Sunday Musings.......Of Mikey And Manny

This from the Globe on an even colder morning than yesterday's white frost-tipped lawn-whitened morning was, and then a comment....

"With Sox third baseman Mike Lowell having only one year left on his contract (at $9 million) and knowing there's enough interest that they could move him, the Red Sox have interest in lefthanded-hitting Japanese third baseman Akinori Iwamura, 27, who has hit over .300 with 106 homers the last three seasons. He had a .389 on-base percentage last season for the Yakult Swallows."

Peter here. I am hoping that Mike Lowell will play another full season right here in Boston in 2007. What he showed us last year was pure class. Smooth, sometimes effortless game-saving defense. A pop at the plate that resulted in dozens and dozens of doubles, not to mention home runs and game winning hits. He played hobbled, with no complaints. If I started a baseball team in some imaginary universe, he'd be among my first picks. So Theo and company...our problems are elsewhere. Leave third base as it was last year...Mike Lowell....a shining example of excellence.
One more blub from the Globe and a comment....just one! Read on.....

"One American League general manager put it this way when asked if he thought Manny Ramírez would finally be traded this offseason: "He's been on the block for, what, five years? My answer is it's highly unlikely he'll be dealt, but what we'll see in the weeks ahead is how motivated is he to get out of Boston and how motivated the Red Sox are to make it happen. Did he ask for a trade? And if he did, has he changed his mind yet?"
The Globe's Gordon Edes reported Ramírez's desire to be traded in September, and we can only assume the slugger hasn't changed his mind.
The Ramírez Soap Opera is an old story that rings new every year at this time. For now, count on Ramírez hitting behind David Ortiz in 2007."

Peter here. Oh, those were "words of love, whispered soft and true..." Buddy Holly? Where'd that come from? OK, I'm back, from where I don't know. Manny batting 4th, protecting Papi with his HUGE bat, will still give our Sox the most in '07. Manny's value to other clubs has diminished. With his reoccuring knee problems, some clubs might think him to be strictly DH material. If he was to play an outfield, any outfield, the left field at Fenway is ideal for him. He can play shallow, he knows the wall, and he knows how to play that sacred territory, compact as it is. His remaining two years of that used-to-be neverending contract still stands at roughly $40 million bucks. Two years-the end is in sight. Forty million is enough to deter most clubs. The knee problems will deter some more. So I say yet again to Theo and company...in Paul's shining words, "LET IT BE." Words of wisdom.......To all my readers, peace, happiness, and a hell of a great football game with the Partriots winning by a touchdown and a field goal tonight. NBC..pregame at 7pm.. Should be fun! I'd love to read your comments about our Mikey and Manny.