MY BASEBALL BIAS

Below is a look at Bay’s career numbers versus Manny’s splits against the Yankees.

Bay’s first full year in the majors was 2004 with the Pirates. His followed a breakout year in 2005 (32 HR, 101 RBI, .306/.402/.559) with a solid 2006 season when he hit 25 HR, 109 RBI, .286/.396/.532. His numbers dropped off considerably in 2007 (21 HR, 84 RBI, .247/.327/.418), but he’s bounced back in 2008 to post 22 HR, 64 RBI, .282/.375/.519.

Since 2004 Bay has struck out 654 times 2,511 AB or once in every four times he steps to the plate. Is he the answer to protecting Ortiz? It will certainly be a year and two month experiment for the Red Sox as they have contractual control over Bay in 2009 for $7.5M.

Everyone knows that Manny killed Yankee pitching. He always found a way, no matter what kind of slump he was in entering a series, to come up with the big hits when the Red Sox needed them. As his numbers above will attest, I think every Yankee fan in the country is glad to see Manny Ramirez now playing in the NL West.

Stats come courtesy of David Pinto’s Day to Day Database.

According to John Heyman of SI.com, Manny Ramirez has been traded to the Dodgers in a three-way deal with the Pirates that will send Jason Bay to the Red Sox:

The Red Sox traded embattled slugger Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers late Thursday afternoon, SI.com has learned.

Jason Bay is headed to Boston as part of the deal, SI.com has learned. The Pirates will get four minor leaguers in the three-way trade.

The Red Sox went back-and-forth with the Marlins and Dodgers as the 4 p.m. ET deadline approached. Ramirez said earlier today, as first reported by SI.com, that he would accept a trade to any team.

The announcement will be made in conjunction with a World Baseball Classic announcement at Dodger Stadium shortly.

Now Jason Bay is a nice player, but he’s no Manny Ramirez - never has been, never will be.  To me, the Red Sox have rid themselves of a potential cancer to their team over the final two months of the season.  But did they make their team better?  I would say absolutely not.

Great coverage of this saga can be found at Ian’s Red Sox blog Sox and Dawgs.