Manny Ramirez Rumors: Monday
SI.com’s Jon Heyman has a new column up, primarily focusing on Manny Ramirez. To review – though the Dodgers and Manny/Scott Boras were just $1.5MM or so apart, owner Frank McCourt ignored Boras’ most recent proposals and talked about starting from scratch. Heyman’s source believes McCourt may choose to "stop negotiating for now, or more drastically, begin negotiating backward." Another source of Heyman’s, one close to Manny, believes lowering their offer would be a dangerous move for the Dodgers.
Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times talked to McCourt, who "said the latest phase of negotiations ended the moment agent Boras made him a counterproposal instead of simply accepting or declining an offer the Dodgers made Wednesday of a two-year, $45MM contract with much of the money deferred without any added interest."
Manny, Dodgers Not Far Apart
7:01pm: Just a reminder: These current proposals still contain the original second year opt-out clause. Check out MLBTR’s Manny Ramirez archive if you need a refresher on the entire saga.
6:27pm: SI.com’s Jon Heyman notes that "the sides are now about $1.5 million apart in their offers."
6:19pm: According to Diamond Leung of the The Press-Enterprise, Manny directed Boras to make the Dodgers a third two-year contract proposal on Saturday "with some deferred compensation."
"Our most recent offer Saturday morning covered two years with some deferred compensation ($43.5 millon net present value)," Boras wrote in an e-mail to reporters. "Manny directed me to compromise between the Dodgers last offer of $42 million net present value ($45 million with differed compensation) and our $45 million dollar without differed money. However, we have yet to hear from them on our last three offers."
3:16pm: According to Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times Dodgers owner Frank McCourt will not consider Boras’s counter-offer of two years and $45MM in non-deferred payments with an opt-out clause. The Dodgers have pulled their most recent offer according to the AP (via ESPN), so the two sides are back where they started.
Hernandez has a source who says Boras values $45MM in deferred payments at about $42MM in present value. Negotiations are set to resume Monday at the earliest.
12:57pm: Tim Brown at Yahoo! Sports thinks the Dodgers may have made their best offer to Manny.
12:53pm: According to Tony Jackson of the Daily News, the Dodgers might suspect Scott Boras of failing to report every offer to his client, Manny Ramirez.
12:30pm: Barry M. Bloom of MLB.com has a Sunday report on the progress of negotiations between the Dodgers and Manny Ramirez.
Dodgers owner Frank McCourt says, "No new news." The Dodgers are not giving consideration to the most recent proposal offered by Scott Boras, and are in a bit of a lull at this point.
Says McCourt, "At some point, and you’ll all know when, we will resume discussions, because we do want Manny. We do want Manny to be a Dodger this year."
Dodgers Ink Six Pre-Arb Players
According to the Associated Press, the Dodgers have agreed to terms with "zero to three" players Blake DeWitt, Matt Kemp, Lucas May, Scott Elbert, Victor Garate and James McDonald.
These are guys with zero to three years of MLB service time, thus the moniker. They’re not yet eligible for arbitration and usually sign contracts in the $400K-$550K range.
Manny Ramirez Rumors: Saturday
7:01pm: According to Tony Jackson of the Los Angeles Daily News, Boras and Dodgers GM Ned Colletti had a conversation earlier today. Colletti called it a "cordial and informative" chat, but contract talks apparently haven’t progressed.
6:49pm: Daniel Barbarisi of the Providence Journal weighs in:
Deferred money or not, Boras and Ramirez seem out of touch to be holding out in a market with no other real bidders. If they don’t take this deal now, a better one probably isn’t coming along.
5:32pm: Twins manager Ron Gardenhire revealed a hunch to Phil Miller of the St. Paul Pioneer Press on Saturday. He thinks the Yankees could make another splash:
"I still don’t think they’re done, I really don’t. I think there’s one more guy out there that eventually, someone’s going to say (sign him)," Gardenhire said. Miller suggests that he could be referring to Manny.
9:52am: According to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney some baseball executives estimate that the deferred money offered by the Dodgers would be worth roughly $41MM in present value, including $22.5MM this year. As Olney says, that’s still more than the combined base salaries of Bobby Abreu, Orlando Hudson, Pat Burrell, Joe Crede, Cliff Floyd, Mark Loretta and Takashi Saito.
9:19am: Yesterday, we heard that the Dodgers’ most recent offer to Manny Ramirez included deferred money, but Manny and Scott Boras want a deal without deferred payments. Today, a trio of LA Times writers kick off the Manny rumors.
Dylan Hernandez reports that Manny and Scott Boras are waiting to hear whether the Dodgers will accept their counter-offer of two years and $45MM, without any deferred money and with an opt-out clause for Manny at the end of this year.
Bill Shaikin points out just how much the economy has changed since the Dodgers first offered Manny a deal and Brian Kamenetzky writes that Manny shouldn’t expect to make as much as A-Rod.
Odds And Ends: Rockies, Manny
A few links for Saturday afternoon…
- Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post spoke with Rockies owner Dick Monfort and heard that the team has confidence in GM Dan O’Dowd and manager Clint Hurdle even though they haven’t received extensions.
- Steve Buckley of the Boston Herald is tiring of the negotiations between Manny Ramirez‘s camp and the Dodgers.
- Speaking of those negotiations, Barry Bloom of MLB.com says there are no new developments as of mid-day Saturday.
Manny Ramirez Rumors: Friday
10:18pm: Bruce Jenkins of the San Francisco Chronicle comments on the "comical circus surrounding the Manny Ramirez negotiations."
Sometime soon, Jenkins writes, "Manny will stroll into the Dodgers’ clubhouse with a big smile on his face, as if nothing in the world is wrong. I wonder if his teammates will portray him as they did last year, the wacky savior who really isn’t such a bad guy. Now that he’ll be getting an opt-out for the 2010 season, he’s merely a mercenary waiting to get a real offer from a team that truly appreciates him."
5:43pm: Jackson cites a "well-placed source" who says that Boras responded to the Dodgers’ two-year, $45MM offer with a counter proposal of two years and $55MM.
Jackson also writes that "it was Boras, not the Dodgers, who requested as far back as last fall that a portion of the money be deferred so that the total value of the package could be greater."
Jackson notes that there is currently no offer on the table and that "it doesn’t look like this is headed for a quick resolution."
4:42pm: Barry M. Bloom of MLB.com got a hold of Boras shortly after the noon deadline.
"I told Ned that we stand by our proposal," Boras told Bloom. "As far as we’re concerned, there’s no deadline. We’re still talking… We’re waiting for their response."
Boras made a counter offer to the Dodgers this morning, requesting a two-year, $45MM contract without the deferred payments.
3:31pm: Jackson reports that Colletti and Boras spoke on the phone around noon, but nothing came of it. It sounds like that deadline wasn’t taken too seriously by either side.
2:47pm: The noon deadline has passed (on the West Coast) without word from Boras, Manny or the Dodgers.
2:01pm: Giants managing partner Bill Neukom spoke to reporters, including the San Jose Mercury News’ Andrew Baggarly, on Friday morning. He left open the possibility of his club making a late run at Ramirez. Neukom also believes there are teams involved other than the Dodgers and Giants:
“We’ve been in touch with Manny and his agent for months about this,” Neukom said. “We’ve explored a number of situations. I think by far the Dodgers have been more active. Then there are these other teams Boras has talked about. We’re not a phantom team. There are other teams that haven’t been named that are in this. So we’ll see.”
1:15pm: According to SI.com’s Jon Heyman, Manny is willing to accept the Dodgers’ most recent offer if the money is not deferred. Most of you have probably already assumed this.
12:16pm: GM Ned Colletti told Jackson that deferred compensation has been "part of the deal from the very beginning." It was even part of the Dodgers’ initial one-year, $25MM offer.
It sounds like there’s a lot of confusion on both sides. "I have asked Scott many times to tell us where we are at, what we are bidding against, to tell us what we have to meet," Colletti said Friday morning. "We have yet to be told what the parameters are.”
11:35am: Yahoo! Sports’ Steve Henson passes along an e-mail that Boras sent to multiple media outlets Thursday night:
“We are continuing to work within the scope of the parameters established during our discussion Wednesday afternoon at Dodger Stadium, which included a two-year term and ability for the player to void the contract after the first year.
“Per that face-to-face meeting, we agreed to continue to have discussions until Friday at noon, which included our two proposals today, our most recent at two years, $45 million. We are waiting to hear their response.”
11:19am: Tony Jackson of the Los Angeles Daily News is venting:
The wonder is that the Dodgers wasted their time making an offer that they HAD TO KNOW wouldn’t be accepted. Why would they do that, you ask? Well, now Frank McCourt gets to say to his fan base, "Hey, I tried.” Well, no, Frank, you really didn’t.
9:21am: According to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times, deferred payments were the key issue in Manny Ramirez‘s rejection of the Dodgers’ most recent offer. As Hernandez explains,
Under the terms of the contract that Ramirez was offered by the Dodgers on Wednesday, he would’ve received $10 million this year. And by exercising the option for the second year, he would’ve received $10 million in 2010.
Ramirez, who turns 37 in May, would’ve been paid the remaining $25 million over the next three years without any added interest. He would’ve received $10 million in 2011, $10 million in 2012 and $5 million in 2013 .
Scott Boras made a counter offer using the same basic language and numbers of the club’s two-year, $45MM offer, but without the deferred payments. Boras told the Dodgers that they have until noon to strike a deal.
Manny Rejects Dodgers’ Offer
10:46pm: Press release from the Dodgers: Manny has rejected their latest offer. In the release, Dodgers’ owner Frank McCourt expresses his frustration with Manny and Scott Boras. He says the Dodgers are negotiating against themselves and improved their offer despite the economy.
8:24pm: Jayson Stark of ESPN.com said on ESPN Radio that the best offer Manny will see is currently on the table. Stark asks a fair question: "With nobody else really bidding, how much better can [Manny] do?"
7:29pm: The Giants are still keeping tabs on Manny, but the D’Backs are assuming he’ll end up in LA. Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports that Bob Melvin, Dan Haren and Tony Clark all expect Manny to sign with the Dodgers.
5:15pm: Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle heard from Giants president Larry Baer that the Giants have based their conversations with Boras on "concepts" rather than concrete figures. Schulman gets the sense that the main concept is a multi-year deal that provides "outs" for Manny and the Giants in case one side decides the deal isn’t working.
Colletti said the Dodgers made a "significant concession" with their most recent offer. When asked about the timetable for the deal, he said "you can go as many innings as you need to get a resolution."
4:55pm: According to the Associated Press, via ESPN.com, Colletti doesn’t think it’s a big deal that Ramirez is not yet in camp. It’s definitely not going to affect negotiations.
"With the season starting a week later, it’s a little bit more flexible than it might have been a year ago," Colletti said Thursday afternoon.
3:16pm: Dylan Hernandez has some additional information from Giants president Larry Baer:
Baer said he expects the All-Star outfielder to re-sign with the Dodgers and that the Giants had no intention of entering a bidding war for his services.
2:59pm: Dodgers GM Ned Colletti just finished addressing the media. Boras told the Dodgers that he’d get back to them in a day or two, according to Tony Jackson.
It sounds like this saga might not reach its conclusion today.
1:22pm: Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News has an update from the Giants’ side of things:
Giants president Larry Baer said he exchanged messages with agent Scott Boras on Wednesday, but nothing had changed. Boras did not solicit an offer and Baer said the Giants have not made an official one.
“We haven’t been asked to make an offer in the last couple of days,” Baer said Thursday. “I don’t want to characterize it beyond that. People are saying it’s accelerated (with the Dodgers). I can’t tell you there’s any difference today than a week ago. There may be, but it hasn’t been communicated to us.”
12:49pm: Manager Joe Torre puts in his two cents (courtesy of MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick):
"Any time you talk and make another offer and they’re still listening, it’s all good as far as I’m concerned." Torre would obviously prefer putting lineups together with Manny involved.
9:08am: According to Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times, Scott Boras told reporters this morning that he’s "in the middle of negotiations" with the Dodgers and at least one other team. Still, it’d be surprising to see Colletti and Co. budge from the offer that is currently on the table.
Catch up on all things Manny Ramirez in our MLBTR archive.
The Manny Ramirez Saga
The Dodgers have extended a third offer to Manny Ramirez and they expect to hear back from Scott Boras soon, but it’s never safe to assume anything with Manny. A winter’s worth of rumors later- MLBTR has had over 200 posts about Manny- the wait could be over any day. Here’s a look back at 10 key developments in the Manny Ramirez saga so far:
- October 16th: Manny begins the offseason with a memorable quote: "Gas is up and so am I."
- November 5th: Dodgers GM Ned Colletti offers Manny a two-year deal worth $45MM.
- November 12th: Scott Boras says he’s ready for "serious" offers. Soon after, the Dodgers withdraw their initial bid.
- December 7th: Manny declines the Dodgers’ offer of arbitration.
- December 11th: Feeling ignored, Manny suggests he could retire.
- January: At some point in early January, the Giants become more serious about pursuing Manny (It’s hard to pinpoint an exact date for this one).
- February 3rd: Manny turns down the Dodgers’ offer of one year and $25MM.
- February 7th: Manny: "we’re in the seventh inning and I’m waiting for my pitch."
- February 11th: The Angels sign Bobby Abreu and the Nats sign Adam Dunn, leaving Manny and the Dodgers with few alternatives to each other.
- February 25th: The Dodgers offer Manny another deal. This one’s essentially for one year at $25MM with a player option for a second year at $20MM.
Dodgers Sign Doug Mientkiewicz
6:35pm: Jackson reports that Mientkiewicz passed his physical and signed the contract.
10:41am: According to Tony Jackson of the Los Angeles Daily News, the Dodgers have agreed to terms with Doug Mientkiewicz on a minor league contract.
Mientkiewicz will join spring training camp once he passes a physical. He’s no Manny Ramirez, but, as Jackson writes, he "might have a good chance of making the club to fill that role that Nomar Garciaparra filled last year." Mientkiewicz, 34, hit .277/.374/.379 last season with two home runs and 30 RBI in 285 at-bats for the Pirates.
Dodgers Make New Offer To Manny Ramirez
WEDNESDAY, 11:45pm: I was just thinking, this contract offer is not unlike A.J. Burnett‘s opt-out clause. The Dodgers would have Manny on a one-year, $25MM deal, plus an option that cannot possibly work in their favor.
7:29pm: Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports makes a good observation:
Boras did not immediately accept the offer, but a source said he delivered the offer to his client – a sign of progress because the first two offers were dismissed immediately by Boras.
7:18pm: Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times says the player option came at Boras’ request.
7:05pm: Jackson reports that the Dodgers have offered Manny a two-year, $45MM contract.
From what I understand, though, there WON’T be a deal tonight, Jackson writes. The offer is a two-year, $45 million contract, with salaries of $25 million the first year and $20 million the second, but the second year is a PLAYER option so Manny can walk away if he believes he can get more on the open market next winter. If he is injured during the first season, the second year becomes guaranteed. Boras and Co. have taken it under advisement, and the club is expecting a response early tomorrow.
6:12pm: Tony Jackson of the Los Angeles Daily News chimes in:
Gurnick wrote earlier today that they are meeting, and I have been able to semi-confirm that, as well as semi-confirm the fact that said meeting is taking place at Dodger Stadium. What I can tell you, from my own observations, is that people are behaving strangely, or at least at odds with their normal behavior. This could be it, folks. Stay tuned. It might be a long evening.
5:38pm: Gurnick has made an update to his most recent story.
Dodgers chairman Frank McCourt and GM Ned Colletti did, in fact, meet with agent Scott Boras during the team’s first spring game Wednesday. Gurnick calls it "the most serious attempt to date to sign" Ramirez.
4:37pm: MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick notes that Dodgers GM Ned Colletti was absent from the team’s first exhibition game. Might be Manny-related; might not.
9:08am: ESPN’s Buster Olney believes Manny Ramirez remains unsigned because of his behavior in Boston:
The primary reason for [the lack of interest in Manny], unquestionably, is the sport-wide perception that he did not honor his contract in Boston, and went to extraordinary depths to get himself out of that contract. These are not the on-background musings of a couple of rogue scouts, or the chortlings of conspiracy-theorist sports writers. This is the cemented belief of many executives with many teams, reinforced by Ramirez’s sudden transformation into a high-energy player as soon as he moved from the Red Sox to the Dodgers.
In my opinion, the primary interest for the limited Manny interest is his asking price. At a time when solid corner outfielders are signing for $10MM per year tops, Manny wants more than twice that salary and at least three years guaranteed. I think if Ramirez and Boras were willing to take a reasonable two-year, $30MM deal, there’d be five more teams in on him.