Blockbuster trade involving Tejada, Ramirez in works

NEW YORK – The talk is brash and bold. The trade being discussed is one of those that could keep people talking – especially in New York – for weeks. This four-team exchange between the New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Devil Rays would seem to address each team’s biggest concerns.

“If it sounds too good to be true, it might be,” said one baseball official who is part of the dialogue. “But that doesn’t mean it’s never going to work. There could be some massaging that might send it through. You walk this stuff all the way through.”

The official said that teams are more likely to deal one-on-one, while setting up contingency trades with the others. “Fewer moving parts,” the official said.

The template for the four-team trade has disgruntled Manny Ramirez coming to the Mets from Boston and reliever Danys Baez from the Devil Rays. The Red Sox would get shortstop Miguel Tejada from Baltimore and center fielder Joey Gathright from the D-Rays. Baltimore would get Julio Lugo from Tampa as its shortstop and possibly starters Kris Benson from the Mets and Matt Clement from the Sox. The Rays would get cheap players with big upsides, such as Aaron Heilman and Jae Seo from the Mets.

There’s even the potential bonus that the Mets could shed Kaz Matsui to the Rays if they throw in money.

But potholes are everywhere. Baltimore isn’t crazy about sending Tejada, its unhappy franchise player, to an American League East rival. The Red Sox’s concern is getting enough back for Ramirez, one of the preeminent bats in the game, and their belief that some teams want money thrown in to offset his huge contract. While talks of multiteam deals involving the Devil Rays have abounded, none has gone through because of their demands.

Another baseball source reiterated that one-on-one deals would work more easily than this behemoth. The Mets have had discussions with the D-Rays about acquiring Baez to set up closer Billy Wagner. The Red Sox have talked with the O’s about a deal involving Ramirez and Clement for Tejada. “A two-team deal could go through and one of them could then use the player acquired to facilitate another move,” the source said.

Those scenarios also have pitfalls. Even if the Orioles acquired Ramirez in order to then deal him to the Mets, there is the question of whether the slugger would green-light such a transaction. The risk is that he could end up in Baltimore when he wants to play with the Mets.

Still, the Sox want to trade an unhappy Ramirez, the O’s want to deal away Tejada, and the Mets are willing to go the extra mile for Ramirez.

“People are highly motivated to get something done, and that means obstacles can be overcome,” the official said. “Teams could be lining up trades that are contingent on two of these four teams doing something. That happens and it could be the first domino.”