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Manny Ramirez

Report: Dodgers Could Make ‘Big Splash’

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The East Valley Tribune’s Scott Bordow reports that the Dodgers "could make a big splash in the next 72 hours."

"Don’t be surprised if the Dodgers not only sign Manny Ramirez but Orlando Hudson as well," writes Bordow.  It sounded like speculation at first, but Bordow confirmed to me in an e-mail that he heard the news from a "pretty reliable source."

The Dodgers have been linked to Hudson at times this offseason, but have only admitted to having mild interest in the second baseman.  The Dodgers would lose their #17 pick in the June draft if they sign Hudson, but they’re in need of a guy that can play second base every day and he’s the best man available.  Then again, as some readers have pointed out, it might block the development of Blake DeWitt.

Manny Ramirez Rumors: Tuesday

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The New York Post reports that Dodgers owner Frank McCourt told the MLB Network Tuesday that his club is still hoping to sign free agent outfielder Manny Ramirez.

"Well hopefully we are going to sign him soon," McCourt told the "Hot Stove" program. "That is certainly our intention."

"You know Manny had a tremendous impact on L.A. and made great contributions to our run at the end of last season," McCourt continued.  "I’ve seldom seen a situation like his with our fans. I mean that love affair was tremendous. It’s our intention to try and bring Manny back. We’ve tried to do that, been unsuccessful to date, but that doesn’t mean we are going to stop trying."

Manny Ramirez Rumors: Monday

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Interesting note yesterday from ESPN’s Peter Gammons, related to the Manny Ramirez negotiations:

Scott Boras has put the heat on Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, and there has been no love lost. The L.A. scouting department has been told it will not draft Boras clients come June.

Gammons adds that the Giants "may well be seriously considering constructing a three-year package for Manny."

Ramirez recently spoke with Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times, and the slugger described his situation this way:

"We’re in the seventh inning and I’m waiting for my pitch."

Cafardo’s Latest: Manny, Sheets, Glavine

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The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo shares some notes on Manny Ramirez and around the league. Let’s have a look, bullet-point style:

  • He cites an AL Exec who says, "I’ll be honest, I never thought Ramirez would walk away from… one year, $25 million. That’s better than the $20 million option he had torn up… If he has another great year, he gets another $25 million for one year? Or maybe a team then decides, ’OK, this guy has behaved himself for a while, continues to produce at a high level now, let’s commit for another two years to him.’ Unless a team like the Yankees comes in at the last minute and gets it done, I just don’t see where he’s going to make more than $25 million." Cafardo adds that "Brian Cashman insists it won’t happen."
  • A quote from Rich Hill on his being traded to the Orioles: "[Cubs general manager] Jim Hendry really took care of me. He wanted to create an opportunity for me that he told me probably didn’t exist in Chicago, so I’m grateful. I know Baltimore tried to deal for me last year and it didn’t work out, but this time they made it work." Hill also adds that he’s over his back injury and will rediscover his control.
  • Ben Sheets not signing anywhere until June hurts the Brewers two-fold: they may have to foot the bill for the surgery and won’t receive a first round draft pick for losing a Type-A free agent. Sheets has a torn flexor tendon, as revealed by an exam with the Texas Rangers. On the other hand, MLBTR has noted that in June, after his surgery, he won’t cost a draft pick to sign.
  • Andruw Jones on playing in Boston: "It’s too cold there. There’s too much stuff going on."
  • Bobby Abreu may have to settle for a one or two year deal at $3MM. Cafardo lists the Angels, Mets, Braves, Dodgers, and Mariners.
  • Expect an incentive-laden deal for one year between Tom Glavine and the Braves. As MLBTR has noted, their latest offer was between $1-2MM with no incentives.
  • Mark Mulder could be a useful back end starter and he’s almost ready to put himself on display to teams.
  • Shea Hillenbrand is 32 and receiving no interest. Cafardo wonders if he’s "being punished for past transgressions?"
  • Cubs, White Sox, and Dodgers are lined up for Orlando Hudson; however, the transfer of ownership may have temporarily tied the hands of Jim Hendry to do anything until Tom Ricketts takes over.
  • The A’s are continuously interested in Orlando Cabrera, Adam Dunn, and Abreu.

Sabean Speaks: Manny, Dunn, Abreu

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Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News posted highlights from a press conference with Giants GM Brian Sabean:

  • Sabean said he does not see Manny Ramirez as a "silver bullet to save the day." He would rather add reinforcements at the trade deadline.
  • The Giants are not interested in Adam Dunn or Bobby Abreu, even at deflated prices. Sabean said that signing Abreu would force a logjam in the outfield, and he does not want to create a situation in which he would have to trade a player.
  • Sabean said that he has discussed trades with some clubs this week. The players discussed were entering the final years of their contracts. Sabean argued that it was not a case of the Giants being unwilling to take on a contract saying, "Those players come at a cost of talent."

Manny Ramirez Rumors: Saturday

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6:28pm: According to Chris Haft of MLB.com, Giants’ GM Brian Sabean maintains that it will take "a special set of circumstances" for the Giants to land Manny Ramirez.

"It’s not going to be a long-term contract like you’re reading about," Sabean said. "It’s not going to be at the dollars that are being speculated. It’s going to have to make business sense and it’s going to have to make baseball sense."

Sabean spoke of Ramirez as "a player that has tremendous upside on the one hand, and some warts that still leave him on the market because of what his lack of all-around play is or what his past has been in previous organizations."

Sabean also maintained that the Giants are in a position to wait for bargains when the July 31 Trade Deadline approaches, saying that the Giants are putting together a "hit list" of players who might become available.

4:21pm: Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times has posted an article following an interview with the man himself, Manny Ramirez.

Hernandez writes that Ramirez continues to wait for a four-year deal. Says Ramirez, "We’re in the seventh inning and I’m waiting for my pitch."

Ramirez was also very frank with Hernandez about his future baseball aspirations. On that subject, Ramirez says, "Understand me, I have goals. I know that if I play six more years, I could get to my 3,000th hit and, who knows, maybe my 700th home run."

2:49pm: Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports that while the Dodgers have not been speaking with Manny’s agent Scott Boras lately, it appears that the San Francisco Giants have been doing so. Actually, it couldn’t be clearer: "We have been talking," says Giants President Larry Baer.

According to Shaikin, the Giants are not likely to beat either the Dodgers’ one or two-year offers to Manny, but have recently been reported as having "not ruled out a three-year contract."

9:40am: Here are some thoughts on Manny Ramirez from around baseball:

  • Scott Miller of CBS Sports thinks "the Giants immediately become NL West favorites if they sign Manny. Adding Bob Howry, Jeremy Affeldt, Edgar Renteria and Randy Johnson certainly helped their team.
  • The Boston Herald’s John Tomase remembers the last time someone other than Manny started the season as the Boston left fielder: Troy O’Leary in 2001. Tomase thinks Jason Bay will continue to play well as Manny’s successor in left.
  • Mark Kreigel of Fox Sports writes that clubs "are scared of Manny being Manny."

The Corner Outfield-DH Market

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There are still many jobless players who could contribute as a corner outfielder or a DH, so it’s a good time to take stock of the market. Manny Ramirez, Adam Dunn and Bobby Abreu are the big names, but Garret Anderson, Andruw Jones, Luis Gonzalez, Jim Edmonds and Ken Griffey Jr. want jobs and Jermaine Dye, Xavier Nady and Nick Swisher could be available through trades.

Here’s a look at the teams who have reportedly had interest in this type of player, starting in the AL:

Manny Ramirez Rumors: Friday

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9:04pm: Tony Jackson of the Los Angeles Daily News spoke with Dodgers GM Ned Colletti on Friday.  Jackson asked if there would come a time when the Dodgers will simply have to move on from their pursuit of Manny.  Here’s Colletti’s response:

"At some point in time, yes, but I’m not sure when that point in time will come yet. We signed Furcal, we signed Loretta, we signed Ausmus, we signed Casey Blake, we signed Wolf, and we signed Mota. We haven’t been sitting and waiting for one player to sign. We have been active, and we have continued to put a club together. At some point in time, we have to come to a conclusion. But we’re not there yet, and we’re still open-minded.”

8:17pm: A few current Giants offered perspectives Friday on the possibility of having Manny in the clubhouse:

"You’d be an idiot if you didn’t say a guy like Manny Ramirez can’t help your team," center fielder Aaron Rowand said. "But even with that being said, there’s not a guy in here who’s looking at that and hoping and praying. To a man, we’re all confident about what we have right now."

"Manny Ramirez is an unbelievable hitter," said right fielder Randy Winn. "He’s probably the best RBI guy that I’ve ever played against. Of course he’s going to help any team he goes to. But it’s nothing I can focus on because it’s kind of like a trade rumor. It’s probably not going to happen."

4:44pm: Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News has a Manny Ramirez update today, from the Giants’ point of view.  Most Giants execs, as well as former owner Peter Magowan, expect Manny to re-sign with the Dodgers.  They’ll continue to explore the possibility though.

On the other hand, ESPN’s Jayson Stark talked to one official who regularly speaks with the Giants’ front office.  That person thinks new owner Bill Neukom wants to make a splash and said, "I would watch the Giants" in regard to Manny.  The official also suggested the Giants may have "more dollars to spend than they’ve been letting on."

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Manny, Braves Howard, Mets, Nomar, Sheets

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On this date 51 years ago, the Red Sox signed Ted Williams to a one-year deal for $135K – making him the highest paid player in Major League history. This contract came on the heels of a season in which Williams hit .388-38-87 with a .526 OBP and 233 OPS+. And all of that was at age 38. With one week to go before pitchers and catchers report, several players in the twilight of their career are still looking for contracts of their own. Let’s take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…

  • River Ave. Blues says a one-year deal for Manny Ramirez in L.A. would open the door to Manny being Manny in pinstripes next year.
  • Feeling Dodger Blue takes a look at options for the Dodgers other than Manny.
  • Braves Blast sees Bobby Abreu as a better fit for the Braves than Adam Dunn and a better option than trading for Xavier Nady or Nick Swisher.
  • The Phrontiersman argues for trading Ryan Howard.
  • UmpBump continues their "Hot Offseason Action" series, this time looking at the Red Sox, their offseason moves and how the roster might look on opening day.
  • Mets Geek breaks down the Mets offseason.
  • The ’Ropolitans say the Mets’ bullpen still needs work and wonders why they don’t go after one of the remaining big-name relievers on the market.
  • Detroit Tigers Thoughts notes that if Orlando Hudson wants to sign a one-year deal after the June draft, he is more likely to lose his type-A free agent status next season if he signs with an NL club this season.
  • Goat Riders of the Apocalypse feels that Nomar Garciaparra would make a nice backup shortstop for the Cubs.
  • More Hardball puts together an All-Star squad of players still available on the free agent market.
  • MLB Notebook takes a look at which teams might be interested in signing Ben Sheets for the second half.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here.

Manny Ramirez Rumors: Thursday

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9:05pm: Jayson Stark has been told that the Angels will not pursue Ramirez.  GM Tony Reagins put it plainly to ESPN.com:

"I can make this very brief and very clear.  We are not in on Manny — and will not be."

9:01pm: According to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angles Times, Dodgers GM Ned Colletti wrote in an e-mail that he "hasn’t had any conversations today" with Scott Boras.  This is fun, isn’t it?

2:33pm: ESPN’s Jayson Stark talked to Rangers GM Jon Daniels, who dismissed the idea of signing Manny.

2:13pm: SI.com’s Jon Heyman learned from Ned Colletti that the Dodgers do not have a "drop-dead date" on the Manny negotiations.  Heyman says that Joe Torre prefers Bobby Abreu to Adam Dunn, in terms of a backup plan.

8:47am: Your daily dose of Manny Ramirez: Ken Rosenthal says the Dodgers’ one-year, $25MM offer contained some deferred money, but Scott Boras didn’t seem put off by that aspect of the offer.  He still rejected it quickly though.  Rosenthal says Boras is holding out for more years especially since players such as Rafael Furcal, Derek Lowe, and Raul Ibanez received at least three.

According to Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times, Dodgers GM Ned Colletti sent out a text message to reporters about his Wednesday talks with Boras:

Colletti wrote that the two sides restated their respective positions — Ramirez has been asking for at least a four-year deal and the Dodgers are interested in something shorter. The sides agreed to maintain communication over the next few days.

Hernandez received a clarification from Boras, who expects Manny to be signed by the time Spring Training games begin (Feb. 25) rather than when camp begins (Feb. 14).

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