MLB Trade Rumors ‏@mlbtraderumors 10m

Cubs Sign Manny Ramirez http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=38359

As AAA player/coach.

Patrick Mooney ‏@CSNMooney 8m

Theo: “Manny is not and will not be a fit on Cubs major-league roster. We do think at this stage of his life he’s a nice fit as a mentor."

Maybe good for Baez??

http://www.bleachernation.com/2014/05/2 ... y-ramirez/

So, Who’s Ready for Something Shocking? Cubs Sign Manny Ramirez
in Chicago Cubs News / Chicago Cubs Transactions — by Brett — May 25, 2014

If the announcement wasn’t accompanied by a statement from President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein, I would guarantee that we were being punked.

Today, the Chicago Cubs announced that they have signed Manny Ramirez – yes, that Manny Ramirez – be a player and coach at AAA Iowa.

“We are excited to welcome Manny to the Cubs organization and look forward to him working with our young hitters,” Epstein said in a statement. “Manny is not only one of the best hitters of all time, he is also a dedicated student of hitting and has proven to be a gifted teacher with younger teammates who have worked with him in the batting cage. Behind the scenes he has always been a tireless worker who is very serious about the craft of hitting. Manny has made real mistakes in the past but he has owned up to them and moved his life in a positive direction the last couple of years. He is in a really great place right now and wants to share the lessons he’s learned along the way. We think he deserves another chance and that our young hitters will benefit from it.”

Immediately, the Cubs get savvy points for addressing the gigantic PED-related and Manny-Being-Manny-related elephants in the room. Cubs fans may have some lingering beef with Ramirez for his (allegedly) PED-fueled playoff domination with the Dodgers back in 2008 (or had you forgotten?), but I guess it’s going to have to be time to get past that.

So, Ramirez, 41, is headed for the big league roster to help in the outfield soon, right? Nah.

“While Manny is not and will not be a fit on the Cubs major league roster, we do think at this stage of his life he’s a nice fit as a mentor for some of the young talented hitters we have in the organization,” Epstein’s statement continued. “Manny will coach full-time and play part-time in a limited role that does not take at-bats away from our prospects. If he shows there is still some magic in his bat, perhaps he will find his way to the major leagues and help another team, but that is not why he is here. We are thrilled that he wants to work with our young hitters and make a difference.”

There’s the other elephant that needed addressing right away: although he’s a “player”-coach, the heavy emphasis is on coach. Ramirez will not be taking at bats away from prospects in this process.

All in all, I’m going to need a lot of time to digest this move, though I don’t want to overstate it. This is a new coach coming into the organization, which is rarely a bad thing. He comes with a checkered past, but he also comes with an absurdly good resume, one that probably ingratiates him well with young players. I seem to recall stories of him helping out Mike Olt last year in the Rangers’ system, so maybe this will be a really positive transition for Ramirez.

And, from the sound of things, that’s exactly what Ramirez is looking for.

“I’m at the stage of my life and career where I really want to give something back to the game that I love – the game that has meant so much to me and done so much for me and my family,” Ramirez said in a statement. “I know I am nearing the end of my playing days, but I have a lot of knowledge to pass on to the next generation – both what to do and what not to do. The Cubs have some very talented young hitters, and I would love nothing more than to make a positive impact on their careers. I am passionate about baseball and about hitting, and I have a lot to offer. While I would love to return to the major leagues, I leave that in God’s hands. My focus will be on working with the young hitters, making sure they don’t make the same mistakes I made, and helping the team any way I can.”

I suppose I thought that Sammy Sosa would be the first big-time PED-era slugger to be welcomed into the organization in a coaching/mentoring role with open arms, but I guess it will be Ramirez. He’s got a good relationship with this front office, obviously, and I really look forward to seeing how this plays out. He’s certainly got a lot of baseball, hitting, and life experience to share with Cubs players as they move through the system. This front office wouldn’t bring in someone like Manny Ramirez unless they thought he was really ready to offer something of value, and wouldn’t just be a circus piece.

Again: this is pretty minor, in the grand scheme of things, but it’s also kind of exciting.

Is this April fools?

either this works really well or this blows up in Theos face, because this is another example of Theo putting his JEANIUS on the line. No other GM/Pres in baseball would bring Manny in because of his attitude, that would be crazy! Thats the downside of this guy, Oh wait, someone did.

Anyways, this is Theo claiming he knows Manny better than most and he should, long history there,

I dont know what Baez is batting right now (.170 ish), but I will agree this isnt for a lack of talent. He didnt just start to suck out of nowhere.

Maybe we can sign Soriano too and he can help mentor him like he did felix Pie!

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

Hard to get good HGH in Iowa, always good to have a guy.

You could have Pinnochio tell me this, with his nose never growing, and I still wouldn't believe it's anything but an Onion story. That's how absurd this really is.

I've got an elk semen guy out there.

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That's why they just use the bovine stuff in these parts...

Ground up cow udders?

Baez has been hot lately and I think this is a no lose. If Manny starts any crap, they cut him. But obviously the guy knows a shitload about hitting so why not have him impart some of that knowledge to the kids especially Baez?

I like the move.

Knows a shitload about other stuff too!

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

Called it. Sign Ortiz and....WORLD SERIES!

This is laughable

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Elections have consequences.

You know damn well Theo warned him accordingly and they had to vet him well I'm sure.

I cannot wait to get the B&B read on this. Really. Smart. Signing.

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Elections have consequences.

This is pretty awesome. Always loved Manny.

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Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

I think this is great.

no downside to it.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Just came back and still laughing my ass off. Mother fucking Bernsie is going to have a stroke. His hero is making all the opposite moves he believes in not the least of which is having a veteran guy make someone get better by the "locker room".

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Elections have consequences.

There are all sorts of stories about what a good teammate he was and how he helped younger players. It actually sounds reasonable. Plus Iowa will now have the best post homer handshakes in AAA.

Damn I wish Manny could play for the next two decades.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

I've heard he helped out Andre Ethier with his swing....however, Ethier's OPS the 4 seasons since Manny < Ethier's OPS prior to Manny. When you think "Manny being Manny" you don't think coach and mentor.

Not being his teammate, no I wouldn't think that.

naw.... my uncle has it figured out. you trade samardzija rizzo and soler to the diamondbacks for goldschmidt.... and then thats where i come in and say that the cubs are obviously going to make the equivalent of signing a 28-29 year old manny ramirez "when its time" so right now my equivalent of a 28-29 year old manny ramirez would be mike stanton, so basically the cubs will sign stanton "when its time" and then you'll have goldschmidt and stanton as the 3-4 in your lineup.... and at that point, yeah, it's gonna happen so who are we kidding?

/me still needs to make that t-shirt of starlin castro's HOF bust. he's the 2017 MVP that leads the cubs to titles in 2017 and 2022, you know. i could at least make my $$$ back by selling the t-shirts to imu and his friends

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lol i just now 100% fully realized that the cubs have gone and LITERALLY signed manny ramirez, which is a key part of theo's plan. i had covered my arse by saying they needed to sign a 28-29 year old manny ramirez, but i guess that part's out of the way so all they need to do is sign a 28-29 year old and they're covered.

#WhenTheCubsSignStanton = i was the first human being in recorded history to tweet that. "it's gonna happen" cubs fans, it's gonna happen. why would stanton want to spend all year in miami when he can come up to chicago and the worst facilities in MLB and finally get his "real" career going cuz all this crap in florida doesn't count. i mean comeon, how many championships have they won?

.....oh wait a minute. OK then, how long have they been around? how much tradition do they have? how much are they not owned by jeffrey loria? exactly. cubs > marlins. duh.

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Sosa should have got this job.

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

Levine said this may be a case of Manny being broke and coming hat in hand for any kind of job.

According to Baseball-Reference Manny made $206,827,769 during his playing career. If he is broke that would have to be some sort of record for most money blown by a professional athlete.

Levine's term was "severe financial problems"

I don' know if he's broke, but this sounds like Manny cashed in on a favor owed to him from Theo. Its still really funny.

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Yes it is, Frank. Very, very odd.

Instead of making a charity case out of some idiot that pissed away millions of dollars,that paid job could have gone to a career minor league coach who maybe is given an oportunity to prove his worth.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

I don't think they were going to give a position to any minor league coach. They made a spot for Manny. So it is not like he is taking anyones spot.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."