A's 'Likely' To Sign Manny Ramirez

It took just a single call from the Cave of Mystery, and Yoenis Cespedes became an Oakland Athletic. The world was stunned. Well, you were, anyway. But the A's aren't done. Buried in an article on the state of the A's outfield ...

The A's are likely to sign former Boston star Manny Ramirez just before or soon after the start of spring training.

Ramirez wouldn't add to the A's outfielder total. He'd come aboard as a designated hitter after serving a 50-game suspension for violating baseball's drug policy.

The way Susan Slusser writes about this makes it seem like a done deal being held up by red tape. Slusser is an excellent beat writer -- head of the BBWAA, even -- so she's not likely to get coy with her readers. There's a reason why she can't write that Manny is officially the A's DH, but it isn't a good enough reason for her not to hint that it's basically happening.

Again, the article is about the A's outfield, and the mention of Manny and the outfield conjures up all sorts of awesome memories. Coco Crisp played in the same outfield as Manny, for example, which leads to this amazing quote:

...the first person I saw was big old Manny, waving his arms. As I was throwing, I thought, 'Oh my God, it's Manny!' Afterward, I was like, 'Manny, look, you can't do that again.' "

Oakland A's Baseball: Oh My God, It's Manny!

Oakland A's Baseball: Manny, Look, You Can't Do That Again

The slogans write themselves, marketing department. Enjoy the week in Tahoe.