Deadline Deal Rumors

The Manny Ramirez, three team trade is of course the biggest rumor out there. Jayson Stark of ESPN quoted an official in the know as saying there's a 50/50 chance it will happen.

Ken Rosenthal reports that Reds outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. is deciding whether or not to waive his no trade clause to accept a trade to the White Sox. No details on the trade itself. The White Sox are reportedly interested in relievers David Weathers and Jeremy Affeldt as well. The Chicago Sun-Times also reports the White Sox are interested in acquiring A's closer Huston Street to serve in a set up role to closer Bobby Jenks.

The Twins continue their search for a 3rd baseman. Much talk has been made about their interest in Adrian Beltre (Nick Blackburn, Scott Baker, Kevin Slowey, Glen Perkins or Denard Span), but the Mariners are reportedly asking for too much in return. According to the San Francisco Chronicle the Twins have turned the sights on a lesser player such as the Giants' Rich Aurilia. (Yankees should send them Wilson Betemit..NOW). The Giants are also listening to offers for catcher Bengie Molina and shortstop Omar Vizquel.

The Mariners have clearly lost their minds. Jarrod Washburn has been on a tremendous roll, but their asking price for him is crazy, especially considering he's set to make $10.9 million next season. The Mariners asked the Rockies for top prospects Dexter Fowler and Casey Weathers, and were looking for a Jon Niese or Fernando Martinez type prospect from the Mets. The Mariners are also shopping closer J.J. Putz.

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Red Sox Take Early Opener

Baseball season hasn't officially begun in the States, but the Red Sox edged the A's 6-5 in 10 innings in the official MLB opener in Japan.

The game began at 6 a.m. EDT with Daisuke Matsuzaka facing Joe Blanton. Dice-K had a shaky start, walking 5 in his 5 innings of work. The A's reached him for 2 runs in the first, one of them courtesy of a Mark Ellis home run.

But Blanton ran into trouble in the 6th, surrendering a 2-run double to Manny Ramirez and a go-ahead RBI single to Brandon Moss.

Kyle Snyder gave the lead right back though, serving up a gopher ball to 3rd Baseman Jack Hannahan, who stroked a 2-run HR. Hannahan is playing in place of the injured Eric Chavez.

The A's bullpen fared no better though. Huston Street blew the first save opportunity the season, allowing a tying solo shot to Moss in the 9th. It was the first of Moss' career. Street then lost it in the 10th, allowing a 2-out, 2-run double to Ramirez.

The A's rallied against Jon Papelbon in the 10th, but some bad base running helped cut the rally short. Emil Brown doubled home Daric Barton, but was cut down trying to advance to 3rd on the play. The play proved costly when Bobby Crosby and Hannahan followed with singles, but Kurt Suzuki grounded out to end the ball game.

Boston
	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K	LOB	Season Avg
D. Pedroia 2b	4	1	2	0	0	0	1	.500
K. Youkilis 1b	4	1	1	0	1	1	1	.250
D. Ortiz dh	4	1	0	0	1	0	5	.000
M. Ramirez lf	5	1	2	4	0	1	1	.400
C. Crisp pr-cf	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
M. Lowell 3b	4	0	1	0	1	1	1	.250
B. Moss rf	5	1	2	2	0	0	3	.400
J. Varitek c	4	0	0	0	0	3	2	.000
J. Ellsbury cf-lf	4	0	1	0	0	1	0	.250
J. Lugo ss	4	1	2	0	0	0	1	.500
A. Cora ss	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Totals	38	6	11	6	3	7	15

Batting 2B - D Pedroia (1, J Blanton); M Ramirez 2 (2, J Blanton, H Street). HR - B Moss (1, 9th inning off H Street 0 on, 1 Out). S - D Pedroia. RBI - M Ramirez 4 (4), B Moss 2 (2). 2-out RBI - B Moss, M Ramirez 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - M Ramirez 1, J Varitek 1, D Ortiz 1, B Moss 1. GIDP - J Varitek, J Lugo. Team LOB - 6.

Fielding Outfield assists - B Moss (E Brown at 3rd base).

Oakland
	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K	LOB	Season Avg
T. Buck rf	5	0	0	0	0	2	2	.000
M. Ellis 2b	4	1	1	1	1	0	1	.250
D. Barton 1b	2	2	0	0	3	1	0	.000
J. Cust dh	4	0	0	0	0	4	4	.000
E. Brown lf	4	0	1	1	1	0	0	.250
B. Crosby ss	5	1	2	1	0	0	0	.400
J. Hannahan 3b	4	1	2	2	1	1	2	.500
K. Suzuki c	5	0	1	0	0	2	3	.200
R. Sweeney cf	3	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000
M. Sweeney ph	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	.000
J. Fiorentino pr-cf	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Totals	36	5	7	5	7	10	13

Batting 2B - E Brown (1, J Papelbon). HR - M Ellis (1, 1st inning off D Matsuzaka 0 on, 1 Out), J Hannahan (1, 6th inning off K Snyder 1 on, 0 Out). RBI - M Ellis (1), B Crosby (1), J Hannahan 2 (2), E Brown (1). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - J Cust 2, J Hannahan 2, K Suzuki 1. Team LOB - 9.

Base Running SB - K Suzuki (1, 2nd base off D Matsuzaka/J Varitek). Fielding DP - 2 (B Crosby-M Ellis-D Barton, M Ellis-B Crosby-D Barton).

Boston
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR	Season ERA
D. Matsuzaka	5.0	2	2	2	5	6	1	3.60
K. Snyder (BS, 1)	1.1	2	2	2	0	1	1	13.50
J. Lopez	0.2	0	0	0	0	1	0	0.00
B. Corey	1.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.00
H. Okajima (W, 1-0)	1.0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0.00
J. Papelbon (S, 1)	1.0	3	1	1	1	1	0	9.00
Oakland
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR	Season ERA
J. Blanton	5.2	7	3	3	1	3	0	4.76
A. Embree	1.1	1	0	0	0	1	0	0.00
K. Foulke (H, 1)	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0.00
H. Street (L, 0-1; BS, 1)	1.2	3	3	3	1	2	1	16.20
L. DiNardo	0.1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0.00

WP - D Matsuzaka.

IBB - D Ortiz (by H Street), M Lowell (by L DiNardo).

HBP - J Cust (by D Matsuzaka).

Pitches-strikes - D Matsuzaka 95-51; K Snyder 16-10; J Lopez 9-5; B Corey 9-6; H Okajima 19-10; J Papelbon 23-13; J Blanton 94-58; A Embree 15-10; K Foulke 17-11; H Street 32-19; L DiNardo 8-2.

Ground balls-fly balls - D Matsuzaka 5-4; K Snyder 1-2; J Lopez 0-1; B Corey 2-1; H Okajima 1-1; J Papelbon 1-0; J Blanton 8-6; A Embree 3-0; K Foulke 0-2; H Street 1-2; L DiNardo 0-1.

Batters faced - D Matsuzaka 23; K Snyder 6; J Lopez 2; B Corey 3; H Okajima 4; J Papelbon 6; J Blanton 24; A Embree 4; K Foulke 3; H Street 9; L DiNardo 2.

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