Aramis Ramirez has been in the league for more than ten years and on the Cubs for five, so he has the ability to refuse any trade the Cubs might want to make. And before anyone could even scrape up a good rumor, Ramirez announced he wouldn't go anywhere. He has a club option for 2012 at $16 million that the Cubs likely won't pick up, so it would have made sense for the Cubs to explore trading him.
MLB Trade Rumors: Aramis Ramirez Might Waive No-Trade Clause
Hold on, though. From Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times:
Rami appears to reverse position on no-trade: “They come to me with a trade, we’ll see.”...
“I understand it’s a business ... If they’re looking to rebuild, I can’t fit in. So we’ll see.”
Ramirez is due about $5 million for the remainder of this season, and he has a $2 million buyout for his 2012 team option, so the Cubs might have to eat some salary. Also, according to Cot’s Contracts, he’d get a $1 million assignment bonus for being traded, and his option would automatically vest if he were to win a League Championship Series MVP award. Not the likeliest thing in the world, but a $16 million gamble that a contender might not want to take.
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