The Dodgers are apparently serious about keeping Manny Ramirez in Dodger blue for the foreseeable future. Ned Colletti has confirmed that the Dodgers have made Ramirez a very generous offer. Colletti would not specify the length of the offer, reportedly two years, or the value of the offer. Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees has a contract for $27.5 million a year, the highest average annual value in baseball.The Dodgers were rumored to be offering Ramirez a ridiculously large annual average, yet attached to a short contract. There's no reason to believe that this offer isn't more than two, maybe three years. But it does show how serious the Dodgers are. I'm wondering if there's a number, whether it be money or years or both, that will make Boras think about signing Ramirez on with Los Angeles before hitting the open market.
Ramirez made $20 million last season, the highest salary of any player except Rodriguez. Colletti said the Dodgers' offer "would be the highest average annual value in the history of the franchise and the second-highest average annual value in baseball."
Colletti said he did not anticipate hearing a response from agent Scott Boras before the Dodgers' exclusive negotiating window expires Nov. 13.
"I'm sure Scott will wait until he can procure offers from other clubs," Colletti said.
(Actually, there is a number ... but I don't think mathematicians have found it yet.)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-06-2008 @ 4:14PM
Justin said...
Dodgers, Put up the money for Manny and keep him in LA !!!!!!!!!!!!
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11-07-2008 @ 3:04AM
Larry Brown said...
Come on, Mullet. They Dodgers have you taking the bait here. They want you to believe they've made a monstrous offer to Manny when everybody knows he's gonna sign somewhere for a longer term. If he were willing to take a short-term high average annual salary, he would have just stayed in Boston. He forced the trade because he wants one last big deal. The Dodgers aren't giving him that, but they don't want the fans to know it. You're helping their cause here.
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11-07-2008 @ 3:45AM
Mullet said...
I guess that would make me an enabler.
If someone matches the average and surpasses the years, then it's all over for the Dodgers, obviously. I wonder if there's a team willing to do that. And if Manny takes that offer, is he going to be happy or is he going to sign in a fishbowl that's going to make him miserable? He's really going to have to think about that. Most players can take the largest deal no matter where it is and not worry about it but I'm not sure if Manny can. I'm not saying he shouldn't shoot for the moon, but if he does take a longer term deal in, say, New York, and he all of a sudden decides he's not happy with all the attention like he allegedly did from the start in Boston, then he deserves what he gets.
Would three years at $85 million do the trick for LA?
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11-13-2008 @ 2:45AM
Larry Brown said...
3 years at $85 mil would certainly give them a very competitive chance of landing Manny. At least that's more in the ballpark of what I think he'll get. Honestly, how could Boras and Manny not laugh at the Dodgers offer that Brinson just wrote about. The Dodgers might as well be talking to themselves if they're going to throw out those numbers. It's as bad as Boras saying Manny will get 6 years for $150. As far as a team willing to do that ... there's almost always a team willing to do it when it comes to a highly talented player. And I'm sure Manny will wind up being unhappy at some point during his tenure with his next team -- that's just the way he is. But you don't fire your agent and sign with Scott Boras, concoct a scheme to get traded, and then not sign with the team that offers you the most. That seems too inconsistent to me.
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