Dodgers Should Call Manny’s Bluff

The latest rejection by Manny Ramirez and his agent Scott Boras is just another example of why Ramirez is not worth even the current offer. The Dodgers have already offered Ramirez four contracts this offseason, the latest one worth $45 million over two years with a player-only option for the second year. In 2009, Ramirez would earn $25 million making him the second highest paid player only to A-Rod, and in 2010, Ramirez could make $20 million or re-test the free agent market. If Ramirez has a sub-par year this year or suffers an injury, he would still be guaranteed $20 million next year. Ramirez and Boras have said that their only objection to the contract is that the money will be paid over five years with no added interest. Ramirez would receive $10 million this year and next year (assuming he picks up the option) and the remaining $25 million would be paid out over the following three years. Both Ramirez and Boras, however, fail to realize that they are not in the position to be bargaining for added demands.

This offseason, the only other team to show even the slightest interest in Ramirez has been the San Francisco Giants (though they haven’t put anything on the table). The Dodgers have continued to negotiate against themselves, something Dodgers owner Frank McCourt vowed not to do. The Dodgers have already increased their offer from one to two years but haven’t come close to reaching the 4-year $100 million Ramirez desired mid-November. Ramirez needs to realize that this is the best offer he is going to get in this economy. No matter how much Ramirez wants to believe that the economic downturn will not and should not affect him, we have seen many changes result from the recession already. The vast majority of teams in the MLB have cut payroll from the beginning of last year, and most of the teams that have higher payrolls are the lowest payroll teams such as the Marlins who need to spend a little to stay somewhat competitive. The free agent market has never been as slow as the one this year forcing some stars such as Orlando Hudson (1-year $3.38 million), Adam Dunn (2-year $20 million), Bobby Abreu (1-year $5 million), and Francisco Rodriguez (3-year $37 million) to accept much shorter and cheaper deals than those they envisioned at the start of the offseason. It seems like the only players who have gotten normal market price are the ones who have signed with the Yankees including CC Sabathia (7-year $161 million), AJ Burnett (5-year $82.5 million), and Mark Teixeira (8-year $180 million). Since the Yankees have not pursued Ramirez, Manny must accept the fact that he is not going to get a long-term, high-paying contract in 2009.

Although spring training has started and the start of the regular season is only a month away, the Dodgers should sit on this current offer. Besides the fact that no other team has pursued Ramirez, the Dodgers don’t need Manny as much as Manny needs the Dodgers. Ramirez has publicly stated his long-term goals including getting his 3000^th hit and 700^th home-run. If Ramirez isn’t playing though, especially in his prime years, those numbers will be unattainable. The Dodgers are capable of winning the tremendously weak NL West without Manny anyway. The division, which had its best team finish only six games above .500 last year only got weaker this offseason. The Rockies lost Matt Holliday (to the Athletics) and Brian Fuentes (to the Angels) while gaining only Huston Street. The Diamondbacks lost Adam Dunn (to the Nationals) and Orlando Hudson (to the Dodgers). The Giants only added overpaid shortstop Edgar Renteria, and the Padres lost Khalil Greene (to the Cardnials) while gaining David Eckstein.

The Dodgers can sit and wait for at least the next couple of months before renegotiating with Manny. If it turns out the Dodgers need Ramirez like they did last year to propel them to the playoffs, Los Angeles can offer Ramirez a similar contract to get him to play. As long as no other team approaches Ramirez (which is unlikely this far into spring training since most teams don’t put away $25-30 million for this type of circumstance), Manny will realize that his best option is to return to the Dodgers and agree to the “cheap” $45 million deal. With all of Manny’s off-field antics and average defense at best, it seems as if Manny, rather than the Dodgers, is the one getting the bargain. -J.S.