself and the Boston Red Sox over his $20 million team option in 2009 had crossed the line. Manny had proclaimed that he “loves the Boston fans but that the Red Sox don’t deserve a player like” him.

As the Boston fans say good bye to a future first ballot hall-of-fame player and a fan favorite, the Los Angeles Dodgers say hello to that man. He brings the power bat they had been searching for in the outfield for a long time. Andruw Jones was supposed to be that bat but he’s crossed the Mendoza line one too many times. And his glove just isn’t the same. Russell Martin and Manny Ramirez could be a nice 3-4 punch in the heart of the lineup. This team had high expectations coming into 2008 but hadn’t quite lived up to it. But they didn’t lose much for Manny (Andy Laroche, who is going to be a star was about it) and they’re in a good position to win the NL West, only 1 game out. With the return of Rafael Furcal, who was having a very good season before being injured, this Dodgers team is going to become a force in the NL in the upcoming 2 months.

I have a feeling Dodgers fans are a bit worried about Manny’s contract situation though. They would love to have him back next year, but the chances of them picking his option up are slim and the chances of them giving him a 3 or 4 year deal at age 37 (in 2009) are even slimmer. They are a big market team though and there’s a chance they could overpay him to keep the fans happy and to keep Manny happy more importantly.

Also, another concern is going to be his defensive issues. There is no designated hitter in the NL and if Manny doesn’t want to try in the field, he won’t. That’s what happened in Boston and it really wasn’t pretty when it did happen. This time there’s no green monster for him to save him when he misjudges a ball. The “Manny being Manny” act has also gotten extremely tired but I believe that Joe Torre is going to have a no-nonsense attitude. I’m also of the belief that Los Angeles is where Manny really wanted to be and that he will stay quiet and stay happy.

On the other side of the deal, it appears that Boston was just looking for a quick fix to a problem in the clubhouse. Manny was clearly a distraction and they needed to move on. But is Jason Bay really the answer they’re looking for? He has been on the Pirates for almost his entire career, outside of a brief stint with the San Diego Padres and he’s never played under the pressure of the Boston market in a pennant race. That is usually the number one concern with players coming to Boston among fans. The expectations are high and the players and fans alike understand that. But on the other hand as the cleanup hitter Jason Bay is hitting well over .300 and as a right handed batter could really put the green monster to use.

Pittsburgh was a “seller” in this deal but because of how low the expectations are in that town for the Pirates the move didn’t look as bad as it would have for a top team. Bay clearly needed a new start and the Pirates clearly needed to get younger. Boy did they get younger. They got an absolute steal that got really overlooked by the Bay-Ramirez talk. Andy LaRoche is going to be an all-star player, Hansen is hit or miss but he could end up being a star setup man if he becomes more consistent and Brandon Moss could end up being a starter for them right away. He’s already played decent at the Major League level and was just buried in a deep outfield in Boston. Bryan Morris is just a rookie but he’s shown a lot of promise. In his first two seasons (he missed 2007 because of Tommy John surgery) after being drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first round of the 2006 draft, he has had a K/9 rate of 9.85 and a decent ERA of 4.16. But that number is a bit misleading because in 2006 his ERA was 5.13 in the Pioneer league. He’s taken HUGE steps in 2008 and now has a 3.39 ERA in Single-A ball.

All in all the deal seemed fair all around. The Red Sox were able to trade a distraction in Manny Ramirez away, while gaining a 2-time all-star that can give you 30 home runs and 100 RBIs a year in Jason Bay. Unfortunately this means nothing as they actually hurt their bullpen by trading Hansen, who although was inconsistent had his moments. Manny or no Manny the Sox aren’t beating the Angels or any other team in a playoff series without a better bullpen. Papelbon is the only guarantee on any given night. The rest is a crapshoot. The Pirates were finally able to move on from Jason Bay, who had heard quite a few rumors in the past three years, and they were able to get some stud prospects and young players in the meantime that could contribute for them in the next 1-2 years. The Pirates definitely won’t compete for the division so they were right for being sellers. The Dodgers got the big bat in Manny Ramirez and although he may just be a rent-a-player, their team definitely looks dangerous for the rest of the year and could be on the verge of a pennant run if they get hot at the right time. But the only question is, will Manny come back?