What do you think of the decision to put Manny Ramirez on irrevocable waivers? Will another team -- (gulp) Yankees -- take on the $104 million remaining on his eight-year, $160 million contract? If no team claims Ramirez, will the All-Star slugger get traded?

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Good idea! Maybe Manny will actually run full speed to first base or for a fly ball. NOT! He is why need a more well rounded player on this team who can both field and hit well and put in 100% every time he steps on the field. Varitek is a perfect example. I would hate to lose him or others such as Nomar to free agency because we overpay Manny. I think the end will justify the means in this case. Let's go get Vlad and Millwood. A couple more tweaks and we are a championship caliber team every day of the week.

Brian, Lee, NH

this is sending a message to Manny. You don't hussle, you don't hit, you don't feel like showing up to the park, you over react to a pitch not even CLOSE to your head - go play for someone else!

maggie, clinton

That's BS. Why? My reason: If no one takes him, now what did you just do to your best player? I am ready to stop being a BOsox fan.

Ken, Atlanta

How about a 40 million dollar payroll. If history has taught us one lesson about this current crowd is that they are crumbs. GL and Petee gave them there brief. No we will have a fire sale; Manny, Nomi, Petee and Ortiz, the torch has been passed to a new generation of Tom Ys. Get those fornicating Dominicans of the field and back picking tobacco, where they belong. Let's look at the math. Ticket price increase, ninth strait year, additional 6 million in revenue. That is before the addition of new seats on top of the 600 Club. This done all before we ship Manny home to the pinstripes, Nomi back to the coast and Petee to parts unknown. Don¹t hold your breath for the season ticket rebate check as a result of the 50 million plus decrease in payroll. Hey look at Marlins the principals¹ last franchise. He and Wayne Blockbuster drove that organization into the ground and look in 6 years their World Camps again. Like the Celtics Danny Boy, they have a plan, a six-year or is that sixty-year one put is a plan. Speaking of old guys how about Joe Cronin for the next Red Sox Skipper. Now we know why Charlie Manuel name was mentioned for the post of Lucky Larry¹s boy¹s boy¹s boy. I guess even myopic Manny must have seen the ------ on the wall. Whose money are they using, not theirs for sure. Other peoples yours and mine. Is not capalitzum a great thing?

Jonathan, Melrose

I have NO problem with the Red Sox decision to waive Manny. I just hope some club claims him. As much as he has blostered the Red Sox offense these past few years we all know it's pitching that wins championships. If they can rid themselves of Manny and his money, re-sign their own free agents, and add a couple top quality pitchers, maybe just maybe they'll finally find the promised land. They'll never find it without the pitching. I've been a Sox fan for over 40 years and it's always the same old thing. Offense, offense, offense! Where the hell is the pitching to go along with it? The Yankees, Marlins, and the rest of the World Champions over the years seem to know where to find it.

Rich, S Amboy NJ

Well first there was the curse of the Bambino...next there might be the curse of Manny (if steinbrenner picks him up). Then What?!

Meagan, Wilmington

I am going to have a hearty laugh the first time the Red Sox play the Yankees and the Yanks' new right fielder Manny Ramirez bounces one off the Citgo sign off of Pedro. Do Boston sports teams realize that letting your star player go to your divisonal rival is a bad idea? Bledsoe will luckily never hurt the Pats because he's weak, but Manny will rock us every time we play the Yanks. For anyone not worried about Manny going to the Yankees, you must be repressing something. The thought of Manny in Pinstripes should scare the hell out of you.

Michael, Somerville, MA

I think the guy deserves to be sold. He is too arrogant to be worth any of the money under discussion and I pity any team that buys him...obviously he is not a team player.

A. B., Norwood

I think it's brilliant. If someone else picks him up, sure, they get a great hitter, but not a great player. And then there will be more money to spend on other players. His attitude and antics hurt the team, not help it. He is an average fielder with a weak arm. If he doesn't go, it'll get him thinking - but I don't think you could penetrate that thick brick with a Panzer. But it might. It's hard to get people to think of others before they think of themselves. I'm not saying that Manny doesn't do that in all aspects of his life. But he certainly doesn't do it in a baseball sense. He is way too coddled. I think Theo just threw him a dope slap. Hopefully, he gets the right message - which is he is expendable, and if he's not picked up, then he's not worth what he makes- to anybody. Trading him is the old "ice to the eskimos" deal, but I'll bet Theo could do it. It'll cost him, but he could do it.

Jim, Kittery, ME

He is arguably one of the great hitters of the past decade, but is the baggage he carries worth it? His defense is mediocre, and his aloofness and attitude seems ever worse. If this helps us get Vlad Guerrero, I'm all for it. The question is, will anyone bite? Part of me feels the Red Sox are stuck with him. We'll see. To me he's like a less chaotic version of Albert Belle: tons of talent, but not worth the trouble.

Cesar, Lake Mary, FL