Manny Turns Down Dodgers’ One-Year Offer
1:33am: Ramirez has turned down the Dodgers’ one-year offer, Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times reports. The Dodgers have confirmed it.
Hernandez lists the Mets, Giants and Nationals as teams that are monitoring Ramirez’ market.
The Dodgers could find themselves in a bind if Ramirez receives a multi-year offer from another club. If Ramirez is offered what he considers a fair deal, sources close to him say that he wouldn’t grant the Dodgers a chance to match it, forcing the Dodgers to go into Spring Training without their only star attraction and reliable run producer.
Hernandez believes the Dodgers could possibly pursue free agent outfielders Adam Dunn or Bobby Abreu if they don’t re-sign Ramirez.
9:11pm Monday: ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark reports that Ramirez and agent Scott Boras were given a 48-hour deadline to either accept or reject the offer.
7:40pm Monday: According to Tony Jackson of the Los Angeles Daily News, the Dodgers have made another offer to Manny Ramirez. This time it’s a one-year deal worth $25MM.
Dodgers GM Ned Colletti confirmed that the offer was made last night. "We are still trying to sign Manny, and we hope that this will make him happy,” Colletti said. The team’s first offer was two years, $45 million with a club option for 2011. As Jackson notes, these are the only known offers extended to Ramirez since he filed for free agency last fall.
Orlando Hudson On MLB Network
Free agent second baseman Orlando Hudson appeared on the MLB Network today. Barry Larkin asked which teams he’s talking to, and he named the Dodgers, Mets, Yankees, and Nationals. None of the teams have said anything to Hudson’s agent about changing positions. Hudson says right now he sees himself as a second baseman. Ken Rosenthal says Hudson "seems to be banking on [the Mets or Yankees] pursuing a creative solution."
Hudson, 31, hit .305/.367/.450 in 455 plate appearances for Arizona last year while earning $6.25MM. Based on the plus/minus system, Hudson did not flash his typical stellar glovework in ’08. The market for Hudson has been held down partially because he is a Type A free agent who turned down the D’Backs offer of arbitration. That means whoever signs him will give up a draft pick. Another factor may be the broken wrist he suffered in August.
Latest On Randy Wolf, Braden Looper
9:23pm: MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick confirms that the Dodgers spoke multiple times with the agents for Wolf and Looper over the weekend.
Gurnick writes that the team is "cautiously optimistic" that having Oliver Perez off the board will spur the remaining free agent pitchers to reach agreements.
The Dodgers currently have starters Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley and Hiroki Kuroda slotted into the starting rotation with Jason Schmidt, Eric Stults, Shawn Estes and Claudio Vargas looking on from the outside. Either Wolf or Looper could easily slide into that fourth spot.
3:21pm: Ken Rosenthal has the latest on free agent lefty Randy Wolf:
The Dodgers have maintained almost daily contact with the agents for left-hander Wolf, and the two sides made "a little" progress over the weekend, one source said.
It seems that Wolf has one less suitor now that the Mets are set to re-sign Oliver Perez. Braden Looper is said to be the Dodgers’ backup plan after Wolf, but the market for Wolf appears quiet. The Cubs, Cardinals, and Brewers might be looking to add one starter, but those three clubs have not been connected to Wolf in recent days.
Olney’s Latest: Abreu, Manny, Torre
Buster Olney has a new video up, discussing some of the bigger issues in the MLB world right now:
- One GM thinks Bobby Abreu may have to settle for a one-year, $7MM deal. Quite the dropoff from the initial three years, $48MM he was asking for to begin the season.
- If the Mets sign a cheaper alternative to Oliver Perez, they may consider making an offer to Abreu.
- Olney isn’t sure if the Giants are in on Manny Ramirez, or just trying to drive up the price for the Dodgers. He says that the Giants won’t bring on Manny unless he "fits" offensively, defensively, and contractually. It’s hard to imagine Manny’s bat not fitting in any MLB lineup, but his glove and contract could be another story.
- Olney wonders if the recent controversy surrounding Joe Torre’s book will affect his relationship with Dodger players.
Abreu Still Waiting
Tyler Kepner of The New York Times reports that Bobby Abreu‘s former general manager Ed Wade believes that Abreu could still be an impact player this coming season:
"He’s still an All-Star-caliber player,” said Wade, now the general manager of the Houston Astros. “He’s probably not the guy that stirs the drink, but if you have the ability to add Bobby Abreu to your lineup and your clubhouse, it’s going to make all the players around him better.”
Abreu, 34, who made about $16MM with the Yankees in 2008, hit .296/.371/.471 in 684 plate appearances last season.
The Mariners, Giants, Dodgers, Reds and Braves could still get in on Abreu. Though Abreu had originally sought three-year contract, agent Peter Greenberg has confirmed that the slugger would be open to a one-year deal.
Manny Ramirez Rumors: Saturday
According to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney, the Giants are still talking to Manny Ramirez. Giants president Larry Baer said "we’ve got interest. But it’s one of those things where it’s got to fit."
Some executives say the Giants want to prevent the Dodgers from getting Manny on a one year deal, but aren’t about to start a bidding war. If they end up with a Hall of Fame player for a year because of it, they’d be happy.
As one executive said, few teams have enough money remaining to sign Ramirez, so the Dodgers could conceivably offer $30MM over two years and still make the highest bid.
Ethier’s Arbitration Hearing Date Is Set
Tony Jackson of the Los Angeles Daily News reports that Andre Ethier‘s arbitration hearing is scheduled for February 17.
As Jackson writes, "that should give the sides plenty of time to reach an agreement and avoid a hearing, but you never know." Ethier and his representatives have asked for $3.75MM, while the Dodgers submitted a $2.65MM bid. He is the team’s only pending arbitration case.
Wolf, Dodgers Resume Talks
According to MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick, the Dodgers resumed contract talks with Randy Wolf. He’s thought to be asking for a deal similar to Jon Garland‘s ($7-9MM). While Wolf is the Dodgers’ first choice, he’s expected to wait until the Mets reach a resolution with Oliver Perez. So once again, we’re waiting on the notoriously patient Scott Boras.
Gurnick says the Dodgers also spoke to Braden Looper‘s agent today; he’s their backup plan.
D’Backs Sign Jon Garland
THURSDAY: The D’Backs’ signing of Garland is official; he was introduced today.
WEDNESDAY, 2:52pm: More details from ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick: Garland gets $6.25MM in ’09 and the 2010 option for $10MM has a $2.5MM buyout if the D’Backs reject it. If Garland rejects it it’s a $1MM buyout. Bottom line: if he doesn’t return in 2010, he’ll have made either $7.25MM or $8.75MM for ’09.
1:49pm: Different take from Ken Rosenthal; he says Garland is guaranteed more than $8.5MM in total. Heyman figures Arizona’s Garland signing makes the Dodgers the "heavy favorite" for Randy Wolf.
1:11pm: SI.com’s Jon Heyman has contract details. Garland will earn $6.25MM in ’09, with his ’10 buyout pushing the guaranteed money to about $7MM. The 2010 mutual option is for about $10MM.
10:41am: According to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, the Diamondbacks agreed to terms with starter Jon Garland on a one-year deal with an option (likely mutual) for 2010. Garland’s guaranteed money is believed to be in the $6-8MM range. The Diamondbacks probably could’ve re-signed Randy Johnson for a similar amount; did they make the right decision?
Garland’s early December choice to decline the Angels’ offer of arbitration turned out to be a mistake. The Angels will receive a supplemental draft pick for their loss.
The move uses up the D’Backs’ remaining payroll room, presumably taking them out of the mix for free agents such as Pedro Martinez and Braden Looper.
Stark On Greinke, Manny, Dunn, Swisher
The latest from ESPN’s Jayson Stark…
- The Cubs’ ownership situation is not close to the finish line, which is one reason the team won’t be acquiring Jake Peavy anytime soon.
- One source of Stark’s suggested Zack Greinke nearly left his current agent John Courtright of SFX for Scott Boras, a whisper I’d heard as well. But now Greinke is happy with his contract and agent.
- Free agents such as Manny Ramirez and Ivan Rodriguez could reasonably wait until March to sign. Not a bad thing for this website!
- Adam Dunn would like Manny to sign earlier, as he’s waiting to see what the Dodgers (his preferred team) do. The Nationals have been Dunn’s most aggressive suitor, the Orioles have mild interest, and the Braves have backed off.
- Stark questions the idea of talks for Manny heating up lately, since the Mets, Yankees, and Angels are out and the Giants are only conditionally interested.
- When Alex Rodriguez was a free agent last winter, Joe Torre advised the Dodgers against signing him.
- The Phillies would like to move Geoff Jenkins for a right-handed hitting outfielder, but Jenkins is paid too much. Jay Payton and Emil Brown are not on the Phillies’ radar; they still like Nomar Garciaparra.
- The Yankees are apparently "softening to the idea of trading Nick Swisher," with the Braves the top suitor.