San Diego has improved its original offer to the Red Sox for Manny Ramirez, according to a source with direct knowledge of the talks. The odds of Ramirez being dealt this off-season are at 50-50, according to the Boston Globe. Buster Olney spoke with a Red Sox offical who said that the chances of Ramirez being dealt was 9 out of 10. The Padres are offering major league players for Ram?rez, a package that presumably would have to include one of two pitchers: prime setup man Scott Linebrink or ace Jake Peavy. The Sox also have coveted Adrian Gonzalez, a lefthanded-hitting first baseman who put up outstanding numbers in his first full season in 2006: .304, 24 home runs, 38 doubles, and 82 RBIs. In addition to the other teams that have been identified as potential trading partners (Dodgers, Rangers, Phillies, Giants, Orioles, Mets), there may yet be a team or two that has not surfaced publicly.