Boston's camp is buoyed by news that Manny Ramirez apparently doesn't want to be traded.

01:00 AM EST on Friday, February 24, 2006

BY STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Manny Ramirez was not in camp yesterday when manager Terry Francona and the rest of the staff welcomed the Boston Red Sox for the first full-squad workout of the spring.

Ramirez, as has been well documented, was given permission by the Sox to report on March 1.

But that doesn't mean the mercurial slugging left fielder wasn't a topic of conversation.

For the Sox and their fans, there seemed to be at least a little good news coming on the Manny front, with optimism expressed that he doesn't want to be traded, that he likes playing in Boston, contrary to the reports that he has been requesting a trade.

Owner John Henry, though, refused to confirm or deny whether Ramirez had rescinded his request recently. He did say, however, that Ramirez wouldn't be playing for the Dominican Republic team in next month's World Baseball Classic.

The promising notion that Ramirez wants to wear a Boston uniform in 2006 was expressed by his good friend, Enrique Wilson.

Wilson, of course, is the former New York Yankee that Ramirez went to see in a Boston hotel when he was out of the Red Sox' lineup because of illness yet blew off a meeting with team doctors at Fenway Park in 2003. Wilson talked to Ramirez recently.

"He wants to play here. That's what he said. That's what he told me," said Wilson, in Red Sox camp as a non-roster player trying to win a utility infielder's job.

"Manny is the kind of guy who just wants to play, he wants to feel comfortable in an organization," Wilson said. "Right now, he has been through a lot of things. . . . "

Henry, meanwhile, talked briefly and hesitantly to the media when cornered as he walked around the Sox' minor-league complex a few hours before the workout, wearing a long-sleeved shirt and a wide-brimmed hat to protect himself from the blazing sun.

He was asked whether Ramirez, who is owed roughly $60 million over the last three years of his contract, wants to play in Boston.

"If Enrique said Manny wants to play for the Red Sox, we know it's the truth," said Henry with a smile, clearly uncomfortable with the line of questioning.

He was pressed further, initially declining to comment at all. But then he mentioned that he met with Ramirez "a couple of weeks ago."

And has Ramirez rescinded his trade request?

"I don't want to comment on that," he said. "It was a private conversation."

Henry was asked whether the Sox are content with the "Manny being Manny" situation, turning a blind eye to his lack of intensity at times and other odd behavior as long as he produces at the plate.

"I don't want to go down that road. I haven't seen any antics. I'm just happy from our perspective. We want to support the World Baseball Classic, but it's a plus he's coming here on March 1 and not playing in that," said Henry.

"We haven't asked him not to play, but it's certainly going to work out very well (for the Sox)," he added.

Major League Baseball, meanwhile, would like Ramirez to play in the tournament, but it's strictly Ramirez's call, said Gene Orza, chief operating officer of the Players' Association.

"John Donne might have been wrong that no man is an island," said Orza yesterday in a conference call. "I have not spoken to Manny himself. I'm aware of the circumstances, though, and I've spoken to people who represent him.

"Coming to camp on March 1 does not bode well for Manny's participation, but Manny is eligible to play, and it's up to him. Obviously, the Dominican team would like him to play, but that's his decision to make.

"They (Manny's representatives) know how I feel about the matter. I'm not trying to suggest that Manny's participation in the tournament wouldn't be a great addition. There are a lot of other great players in the tournament, of course, in addition to Manny, which is one of the reasons Manny would want to play, with the talent at that level. But it's up to him," said Orza.

skrasner@projo.com / (401) 277-7340