In the Aug. 1 issue of Sports Illustrated, Tom Verducci will report that Ramirez has asked to be traded for the third time in the last four seasons. He reportedly told Red Sox officials he is unhappy in Boston, particularly because he feels he has no privacy in his life off the field. However, the Red Sox have no plans to trade Ramirez during the season, according to Verducci. Ramirez will get full no-trade protection under baseball?s 10-5 rule (10 years in the league, 5 with the same team) after this season, which means he?ll be able to turn down any trade involving him if he chooses during the offseason. According to Verducci, Ramirez first asked to be dealt during spring training in 2002, and again after the next season. He also pleaded with Sox owner John Henry to stay in Boston when the Sox were trying to deal him to the Texas Rangers as part of the Alex Rodriguez deal before the 2004 season. Ramirez was slow out of the gate this season, but has heated up with the weather. For the season, he?s now hitting .277 with 27 homers and 90 RBIs. His contract calls for the Sox to pay him $57 million over the next three years.