NOG Gets Hosed In Manny Deal

July 31, 2008—The New Ownership Group (NOG) of the Red Sox was so desperate to unload their Hall of Fame left-fielder that they: 1.) paid the balance of his $7 million salary; 2.) gave up on a young fire-balling reliever (Craig Hansen) who could some day soon be a dominant force; and 3.) gave up on a sweet-swinging left-handed outfielder (Brandon Moss). They also yielded the two number one draft picks they would have gotten when Manny walked this Winter, and completely ignored the most pressing problem facing the team: the non-Papelbon bullpen. In return, they get 8 months' worth of a nice 29-year old player named Jason Bay, who this scribe sincerely hopes flourishes in Boston. He is no Manny Ramirez, but maybe he will raise his level of play surrounded by better players than Ryan Doumit and Doug Mientkiewicz. Theo and the Trio had better hope so, because this is an awfully steep price to pay to rid themselves of the greatest right-handed slugger in Red Sox history.