Manny Ramirez rejects Dodgers' offer
Apparently, a man who is having trouble finding work in a down economy has decided, yet again and with the help of his ever-so-earnest agent, that playing baseball for a year for $25 million or two years for $45 million is somehow beneath him. Below is the release from the Dodgers, which includes a rather cryptic comment from Frank McCourt that seems to suggest that while this isn't over, it's over for now, and the next move will have to be made by the Boras/Ramirez party:
LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers today received a letter from Scott Boras, the agent for Manny Ramirez, rejecting the offer that the club made yesterday. This rejection is the fourth by the agent in the club's attempts to sign Manny.
"We love Manny Ramirez," said Dodgers Owner Frank McCourt, "And we want Manny back, but we feel we are negotiating against ourselves. When his agent finds those 'serious offers' from other clubs, we'll be happy to re-start the negotiations.
"Even with an economy that has substantially eroded since last November, out of respect for Manny and his talents, we actually improved our offer.
"So now, we start from scratch."
I told you I'd be stunned if he took it... If I'm the Dodgers, I'd strongly consider moving on. If he signs in Frisco, fine, so long as you make a deal to fortify the rotation (Halladay).
Save your pennies McCourt, Matt Holliday is unrestricted after this season. He's the kinda guy you can sign to a long-term deal and feel good about it. Not this delusional moron.
Halladay and Holliday, I like the sound of that already.
Unbelievable. Or I wish I could say it was unbelievable, but sadly, it's not. I'm not sure what Boras has convinced Manny is out there , but nobody is even willing to consider paying the money the Dodgers have offered.
Ouch. Well, thanks again for nothing Manny Ramirez and Scott Boras. Thank you for wasting everyone's time, which includes the fans, the team and organization. Obviously 25 MILLION DOLLARS is not enough money for you for 1 years work. I doubt you'll get what you really want from any team at this point, so enjoy your spring and most of your summer off! Maybe you'll pick up a bat and play a professional game at some point in 09...or maybe you should give Barry Bonds a call. According to him, he's still "not retired."
Tony,
I don't know what else to say about this?? I thought this was a real fair offer to Manny or should I say Boras? So now we sit back with the season starting without Manny, is Boras waiting for to crumble during the season and pay the high price of Manny in desperate times? This move should sour Dodger fans really bad towards Manny!! Thank that Dodger tickets sales guy for messing this all up with his voicemail!!
The thing that really bugs me about this whole thing is the lack of real negotiation. Rather than coming back with a counter-offer, Boras just says No. If a 3rd or 4th year is the deal-breaker, then that's what you come back with, and let the Dodgers counter-offer that. He's really doing Manny and the Dodgers a disservice.
I, for one, am glad that Manny has rejected Frank's latest offer. The recent two-year deal was not as good as it first appeared. It was never a solid two-year contract for the Dodgers. It was designed to provide some insurance and control for Manny. But even at that, anyone who knows and understands Manny must know that accepting a 2010 option year at a 20% salary decrease was never going to make him happy.
So, what will make Manny happy? Let's see, he claims he wants a four-year deal. He has rejected two one-year deals (one of those being arbitration) and two two-year deals (with one of those including a third-year team option). And we know he wants more than $20 million per season.
The Dodgers are now poised to offer Manny a guaranteed 3-year contract in the $65 - $70 million dollar range. It's the only thing left to do. It made sense not to offer such a deal earlier in the negotiation process, since Boras would have then tried to bump the deal up to four years. But not now. Scott understands that there is not going to be a four-year offer to Manny - by anyone.
Manny Ramirez would be an absolute tool if he rejected a 3-year contract worth $68 million. He would have to accept it, right?
McCourt shouldn't call Boras again until Boras has something worthwhile to say to him and "Hey Frank do you have another offer?" isn't worthwhile.
I don't know timm, I think Boras has convinced Manny to take nothing less than an average of $25 million per season -- and I'm not even convinced that they wouldn't reject a three-year $75-million deal, believing if they got someone to offer three, that they can probably hold out for four. The amount of greed and arrogance on Boras' part and probably cluelessness on Manny's part is just astounding.
At this point I don't think it's about the money, it's about the 3rd year. He must think he can get someone, for even less money to give Manny that 3rd year. Larry Baer isn't going to want to be USED by Boras in order to get the Dodgers to pay more... that's a dangerous game of chicken. Now Manny sits, unless he cares to counter.
Start building the 40 ball fields for the kids.
What's wrong with this picture???
*As far as I know, only three players in 2008 made over 20 million a year, and all three play for the New York Yankees: Rodriguez, Giambi and Jeter.
*In 2008 while playing for the Boston Red Sox, Manny Ramirez ONLY made $18,929,923. Boo hoo. His two option years at 20 million a year would have been a pay increase of 5%. Raise your hands: how many of us here would gladly take a guaranteed 5% pay-raise in any given year? I thought so.
*Pending the outcome of Manny Ramirez, there will only be four players so far in 2009 that will make over 20 million. Subtract Giambi and add Sabbathia and Teixeira; again, they ALL play for the New York Yankees. Unless I'm wrong, I believe the Yankees, Rangers (2001, 2002, 2003 - A-Roid) and Giants (2005, 2006 - Barry Bonds) are the only teams IN HISTORY to EVER pay a baseball player 20 million a year or OVER.
So... what gives??? Is Manny smoking Boras's crack pipe, or what!??! There's NO OTHER TEAM that can afford his services! Show me this mystery team BoarAss!
In-freaking-credible...
Well at least we won't have to sit and wait for any new updates on Manny Ramirez. Case closed. Lets try to win with the team we have now. I hope Pierre has been working out...man, what really stings is we passed up Abreu and Dunn for this joker to reject huge offers 4 times. Yes, they're not nearly as good, but we would have received a decent power hitter.
This isn't over folks, not over at all.
This is one fouled up situation. The McCourts are making offers they know will be rejected while Boras & Manny make themselves difficult to deal with it. Both parties are poisoned. Manny will sign with the Yankees: 3 yrs. $ 80 mill with a 4th yr. option. This whole thing with the Dodgers is beyond repair at this point.
This is one fouled up situation. The McCourts are making offers they know will be rejected while Boras & Manny make themselves difficult to deal with it. Both parties are poisoned. Manny will sign with the Yankees: 3 yrs. $ 80 mill with a 4th yr. option. This whole thing with the Dodgers is beyond repair at this point.
You're on crack if you think the Yankees are going to sign Manny. They got what they wanted and are done. And to assume that the most recent offer, which included a PLAYER option -- which in this market is all that Boras/Manny can ask for -- was a "show" offer is ludicrous. Now yes, it's not what they wanted. But contracts are supposed to be about bargaining, and Boras isn't bargaining. He has yet to offer a counter-proposal to any of the four options the Dodgers have offered Manny.
Still, it would be interesting to see if the Dodgers are willing to offer an extra year, 2 years, $50 million, and a player option for a third year at $20 million, and see what happens.
I wouldn't offer Boras a damn thing. He's has nothing...The Dodgers should wait him out until the end of April or May, then if Manny isn't signed, bolster you starting staff through the trade market and spend your money and prospects there.
If the Dodgers can play small-ball effectively, pitch and defend well, they'll win the West without Manny, I don't care what Boras tries to sell the media. Then next season go hard after his other client Mr. Holliday.