manny ramirez dodgers -manny ramirez dodgers

manny ramirez dodgers - After a nasty split with the Boston Red Sox, Manny Ramirez is Hollywood-bound. The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired the enigmatic slugger Thursday, giving up two minor leaguers in a startling, three-team trade that sent outfielder Jason Bay from Pittsburgh to Boston.





The Dodgers also received cash considerations, general manager Ned Colletti said, in a deal that was completed just before the 4 p.m. EDT deadline for making trades without waivers.

The Red Sox will pay the estimated $7 million owed to Ramirez through the end of the season, at which time he can become a free agent. Ramirez was in the final guaranteed year of an eight-year, $160 million contract, and the Red Sox held $20 million options for the next two seasons.

As part of the trade, the club options were eliminated.

So when all was said and done, the Dodgers picked up a summer rental they hope will give them a shot at improving upon a woeful postseason track record in the past 20 years. Since winning the 1988 World Series, they've made just four playoff appearances and won only one postseason game.

"We figured we had to do it," Colletti said before the Dodgers opened a four-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks in a matchup of the NL West's top teams. "There was obviously a point in time that you have to make a major decision. We did and we were glad we did it. Hopefully it pays dividends. We're confident we've got one of the best hitters in baseball coming in here _ one of the best hitters of his generation from the right side.

"He's a champion, he's a winner, and we really couldn't be happier with trying to make the club better at this point in time than to do this. We wanted this player at least for the next two months, and hopefully longer. So we're willing to take the chance and go with this guy."

In return, the Red Sox got the 29-year-old Bay, a two-time All-Star who was hitting .282 with 22 home runs and 64 RBIs for Pittsburgh. Tampa Bay pursued Bay before he wound up with the Red Sox, who trail the first-place Rays by three games in the AL East.