The historic deal that would send reigning American League MVP Alex Rodriguez to Boston for Manny Ramirez picked up an intriguing local angle Tuesday night.
Sources said the White Sox have entered the discussions and are mulling offers for Magglio Ordonez in what would become a three- or four-team deal.
Sox GM Ken Williams has maintained all along that he would need to be overwhelmed to trade Ordonez, a four-time All-Star.
The White Sox also could get involved on a smaller scale. Texas is looking for young pitching and the Sox have it in right-handers Dan Wright and Jon Rauch and lefties Neal Cotts, David Sanders and Arnie Munoz.
The White Sox could send one of those pitchers to Boston to acquire the hard-throwing Scott Williamson, who either would compete for the closer’s job with Billy Koch or increase the likelihood that Koch will be dealt.
Although WMVP-AM 1000 reported Tuesday that a deal for Williamson was nearly complete, a White Sox official downplayed that. According to the report, the Sox would send Munoz and perhaps another player to Boston.
How it might work . . .
RANGERS
Alex Rodriguez
1. MVP shortstop would go to Boston, significantly improving his chances for a World Series ring. With Texas cleared of Rodriguez’s monster contract, the Rangers take on another one: Ramirez’s.
Although Texas would save about $81.5 million by swapping the Rodriguez and Ramirez contracts, Rangers owner Tom Hicks also was said to be seeking at least
$3 million per season during the remainder of Ramirez’s deal.
Rodriguez is still due $179 million over seven seasons and Ramirez is owed $97.5 million over five. Both players are six-time All-Stars.
In a sign that the key component of the deal is close to fruition, Rodriguez, agent Scott Boras and Boston general manager Theo Epstein met with union official Gene Orza on Tuesday in New York to discuss the possible restructuring of the remainder of Rodriguez’s 10-year, $252 million contract.
“For there to be a restructuring,” Orza told The Boston Globe, “there has to be some added [monetary] value to the player.”
RED SOX
2. With Ramirez gone and A-Rod joining the Red Sox, Boston has a need in the outfield and a surplus at shortstop . . .
Manny Ramirez
3. Nomar Garciaparra, Boston’s slugging shortstop, could be on his way to L.A. with his new bride, soccer star Mia Hamm. Reports say that for the deal to work, the Dodgers will have to give up pitching to the White Sox, who would send slugging outfielder Magglio Ordonez to Boston.
Nomar Garciaparra
DODGERS
Odalis Perez
Guillermo Mota
Greg Miller
4. A source said the Sox were asking for three pitchers from the Dodgers–lefty Odalis Perez, ace reliever Guillermo Mota and top-notch prospect Greg Miller. It’s also possible Boston would send reliever Scott Williamson to Chicago in the deal after signing Keith Foulke from Oakland.
Sources say Sox general manager Ken Williams has insisted Mota, who went 6-3 with a 1.97 ERA last year, be included in any deal for Ordonez. Dodgers general manager Dan Evans has been reluctant to trade Mota or the 19-year-old Miller, the organization’s No. 2-rated prospect.
But with Boston apparently telling the Dodgers they need a slugging outfielder to make up for the loss of Ramirez, Los Angeles appears more open to moving at least one of its top arms.
WHITE SOX
Magglio Ordonez
5. Williams, while declining to directly address the proposed trade, said: “Throughout the winter meetings, a lot of ideas are exchanged. Some take on more of a life than they deserve and some of them are deserved.”
But with Ordonez due to make $14 million in his final season before free agency and with the Sox having lost three pitchers (Bartolo Colon, Tom Gordon and Scott Sullivan) to free agency, the White Sox were prepared to pull the trigger for the right price.
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Edited by Michael Kellams (mkellams@tribune.com)
