Rays sign Manny Ramirez, J Damon

[SI5]

A couple of former Red Sox are reuniting in another American League East city.

The Tampa Bay Rays have agreed to one-year deals with free agents Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez, sources confirmed to ESPN.com.

Damon agreed to a one-year deal worth $5.25 million plus incentives and Ramirez one year at $2 million, according to SI.com. Both deals are pending physicals.

Damon will likely play left field and Ramirez designated hitter.

The 37-year-old Damon hit .271 with eight home runs and 51 RBIs with the Detroit Tigers last season. He has 2,571 career hits in 16 seasons with Kansas City, Oakland, Boston, New York and Detroit.

Ramirez, 38, hit .298 with nine home runs and 42 RBIs last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox. He was limited to 265 at-bats in 2010 because of problems with his right knee and left groin. The latter led to hernia surgery in October.

In 18 major league seasons, Ramirez has a .313 average with 555 home runs and 1,830 RBIs. The 12-time All-Star believes he can extend his career a bit longer as a DH.

[garyrenard]

Unbelievably good deal for the Rays.

They've picked up two potentially good hitters for the baseball equivalent of pocket lint. Getting Ramirez is an absolutely no-lose situation at $2 million becuase if he fails to produce or starts pulling his "Manny being Manny" act, the Rays can cut him with no real payroll damage.

While Damon may see some time in LF, the Rays could just platoon Damon and Ramirez at DH, and have a lot of flexibility with Joyce, Jennings and Dan Johnson at 1B. Maddon loves to mix-and-match lineups.

And remember, the Rays need payroll flexibility this year. In the June draft, the Rays have 10 picks in the top 80. Gotta sign those blue-chippers.

[Earl]

smart move for the Rays IMO

[PHILLYBIRDS20]

they just inked don larson to a 2 year deal

[revnecro1273]

Originally Posted by garyrenard

Unbelievably good deal for the Rays.

They've picked up two potentially good hitters for the baseball equivalent of pocket lint. Getting Ramirez is an absolutely no-lose situation at $2 million becuase if he fails to produce or starts pulling his "Manny being Manny" act, the Rays can cut him with no real payroll damage.

While Damon may see some time in LF, the Rays could just platoon Damon and Ramirez at DH, and have a lot of flexibility with Joyce, Jennings and Dan Johnson at 1B. Maddon loves to mix-and-match lineups.

And remember, the Rays need payroll flexibility this year. In the June draft, the Rays have 10 picks in the top 80. Gotta sign those blue-chippers.

and they better do that, if that clown begins his shit...because one of the best things the rays had going for them was the locker room morale...great clubhouse guys...not a lot of dissension