It's mostly pointless to analyze the comments of a player who demonstrates the maturity and attention span of a 12-year-old. Ramirez, in his remarks to the Boston Herald's Rob Bradford, seemed to accuse the Red Sox of double-talk. Maybe that happened on occasion in the past, when the team would try to placate him during one of his many trade requests without intending to move him. But not now.

The Sox surely did not promise Ramirez that they would pick up his option or give him an extension. They always take a wait-and-see approach with veterans under expiring contracts, whether the player is Pedro Martinez or Johnny Damon, Mike Lowell or Jason Varitek.

Here's the scary part for Manny: Martinez, Damon and Derek Lowe were replaceable. Ramirez, who turns 37 next May, would be replaceable, too. The Sox could decline his option and trade for a right-handed hitting outfielder such as Holliday or the Pirates' Jason Bay. They even could sign first baseman Mark Teixeira as a free agent and move Kevin Youkilis to left field. Either way, Ramirez would find it difficult to get $20 million per season on the open market.

Of course, the trade and Teixeira scenarios would not necessarily appeal to the Red Sox, either. The Sox loath trading prospects for high-priced, short-term talent. If they coughed up the players for Holliday or Bay, it would be with the idea of signing the player long-term. And with Holliday, who is represented by Scott Boras, there would be no guarantees.

Teixeira, another Boras client, is certain to seek a monster free-agent contract at the end of the season — the type of contract the Sox diligently try to avoid. Renting Teixeira through a trade, meanwhile, would make little sense unless the Sox had dire concerns about David Ortiz's ability to contribute in the second half.

Yes, the Braves would want a first baseman back for Teixeira, but the Red Sox would not give up two-plus years of Youkilis and a young reliever such as Craig Hansen for two months of Teixeira — especially when Youkilis has proven he can play in Boston and is outperforming Teixeira this season.

The Phillies: Holliday, too?

The Phillies were working multiple fronts before acquiring right-hander Joe Blanton from the A's. Among the possibilities that reached a standstill: A blockbuster for Rockies left fielder Matt Holliday and closer Brian Fuentes.

The talks probably will not revive, major-league sources said, even though the teams continue to scout each other and the Phillies used different players to obtain Blanton than they would need for Holliday and Fuentes.

Rival executives say that the Rockies are asking high for both, and that a deal for Holliday, in particular, is unlikely. But a combined package would make sense for several clubs — notably the Dodgers, who just lost closer Takashi Saito.

For Holliday and Fuentes, the Phillies probably would need to part with a package of Shane Victorino, left-hander J.A. Happ, Class AA right-hander Carlos Carrasco and Class AA catcher Lou Marson. Another of their better prospects, Class AA lefty Antonio Bastardo, has a slight tear in his labrum.

Holliday would play right field, with Jayson Werth taking over full-time in center, then return to left next season if Pat Burrell departed as a free agent. After that, Holliday, too, would become a free agent.

The Phillies would prefer not to move Marson, who looms as the eventual replacement for the disappointing Carlos Ruiz. Payroll also would be an issue; Holliday and Fuentes are owed almost $6 million combined for the rest of the season, Victorino only about $190,000. The addition of Blanton already has added about $1.5 million.

Finances also are an obstacle for the Dodgers, who are under orders from owner Frank McCourt to make "payroll-neutral" trades, sources say. McCourt vetoed a potential trade for Indians lefty CC Sabathia, third baseman Casey Blake and infielder Jamey Carroll because it would have added more than $7.5 million in 2008 payroll, according to those same sources. McCourt has denied that charge.

To make a Holliday/Fuentes blockbuster work, the Dodgers would need to include an expensive major leaguer such as left fielder Juan Pierre along with top young players such as outfielder Matt Kemp. Pierre, who began his career with the Rockies, is owed $28.5 million over the next three seasons.

Rival executives continue to express concern over Holliday's home-road splits, fearing he is somewhat a product of Coors Field. Holliday is a career .277 AVG-.341 OBP-.449 SLG hitter on the road. Bay offers better career road numbers — .278-.370-.525 — and is signed for $7.5 million next season, while Holliday will earn $13.5 million.

The A's: Sitting pretty

Some will say the A's got too little for Blanton, just as some said they got too little for right-handers Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin from the Cubs. In both cases, however, A's general manager Billy Beane struck before the markets for Blanton and Harden might have turned worse.

Blanton, 5-12 with a 4.96 ERA, was a hotter commodity at last year's deadline, when a potential trade with the Dodgers failed to transpire. His road performance was a concern for the A's, and he was likely to pitch more on the road after the break; 14 of his first 20 starts were at home.

If Blanton failed to revive, it would have been more difficult to trade him in the offseason, when his salary in arbitration would have risen significantly from $3.7 million. Harden, meanwhile, was one more injury away from losing all trade value.

In the bigger picture, the A's have built one of the game's strongest farm systems over the past 12 months, acquiring 17 prospects — most of them well-regarded — in their trades of Blanton, Harden, Gaudin, right-hander Dan Haren and outfielders Mark Kotsay and Nick Swisher.

During that time, the A's also have signed 16-year-old Dominican right-hander Michael Inoa, drafted second baseman Jemile Weeks and continued developing homegrown players such as right-handers Trevor Cahill and Henry Rodriguez.

In theory, the A's now could use their talent surplus to acquire a veteran right-handed hitter and remain competitive in 2008, but such a move would be counter-productive to their overall goal: Assembling a team with the same type of staying power as the Oakland clubs that advanced to the postseason five times in seven years earlier in the decade.

Around the horn

Teams interested in Fuentes share the same concern as the Rockies — that an offer of salary arbitration to the reliever could backfire. Such an offer would be necessary for a club to gain draft-pick compensation if Fuentes left as a free agent. The problem is that Fuentes might accept, especially if he does not get closer money on the open market. His salary in arbitration likely would increase from its current $5.05 million to $7.5 million to $8 million . . .

A Pirates scout was present when Rays Class AA left-hander David Price made his most recent start, but most likely he was looking at other players. The Rays aren't trading Price, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 draft, and they won't bite on outfielder Xavier Nady unless the Pirates lower their sights.

Rocco Baldelli, serving as a DH on his rehabilitation assignment at Montgomery, could be the right-handed hitter that the Rays need if he overcomes a condition that causes extreme fatigue. Price, meanwhile, could contribute in the Rays' rotation or bullpen in the final two months, reducing the team's urgency to add a reliever . . .

The Blanton trade had barely been announced when teams started calling the A's on Adrian Cardenas, the second baseman they acquired from the Phillies. Cardenas, 20, is a Carlos Baerga-type offensive player whose long-term position is in question. The A's could move him to third if they re-sign Mark Ellis or project Weeks as their long-term second baseman . . .

The Orioles' reluctance to trade closer George Sherrill stems from their lack of a ready replacement for the rest of the season. The team does not want to rush back Chris Ray, who is recovering from elbow-ligament transplant surgery, or ask too much of rookie Jim Johnson, who has had a breakthrough season. Still, if Sherrill could bring back two quality pieces, the Orioles would be foolish to worry so much about 2008 . . .

Adding to the inevitability that the Brewers will trade shortstop J.J. Hardy this offseason: One scout who attended the Southern League All-Star team called it "The Alcides Escobar show," referring to the Brewers' top shortstop prospect. Escobar, 21, might struggle offensively after he reaches the majors, but scouts consider him a defensive wonder. The Brewers are telling teams he is untouchable.