What happened between Manny and the Red Sox?

Question

I know enough about baseball to know who Manny is, but I don't follow closely enough to know what had happened to cause him to say "Whatever happened with the Sox is in the past" or something like that, after he went to LA.

What happened?

Answer 1

Manny had a contract which expires this year; but the Sox had the "option" of resigning him for next year at his current salary.  He didn't want his current salary; (How is a guy supposed to raise a family on a lousy 20 million a year?).  So: he wanted to force the Sox to trade him away.  This way, he will be a free agent at the end of this year, and will be out on the open market. He hopes that some team will be willing to pay him 22 million, or more, for 4 years.

He forced the Sox to trade him by not playing (took himself out of key games with mystery aches and pains), walked to first base, complained that he wasn't at "peace" here, etc. etc.

Please don't be fooled; it was all about money.  

Compare this arrogant and self-serving behavior to that of Mike Lowell last year in his contract year; he played his heart out and got the deal he wanted. Compare it to the behavior of Sox captain JasonVaritek, who is in his contract year. He won't discuss the contract at all with the press, saying, "I have a job to do. I'm too busy trying to win baseball games to talk about my contract."

Manny was a greedy jerk; this Red Sox fan is delighted to see him go.

Answer 2

He just felt like the management was trying to turn the fans against him. He wanted a 4 year contract for 100mil, and he was not going to get it. He started to not run on the bases and he was purposely playing sloppily in the field because he wanted to be traded. He said he couldn't find his peace in Boston.

Answer 3

sorry, i just gave up caring

anyone else with me here?

Answer 4

I think people are missing what really happened. Do you know who Scott Boras is?  Well, Scott Boras is now Manny's agent, but he wasn't making any money, because Manny was still on his old contract with his old agent. So Scott convinced Manny he could play another 4 years for $100 Million if he broke free from his contract and signed a new one (which Boras would now get money from). The Red Sox weren't buying it though, so Manny started acting out, and the Sox had to get rid of him.

Now Ramirez is free of his contract. We will see if anyone will offer him that kind of deal. Manny thinks he's in control, but he is just another pawn of Scott Boras. True story. wait and see.

Maybe Boras will find someone to pay the money, maybe he won't. He has even gone back to Red Sox management and told them that Manny would still be interested in playing there if the price was right.

Answer 5

He got greedy.

It went to his head.

He became someone most people love to hate.

Answer 6

Manny is the typical athlete who whines when they don't get their way. It's rare to find a guy who will just play out his contract and move on. He wanted a really big lengthy contract like Boston Believes said. I mean who in their right mind gives a 36 year old that much money. Two year deal is reasonable but most athletes that age are not.

Answer 7

You want to know what REALLY happened. There was a deal in the works to bring Jason Bay to the Red Sox and Ramirez to the Dodgers. The Pirates needed to cut payroll, as usual. Red Sox ownership said "Hey, Manny, Ham it up. Lets start some controversy. The Yankees and Sabathia are getting all the press. Lets get some more in Boston." So Manny was just being Manny, the goats in the media turned their undivided attention to Boston and Boston 'fans' relished in it and everybody in New England made money.

Thats what happened.