Ramírez makes change to agent Boras

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Powerful agent Scott Boras confirmed last night that he has added Manny Ramírez to a stable of clients that already includes some of the biggest names on the Red Sox' roster. Ramírez ended his association with Greg Genske, who had represented him since his former associate, Jeff Moorad - who negotiated Ramírez's eight-year, $160 million deal with the Sox before the 2001 season - left the agent business to become managing partner of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The switch was first reported by Jon Heyman on SI.com. Genske and his associate, Gene Mato, who handled many of Ramírez's personal affairs and went to Arizona to be with Ramírez during Super Bowl week, did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Boras already represents pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka and catcher Jason Varitek on the Red Sox, along with outfielder J.D. Drew, infielder Alex Cora, and relievers Craig Hansen and Julian Tavarez. Between Matsuzaka and Drew last winter, Boras negotiated $122 million in salary commitments from the Sox, $52 million for Matsuzaka, $70 million for Drew.

Earlier this winter, Boras landed rookie phenom Jacoby Ellsbury, which raises the possibility, if Ellsbury wins the center-field job, that Boras will represent the Sox' starting outfield: Ramírez in left, Ellsbury in center, and Drew in right.

How did Boras land Ramírez? "About two or three weeks ago, Manny called me and said he wanted to talk about his situation," Boras said from his home in Southern California. "We met with him, and he called me right before spring training and said our philosophies were [compatible], and he decided to come aboard with the company."

Ramírez is in the last year of his deal with the Sox, who can choose to exercise options for 2009 and 2010 at $20 million per season. The '09 option has to be exercised in November, and general manager Theo Epstein said this week the matter can wait until after the season.

Boras has informed Epstein of the change of representation, but said he has not discussed Ramírez's contract situation in any detail with the GM. He said he will be coming here in the next couple of weeks to discuss Ramírez, as well as a possible contract extension for Varitek, who is in the last year of his four-year, $40 million deal.

Ramírez said this week he would like to continue playing in Boston, but that decision was up to the Red Sox. Boras said his advice to Ramírez is the same he gives to all of his clients in a similar situation: to go out and play well for the team that holds the player's rights, and then go forward.

"Manny is a great talent," Boras said. "In talking with him, he has a very substantial knowledge of his goals, what he wants to do, and he wants to play a pretty good period of time."

Financially, Boras stands to gain most if Ramírez signs another contract after the current deal expires, because that was negotiated by his previous representation.

Super drill

In addition to their normal drills, the catchers have been working on an unusual one, part of bullpen coach Gary Tuck's repertoire of tasks. While it was new to minor league catcher Dusty Brown Wednesday, the day it was implemented, Jason Varitek said the team performed the drill during the regular season last year. To improve focus behind the plate, Tuck uses a number of variations that involve the catchers grabbing balls that are tossed at them. In this one, Tuck was using rubber Superballs thrown rapid-fire. "They're very hard to catch," Brown said. "You have to have soft hands to be able to catch them. If you try to stab at it, they'll bounce right off your hand." Varitek said it's a progression, from the little balls, to barehanded catches, to using little gloves, to using normal gloves. "Just one more [drill]," Varitek said. "It's concentration. It's not the same as the big ball, but it's a little breakdown of a drill. You've got to really concentrate to catch the little balls. Sometimes they do it with ping-pong balls, and they're flipping all over the place."

Hail to the chiefs

It was announced officially that the Red Sox will meet with President Bush at the White House Wednesday. The team made the same trip in 2005 after winning the World Series in 2004. The Sox will work out in Fort Myers, fly to Washington to meet with the president at about 3:05 p.m., and visit with patients at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Members of ownership and the front office will also make the trip . . . There will be some unintended consequences to the Japan trip in terms of spring training evaluations. Because camp will be shorter, the team will be unable to spend the extra time watching certain players who might otherwise have been on the radar. It will help that the 25-man roster is mostly unchanged. "There's no denying the fact that we leave early," manager Terry Francona said. "There are going to be some guys that have earned longer looks that probably aren't going to be able to get them." . . . The Red Sox had an earlier schedule yesterday because of their golf tournament. The annual tournament benefited Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida . . . Pitchers will face live hitters for the first time today. Half the pitchers will throw, with the other half going tomorrow. They will have at least two sessions, maybe three. Each will throw for 12 minutes . . . Francona said the team can take 30 players to Japan on Major League Baseball's dime, but the Sox are still unsure about how many players can be on the active roster . . . Former manager Joe Morgan stopped by . . . Francona said he thought that in last year's Sports Illustrated poll on the nicest guy in baseball, he voted for new first baseman Sean Casey. "He brightens up a room, brightens up a field," Francona said. "It's legit. Mikey Lowell was saying the other day he's a good teammate, but he's also, the other players like him, too. He's a guy where if there's a fight, you're never going to see somebody take a swing at him."

Amalie Benjamin can be reached at abenjamin@globe.com.