Ramirez Might Agree to Trade, Sees It as Unlikely

Manny Ramirez is "tired" of the Boston Red Sox and would agree to a trade that would make both him and the team happy.

Boston Red Sox's Manny Ramirez scores in the first inning as he slides past New York Yankees catcher Jose Molina during a baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston on Sunday, July 27, 2008. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

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But he doesn't think it will happen and Boston, battling for a playoff spot, needs the production of its cleanup hitter despite its oft-contentious relationship with him.

Four days before the non-waiver trading deadline, Ramirez said Sunday, "I'm tired of them. They're tired of me."

The Red Sox have until Nov. 9 to pick up a $20 million option for next year on Ramirez, who would have to approve any trade as a 10-year veteran with five years on the same team. They also have a $20 million option for 2010. Ramirez is in the final year of his guaranteed eight-year, $160 million contract.

Ramirez spoke for less than two minutes in Boston's clubhouse before Sunday night's game with the New York Yankees.

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In separate e-mails to The Associated Press, Red Sox owner John Henry and general manager Theo Epstein put their focus on the pennant race.

"We are concentrating on one thing — a playoff spot," Henry said.

Said Epstein: "Our focus is on this team — which is in the middle of a pennant race — and in any case it would be premature to comment now on an offseason contractual issue."

On Friday, Ramirez said he couldn't play because of a sore right knee and manager Terry Francona scratched him from the original lineup. MRIs on both knees then "came back fine," Francona said, and Ramirez started Saturday and was in the lineup again Sunday.

He also missed last Wednesday's game at Seattle with what he said was a sore knee. The Red Sox were off Thursday.

Ramirez originally told ESPNdeportes.com on Sunday that he wouldn't object to a trade if the Red Sox are better without him.

Later, in the clubhouse, he said, "What I said was, if the Red Sox think they can find a trade that's going to make their team better and both sides are going to be happy, I'm going to agree. But they cannot find a trade. It's something simple. It's no big deal."