"Two baseball executives said the Yankees made a savvy decision by not claiming Ramirez. One executive said the Red Sox undoubtedly put Ramirez on waivers to try to entice the Yankees to take his albatross of a contract, knowing the Yankees are one of the only teams that could afford him and also realizing that in Steinbrenner they have an owner who is impulsive enough to do it. Again, here is a dazzling addition to your already expensive fleet, George. Just grab the payment book as well.
Boston's attempt to goad Steinbrenner into taking one of the most devastating hitters in the major leagues and a player who grew up near Yankee Stadium was fascinating. The Yankees spent a few hours discussing the issue on Wednesday, but had decided by yesterday morning that the positives of adding Ramirez (lots of offense) did not outweigh the negatives (lots of unpredictability from a moody 31-year-old and lots of unexpected money funneling back to a chief competitor)."