Manny gives his annual trade-me plea

Associated Press

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	File photo by John Patriquin Manny Ramirez declined his manager's request to play Wednesday. Maybe he needed the rest, or maybe he is trying to give the Red Sox some incentive to honor his trade request.
	TWINS VISIT FENWAY TODAY: Twins (Silva 7-4) vs. Red Sox (Miller 3-4), 7:05 p.m. SATURDAY: Twins (Lohse 7-9) vs. Red Sox (Arroyo 8-6), 7:05 p.m. SUNDAY: Twins (Radke 6-10) vs. Red Sox (Wells 8-5), 2:05 p.m. To top of story

BOSTON — Manny Ramirez's trade request will be difficult to honor because of his contract, Boston Red Sox president Larry Lucchino said Thursday. Lucchino also said he didn't know the left fielder's motivation for refusing Manager Terry Francona's request to play Wednesday afternoon's game at Tampa Bay after another outfielder, Trot Nixon, was sidelined with a strained side muscle on Tuesday night. Before the injury, Francona told Ramirez he could have the day off.

"It's hard to know if the events of the last couple of days are the result of (some) sort of psychological and physical needs for a sustained period of rest, or it's some calculation or some move to encourage us to trade him," Lucchino told WEEI radio on his regularly scheduled segment.

Lucchino and Ramirez's agent, Scott Parker, did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment. Team owner John Henry and General Manager Theo Epstein did not respond to e-mails, and the Red Sox clubhouse was locked on their day off Thursday.

Ramirez is batting .275 with 28 homers and a major league-leading 92 RBI for the Red Sox, who lead the AL East by 1 1/2 games over the New York Yankees. He is due $64.2 million from his $160 million, eight-year contract: $7,213,115 from today through the rest of this season from this year's $20 million salary, $19 million in 2006, $18 million in 2007 and $20 million in 2008. The deal also includes team options for two additional seasons at $20 million annually.

Boston begins a three-game home series against Minnesota today with Wade Miller pitching against the Twins' Carlos Silva.

On Tuesday, Sports Illustrated reported on its Web site that Ramirez, for at least the third time in four seasons, had asked to be traded. The report said he told club officials he was unhappy in Boston, especially with an off-field lack of privacy.

With the trade deadline looming at 4 p.m. Sunday, the Red Sox will explore trading him, but that would be difficult, Lucchino said.

"Because of the size of his contract, obviously, it's hard," he said. "There aren't a lot of clubs that are going to be interested, but it depends how little you're willing to take in return with respect to trades. I'm not talking about Manny specifically, although it certainly applies to him."

A club might want to make a deal if it asks the Red Sox to pay 95 percent of Ramirez's salary, "but that's not a particularly intelligent thing for us to do," Lucchino said.

He also said this is the fourth straight season in which Ramirez has requested a trade "and our general response was, 'it's that time of year' and we'll explore it as we explore other trades."

The team's needs changed in the past few days, particularly in the outfield where Nixon went on the 15-day disabled list on Wednesday after straining his left oblique muscle swinging at a pitch in the third inning Tuesday night.

With Ramirez not playing Wednesday, Francona used first baseman Kevin Millar in left field, rookie Adam Stern in right field and John Olerud at first base and in Ramirez's cleanup spot.

Boston also needs pitching help, although Matt Clement may not miss much time, if any, after being hit behind his right ear with Carl Crawford's line drive Tuesday night. Two CT scans were negative, and Clement returned to Boston with the team after Wednesday's game.

"As of right now, it's not a fear. I'm not dreading doing it again," said Clement, Boston's winningest pitcher at 10-3. "But I guess you'll never know until you're out there."

With an off day Thursday and another on Monday, he could skip a turn and not affect the rest of the rotation.

Despite leading the division, Red Sox officials would like to improve their postseason chances with a trade. Last year, Epstein sent shortstop Nomar Garciaparra to the Chicago Cubs at the trading deadline.

"It is the time of year when you consider all manner of trades," Lucchino said. "Theo is certainly willing to be bold and make moves that other GMs might shy away from, so this is the time for us to think about trades and, certainly, Manny's name will come up from time to time, I'm sure, in the next 72 hours."

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