[I]n the end, this is a job you have to give your whole heart and soul to, you have to devote yourself to completely. You have to believe in every aspect of it. And in the end, after a long period of reflection about myself and the organization, and the time, I decided I could no longer put my whole heart and soul into it. That was an excerpt from the Best-Selling Resignation, by Theo Epstein just last week. His soul was no longer in it, and with his departure there appears to be little more of it left on a money-crunched Red Sox organization once built on character, cherished through its storied traditions, and steadfast and true in its commitment to both its history and the fans who keep it alive. The Red Sox used to have the soul of an artist. But now, with Manny Ramirez's head on the chopping --I mean, trading-- block, this golden Boston baseball club is in danger of not only hurting the squad, but also of transforming that artistic soul into something even the great Ted Williams would have trouble recognizing. He must be turning in his cryogenic grave. Something has been going awry in the brightly lit rooms and corridors of the Red Sox front-office. For a while now, it seems. Things we may never fully know. Part of it has been Larry Lucchino and Epstein's eventual mentor-mentee fallout. A fallout that, try as he did, Epstein could not completely conceal. Who's to blame there? Everyone has an opinion. Is Lucchino hard to work for? Is he too overbearing? Maybe. Is Epstein, who learned all he knows from Lucchino starting 14 years ago as the elder's intern/apprentice --is he disloyal and a selfish genius-boy who felt he could no longer be told what to do? Don't know. My guess is Theo Epstein sensed the problems that lie ahead for the Boston Red Sox --problems concerning payrolls, salary caps, and trade deadlines. They all spelled danger, and that's why he felt no need to do the captain-goes-down-with-the ship routine. Too many square pegs to fit into round holes, as regards the hefty contracts the team has to juggle. So he left while things were still seemingly rosy. Plus there was talk of press leaks and double-crosses and lack of trust and all that stuff which is neither here nor there. Fact is, one of the contracts belongs to Manny Ramirez, who hasn't even finished his yet. With three more years left on it, Ramirez stands to make $57 million more in Boston, and he probably deserves every penny. But a trade, if they find the proper suitor, will happen soon. Probably by the end of December. But you're probably asking me: "Tom, why blame the Red Sox? I mean, Manny has aked to be traded. repeatedly. And now he's very serious about it." You could also say how Manny's occasional but unpredictable antics of foolishness, laziness, general disagreeability and so on is well-chronicled through the slugger's MLB career. That his behavior at different times suggest a player who is asking to be traded OK, let me respond to that. You're right that he has asked to be traded. And I don't think the organization is coercing him, or forcing him, into having to make that painted-in-a-corner decision. In fact, as most public records indicate, the Red Sox front office has repeatedly stated its wish to retain his services and have him continue to contribute to the Red Sox winning ways. And finally you would be absolutely fair in defending this team's financial sticky situation. After all, we're talking about the Major Leagues here, where no team is immune from having to make extremely difficult decisions about money, money, and also ...money too. Players demand a lot of money, Tom, and the Red Sox are saddled with several hefty contracts, from Damon's to Schilling's to Ortiz's...to Manny's. Something's gotta give, right? Fine. Geez, you sure know how to sound off, Mr. Devil's Advocate. Let me respond to that. You are right: Manny is, and has always been, the one to initiate talks of trade. At every turn. But be that as it may, if you are the Red Sox ownership, its GM, or whoever puts their signature on important documents, you don't just let that happen. No matter how willful that player may be. And especially this player. One who is arguably one of the three best hitters in the game over the last five years. Look at the numbers. They're outstanding! You just don't let him get his wish granted. You try everything in your power to iron those wrinkles. To almost coddle a guy who provides so much to the line-up, 150+ games a year. Sure, his defense may be weak out there in left-field, but that's a small sacrifice for a man who can pound the baseball at such an unparallelled level of excellence. And you can throw away all that nonsense talk about Manny's disruptive, foolish behaviors and poor communication skills. Sure, it's true. You can never tell when the guy will do or say something unproductive to the ballclub. Declining to play when the team is short-handed, becsuse it was his scheduled day off. Listening to his mp3 while out in the outfield. Generally showing signs of his lacvk of commitment to the team. But the fact is, it's a risk-reward thing. Don't even think his actions or words come close to warranting a trade going through, like that would solve that huge, burdensome problem! If you want to see a player who is "asking" to be traded, go anywhere else in the league to find unruly players throwing fists in the clubhouse, slinging mud in the media circus, or getting arrested by Johnny Law. And that's saying nothing of the countless yet-not-caught players who taint this glorious game by continuing to abuse anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs. No, that's not Manny. And if you really want that player-prototype, take the Amtrak a few hours south from Boston to Philly, where in the NFL a player named Terrell has really asked --through his words and behavior-- to be traded. And he got what he asked for. But, let's be real folks, Manny is no T.O. He may provide the same contributions to offense on the grass, but his off-the-field contributions are not even remotely as offensive. By comparison he comes across as the loveable jokester. Which is the other thing Manny brings to the Red Sox and baseball in general: heart and soul. And character. And that crazy weirdness the Sox so proudly boasted of throughout the year that was to become the team's first Series win since 1918. That soul was no small part of the recipe, and Manny brings it as much as anyone else on the team. So, Red Sox management --if there is still one left-- don't let that trade go through. I know there are money problems. So he wants to leave. And he acts up and makes fans boo him, and yadda ...and yadda...and yadda. Do the right thing here, before you sell the embodiment of the Red Sox soul down the river-- or over to Shea, or west to Anaheim. Keep him here. By any means possible. Where there's a will there's a way. You have money problems? Of course you do. On a team like this, in a time like this, you can't keep everyone onboard the ship or it will sink. Fine. But not Manny. Cut someone else. Cut the whole infield. Cut the crap. Keep the faith. And keep the heart in Beantown where it belongs. You'll be retaining a lot more than 140 RBI/ year. Plus, you'll be making Ted Williams a whole lat happier.