Agent: Manny Ramirez should be signed by the start of spring training
Manny Ramirez should be signed by the start of spring training, his agent said Tuesday night.
“I can’t put a timetable on this, but I know that spring training is a long time away,” Scott Boras said. “At this pace, I anticipate that we would have something done by then. Things are progressing for Manny.”
Players will start to report to spring training on Feb. 14.
The possibility that Ramirez could still be a free agent on that date appeared to increase in recent weeks, as he wasn’t making significant progress in his talks with the Dodgers and hadn’t received any known offers from any other teams. But Boras said that the market for Ramirez has started to take shape in the last week and that he has started to negotiate with other teams on behalf of his client.
“The train has left the station,” Boras said.
Boras, who didn’t provide any details about Ramirez’s other suitors, said he continued his talks with the Dodgers on Tuesday.
The Dodgers made a two-year, $45-million offer to Ramirez in November that has since expired. Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti said last week that he was still waiting for Boras to make a counteroffer.
“I have made clear the proposal we would have to have to make a deal with a major league team,” Boras said. “Ned has a very clear understanding of what it would take to sign Manny.”
So do the other teams in negotiations with Ramirez, Boras added.
Boras wouldn’t say if he informed the Dodgers of Ramirez’s asking price -– a four-year deal with an option for a fifth year, according to sources -– or made a formal counteroffer. The Dodgers do not equate an asking price with a counteroffer and Colletti said last week that the Dodgers wouldn’t consider improving their offer without a sign from Boras that he would be willing to scale back his demands.
-- Dylan Hernandez
Photo: Manny Ramirez. Credit: Mark J. Terril / Associated Press
Scott Boras: The Agent Who Cries Wolf. Every time Boros says a certain player has "lots" of offers coming in, you can bet that player most certainly does not.
Dodgers are alone on this. Let Boros wait til halfway through spring training and then -- when you do make an offer -- you make it for far less than the one you previously offered.
Posted by: jake crouse | January 28, 2009 at 06:34 AM
I love Boras's maneuvering. He's been behind how many bad deals with the Dodgers now? -Let's not forgot the most recent one, Mr Andruw Jones. I thought the original offer was generous enough for Manny. If he doesn't want to take a similar offer with the Dodgers, he can take I hike, we'll manage.
Posted by: Ben | January 28, 2009 at 06:47 AM
Back in my day, ballplayers had to take second jobs in the off-season to make ends meet.
Posted by: grandpa | January 28, 2009 at 08:34 AM
CAPSLOCK=DISABILITY ACCOMODATION
AS A MET FAN, I BELIEVE I'VE SEEN THIS SAME EXACT SCENERIO EARLIER THIS YEAR RE DEREK LOWE WITH MY TEAM IN THE DODGERS' CURRENT POSITION. I'M HOPING MY TEAM CAN ASSUME THE BRAVES' ROLE. THERE'S SUDDENLY A LOT OF SMOKE BLOWING AROUND METS & MANNY. FORMALLY VERBOTEN TOPIC HAS SUDDENLY BEEN ADDRESSED BY COO, "FACE" OF TEAM (WRIGHT) & MNGR AFTER EVERYONE "NO COMMENTED" THE TOPIC FOR MONTHS.DID BORAS SUDDENLY GRAB THEIR ATTENTION DURING LOWE TALKS FOLLOWED BY PEREZ TALKS. DOES IT REALLY TAKE LONGER TO REACH A PEREZ AGREEMENT THAN AN ARMS AGREEMENT?
Posted by: METS62FAN | January 28, 2009 at 09:17 AM
Manny and Boras both need to be suspended from baseball after Boras's comments and Manny's action last year. Just the comment by Boras claiming to Theo over the phone on the evening of the Dodger trade that "Manny would Promise to play out the year fairly if Theo would promise to not pick up the 2 20 Million options" is prove enough that they colaborated against baseball policies and had no attempt to honor the contract Manny signed. That alone is a reason for a yr suspension for both!!!
Let alone the actions Manny had attacking the 60+ yr old press secretary over not getting enough tickets for that day's game. I hope if he does sign it is a 2 yr for 10 million or less contract. He is old and can't preform at his earlier levels with the bat. Nor can he field at all.
As addition proof against Boras, I offer this fact. Boras wasn't the agent for Manny when he signed his last contract with Boston so if the options were picked up by Boston or even LA, Boras got no money from that deal. Thereby he forced the options not to be picked up. Deny that Boras!!!
Posted by: Gweg | January 28, 2009 at 09:57 AM
WHAT ARE THE DODGERS DOING?THEY ARE TALKING OF HAVING SOMEONE ELSE IN LEFT FIELD,THIS SHOWS THAT THE OWNERS ARE ONLY THINKING OF THEMSELF'S SELL THE TEAM,WE NEED TO GET BACK TO THE GREAT TEAMS OF THE PAST.THEY WANTED JON GARLAND,WELL THEY JUST LOST OUT ON HIM,WHO IS NEXT?
Posted by: JIM#1 RAMS FAN & DODGERS FAN | January 28, 2009 at 10:02 AM
I wish any team that ends up with Manny the best of luck. He'll bat like hell and may even run the base path for the first 6 months. After that it will be 'Manny being Manny' and he'll want to play for the Yankees again.
Posted by: RedSoxFan | January 28, 2009 at 10:19 AM
I still think the yankees wil sign manny ramirez
Posted by: ryan hernandez | January 28, 2009 at 10:40 AM
what are u waiting for dodgers, you want to have the chance of wining now sign manny!!!!! look what happens you let somebody else take garland, a premier # 1 starter
Posted by: xavier | January 28, 2009 at 10:45 AM
If the Dodgers don't sign Manny they're sunk, lucky to be a .500 team. The D-Backs just signed Garland and could well establish themselves quickly as the Best Of the NL West.
Posted by: A Scanner Darkly | January 28, 2009 at 02:19 PM
Garland a premier #1 starter? In what league? He was marginal for the Angels last year, and he can eat up innings, but the guys a #3 starter on a pedestrian team like the D'backs (who just signed him).
That said, Man-Ram will be in Dodger blue, barring some last minute shenanigans w/ Boras, and I'm fine with that, especially as an Angels fan.
God the Halos suck at this free-agent stuff.
Posted by: OC Sports Geek | January 28, 2009 at 02:28 PM
Did anyone else hear the interview with Wolf on the radio (1090am) in San Diego? If anyone has access or knows how to get a copy of it needs to get it out in the open. It was back in Dec I believe. He had a few choice words for the Dodgers. The last question was would he return to the Dodgers....his response, some things are worth it.
Posted by: Cameron Rossman | January 28, 2009 at 05:07 PM
I've lived in Mass all my life. I loved it when Manny first joined the team but grew tired of his crap. I hope that he doesn't get signed or maybe the yankees screw the new york tax payers out of more money and sign Manny. And then I would love to watch the 2009 yankees not make the playoffs AGAIN!. Ha ha ha, how was 2008 a-rod!!!!
Posted by: KennyP | January 28, 2009 at 05:59 PM
"Did anyone else hear the interview with Wolf on the radio (1090am) in San Diego? If anyone has access or knows how to get a copy of it needs to get it out in the open. It was back in Dec I believe. He had a few choice words for the Dodgers. The last question was would he return to the Dodgers....his response, some things are worth it."
Who interviewed? Wolf? Manny? Boras? Colletti? No clue what you are talking about. A little more detail would help.
Posted by: nadia | January 28, 2009 at 06:41 PM
Tell Manny to go to Arizona. Maybe that will teach that cheapskate Frank McCourt as it seems nothing else will. Love the Dodgers, BOYCOTT McCOURT. Stop giving him money to buy 40 million dollar Malibu mansions and hotels in Phoenix and force him to sell the team to someone who will use our hard earned ticket money to build a winning team! BOYCOTT McCOURT!
Posted by: Jack | January 29, 2009 at 01:30 PM
This whole thing with Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers is bad... Boston did the same thing with Manny, went back and forth, and then Manny started playing "5 year old". Now Manny and LA are going back and forth, and I guarantee Manny is going to take this whole thing as "disrespect", and you you forget him being a productive member in Dodger blue.
Posted by: Darrel J. Young | January 29, 2009 at 03:19 PM
Say all you want about the evil and greed of Boras or the roller-coaster and antics of Manny; but you can bet that in the end they will get the big contract and the 3-4 years. And you know what else? The team that gets Manny will jump to the top of their division, go deep in the playoffs and the fans will love it.
Posted by: Pete | January 29, 2009 at 03:57 PM
Manny and King Albert in St. Louis. If it happens, it will be the best 1-2 punch in baseball.
Posted by: Steve - Cardinal Nation | January 30, 2009 at 04:25 PM
dont worry manny will come back the only two teams really interested are the dodgers and giants.theyre both gonna offer about 4-5 years for about 80-90 mill and manny already said he wouid love to come back to L.A all we need to do is sit and wait for the dodgers to resign
Posted by: oscarddgrblu | February 01, 2009 at 04:25 PM