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The Red Sox are looking at several options to unload outfielder Manny Ramirez.
The New York Mets are trying to be a player in a proposed trade involving Boston's Manny Ramiez and Baltimore's Miguel Tejada.
According to two baseball officials familiar with the talks, The Newark Star-Ledger said the Mets have been involved in several complicated trade discussions with the hope of landing Ramirez. Both officials told the newspaper the large, complex deals still required a lot of work, but that the Mets were staying in the mix.
The Star-Ledger said one of the possibilities would involve a multi-team deal in which Mets pitcher Kris Benson would end up in Baltimore, Tejada in Boston and Ramirez with the Mets (with a variety of other players and cash involvedl).
On Thursday, the Boston Globe had reported that the Red Sox had made a "pretty good offer" to the Orioles for disgruntled shortstop Tejada, citing an unnamed source close to the talks.
The Red Sox, who first offered outfielder Ramirez for Tejada, sweetened the talks by also adding right-hander Matt Clement, the Globe reported.
Ramirez would have to approve any trade, and the Orioles management is concerned about trading Tejada within the division, the Globe reported.
Perhaps the biggest stumbling block, however, is that Ramirez and Clement are due $22 million more in guaranteed money than Tejada, the newspaper reported. Ramirez is set to receive $57 million over three seasons, Clement $19.25 million over two, and Tejada $48 million over four, the Globe reported.
The Orioles' near agreement with 36-year-old outfielder Jeromy Burnitz could also scuttle the deal because Baltimore won't have as big a need for Ramirez.
