Hanley Ramirez is the best player in the NL

**DIESEL** · 08-11-2007, 07:00 PM

Re: Hanley Ramirez is the best player in the NL

If HanRam played in New York they would have already put him in the Hall of Fame. I can easily see him being a 40hr-40sb player in the future.

**Beantown** · 08-11-2007, 07:36 PM

Re: Hanley Ramirez is the best player in the NL

Now you see why Boston fans were not very happy about trading him away.

At least Beckett's been amazing this year.

**RockyTop1** · 08-11-2007, 07:37 PM

Re: Hanley Ramirez is the best player in the NL

Originally posted by Longhorn

Now you see why Boston fans were not very happy about trading him away.

At least Beckett's been amazing this year.

Exactly my thoughts. He was a ton to give up, but at least Backett and Lowell are having great years.

**GBrushTWood** · 08-11-2007, 08:34 PM

Re: Hanley Ramirez is the best player in the NL

Yeah he's gotta be the best position player to come out of the Red Sox minor league system since Garciaparra (although Youkilis and Pedroia are pretty solid). It hurts to see him pwning so much, but the good news is that his success enhances the reputation of the Red Sox minor league system, whether it is true or not.

Having Beckett locked up long term in the prime of his career is pretty much the only possible consolation for losing Hanley. Basically, neither of these players are easy to give up, but given the differences in payroll between Boston and Florida, this trade made a lot of sense.

**Misfit** · 08-12-2007, 09:25 AM

Re: Hanley Ramirez is the best player in the NL

I love Beckett but it was hard to see Ramirez go. He'd probably be having an even better here if he was playing his home games at Fenway too. Still, anytime a team can add a young Cy Young calibre arm in exchange for a position player that team will make that deal 10 times out of 10.

**GBrushTWood** · 08-12-2007, 10:45 AM

Re: Hanley Ramirez is the best player in the NL

Originally posted by Misfit

Still, anytime a team can add a young Cy Young calibre arm in exchange for a position player that team will make that deal 10 times out of 10.

I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you, but if you have a potential superstar shortstop in your back pocket, how is it such a no brainer (i.e. 10 out of 10)? Look at how many problems the Red Sox have had trying to find a good shortstop the last 4 years. Finding a SS who can give you positive contributions on offense is not a lot easier than finding an ace/Cy Young starting pitcher.

Both are really, really damn difficult. I still like this trade, but the Red Sox need to find a damn shortstop who can play. Julio Lugo looks like another bust, which is amazing to see.

**ComfortablyLomb** · 08-12-2007, 11:09 AM

Re: Hanley Ramirez is the best player in the NL

I'd rather have Beckett than Hanley fwiw. This team would be a lot worse off without Beckett right now, having Hanley at SS wouldn't even come close to making up the difference. Hanley's really good and I don't think anyone really wanted to give him up but now that Beckett has really come into his own I think this was a win-win deal for both sides. Signing Beckett below market rate really clinches it too IMO. Lowell's performance, well that was just dumb luck. He came to Boston as borderline toast and has been awesome.

**dkgojackets** · 08-12-2007, 11:58 AM

Re: Hanley Ramirez is the best player in the NL

Beckett wasn't good at all last year though (ERA > 5 IIRC) and has had nagging blister problems. This year it looks like both teams came out ahead, and if Beckett is a hero in the WS again Red Sox fans won't really care who they gave up. But if Ramirez continues to develop his power and shows a bit more discipline over the next couple of years, watch out. I wasn't really starting the thread intending to look at the trade (though I did mention it), which was definitely win-win, but mostly looking at how IMO Hanley has already become an elite player, if not the best in the NL, and at 23 would be my first pick of players to build a team around.

I have to say that I am glad to see Lowell performing well. There just wasn't really a place for him with Cabrera settling in at third and Hermida/Willingham playing RF/LF.

**dkgojackets** · 08-12-2007, 12:48 PM

Re: Hanley Ramirez is the best player in the NL

Holla atcha lead-off homerun in his first AB since this thread.

**EWRMETS** · 08-12-2007, 12:57 PM

Re: Hanley Ramirez is the best player in the NL

It was a bad trade for the Red Sox because it's not like Beckett is a Santana. He has shown no signs of being a consistent pitcher even though he is having a great year this year. I got both these guys on my fantasy team.

**ComfortablyLomb** · 08-12-2007, 04:19 PM

Re: Hanley Ramirez is the best player in the NL

Originally posted by EWRMETS

It was a bad trade for the Red Sox because it's not like Beckett is a Santana. He has shown no signs of being a consistent pitcher even though he is having a great year this year. I got both these guys on my fantasy team.

Beckett's only been the best starter on the Sox this year and is currently tied for the league lead in wins, 7th in ERA, and 8th in strikeouts, and even missing a couple weeks because of that finger tear he's 20th in IP. No, he's not Santana but he has been tremendous. He's looked like a different pitcher than the guy who last year insisted on throwing fastball after fastball. He works his change a lot more, has more trust in it, and has been throwing more curves. Basically, he finally got it through his head that in the AL you can't pump fastballs all day like in the NL. He's done it in Boston too, which is a bit tougher than doing anything in a relatively pressure free evironment like Miami. That the Sox were able to lock up Beckett for less than market value really clinches this as a win in my book. If you know how to get a 27 year old front-line starter otherwise, feel free to post away.

**Misfit** · 08-12-2007, 04:38 PM

Re: Hanley Ramirez is the best player in the NL

Originally posted by GBrushTWood

I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you, but if you have a potential superstar shortstop in your back pocket, how is it such a no brainer (i.e. 10 out of 10)? Look at how many problems the Red Sox have had trying to find a good shortstop the last 4 years. Finding a SS who can give you positive contributions on offense is not a lot easier than finding an ace/Cy Young starting pitcher.

Both are really, really damn difficult. I still like this trade, but the Red Sox need to find a damn shortstop who can play. Julio Lugo looks like another bust, which is amazing to see.

Pitching is what wins. If you're team is offered a choice of an MVP caliber position player or a Cy Young caliber starter, both young with their prime years ahead of them, then it's a no-brainer. Pitching always trumps offense.

**Dispatch** · 08-13-2007, 07:45 PM

Re: Hanley Ramirez is the best player in the NL

This is how trades are supposed to work out. Both teams gave up valuable players with lots of potential in Beckett and Ramirez. It seems that both players have really paid off.

It don't know where we would be if we didn't have Beckett in our rotation.

**TheMatrix31** · 08-13-2007, 07:52 PM

Re: Hanley Ramirez is the best player in the NL

Regarding the thread title...

I'd still take Peavy, Pujols, Webb, Oswalt, and a few others over him.

Hanley Ramirez is the best player in the NL

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