Aramis Ramirez’s Option Does Not Vest If Traded

Aramis Ramirez is a popular name on the trade market. Though, if he is to be traded, a few things would have to happen first. The first would be Ramirez would have to waive his no trade clause. Ramirez’s no trade clause has been heavily discussed in recent weeks and no one truly knows whether Ramirez will invoke it or not. Up to this point, Ramirez has made it clear that he has no intention of approving a trade and wants to remain with the Cubs. Though, there has been speculation that Ramirez would accept a trade to a team like the Yankees or Angels. Or, Ramirez may be willing to waive his no trade clause in August, once his family has moved back to the Dominican Republic. The other obstacle potentially blocking any Ramirez trade, is the 2012 vesting option that is in Ramirez’s contact.

In recent weeks, there has been some unclarity as to whether or not Ramirez’s $16 million option in 2012 vests if he is traded. While Cots Baseball Contracts suggests that option vests if Ramirez is traded, that does not appear to be the case. Bruce Levine of ESPN Chicago reported last night that 2012 option in Ramirez’s contract does not vest. Levine has been one of the first reporters to suggest that option may not vest, and yesterday, he reported it as fact. For what it is worth, that is the same thing I have been hearing from independent sources as well.

This now makes a Ramirez trade much more possible. Instead of trying to work out the $16 million owed to Ramirez in 2012, the Cubs and the teams interested in trading for Ramirez would only have figure how to divide the approximate $10 million left on Ramirez’s contract for the 2011 season. The teams rumored to be interested in Ramirez are the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, and Los Angeles Angels. The Yankees and Angels are believed to have the most interest in Ramirez.

The question now becomes will Ramirez waive his no trade clause. Despite multiple statements to the contrary, I believe that Ramirez will waive approve a trade under the right circumstances. The reason Ramirez does not want to waive his no trade clause is because of his family. The Cubs third baseman does not want to move his family out of the Chicago land area. However as I touched on in the open, Ramirez’s family will be moving back to the Dominican Republic in August in anticipation of the school year starting. Meaning if the Cubs strike a deal with either the Yankees or Angels on July 31, Ramirez may be willing to sacrifice some extra time with his family if it meant competi