8:05pm: Some more on Manny and Boras…Gwen Knapp of CBS Sports says Boras is not to blame and that he just takes what the teams give him. Knapp added that the Dodgers played right into Boras’ hands because they did not have a fallback plan and needed the megastar that all teams crave…Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com takes a closer look at how much the Dodgers’ lineup has improved in the last two weeks.
5:21pm: Manny Ramirez met with the media today in Arizona. Steve Silva of The Boston Globe provides some quotes in which Manny takes some parting shots at the Red Sox.
"I was looking for this place for eight years," Ramirez said. "Now I’m here and I’m just gonna go give it all I got…[On whether the scene in Boston last season hurt his contract] “I don’t think so," Manny replied. "I’m 37 years old. I got two more years. What happened in Boston, that’s in the past. I think it didn’t hurt me. It was a bad economy. I got a great contract. And, hey, I made my money already. I’m in a happy place, where I wanted to be, so . . . I don’t think . . . actually, I won. I won getting out of there [Boston] because I’m in a great place. I’m in a place that I want to play. I’m in a place that I’m gonna be happy.
Bob McManaman of the The Arizona Republic has a few more quotes from the press conference, in which Ramirez makes it a point to thank Scott Boras.
"First, I want to thank the McCourt family for doing this good investment. Second, I want to thank Scott (Boras, his agent) for making the deal happen – good job. I’m happy to be back and like I told (manager) Joe (Torre), I think we have some unfinished business to take care of."
Also, it is worth noting that Manny has until November to decide whether to void the second year of the contract.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com and can be reached here.
