Jan 7, 2009
The contract that Manny Ramirez is seeking may be too expensive for the Dodgers or Giants, ESPN.com reported on Tuesday night.
The Web site, citing an unnamed source, said Scott Boras, Ramirez's
agent, is still seeking a four-to-five year contract in the $25 million
a year range. Interest in Ramirez from around the rest of Major League
Baseball has been non-existent.
Rumors that the 36-year-old Ramirez, might go to the Giants are "unfounded" and "baloney."
"If a million things came together over the next few weeks,
would it be possible? Maybe," the source told ESPN.com. "But for where
[Boras] is right now and where the team is right now, it doesn't make
sense economically and it doesn't make sense for how the team fits
together."
The Giants, after signing left-hander Randy Johnson to a
one-year deal worth $8 million with another $5 million in incentives,
already have a payroll in the $90 million range, $13 million higher
than 2008. The source said that the Giants interest in third baseman
Joe Crede, another Boras client have been "exaggerated."
As
far as the Dodgers are concerned, after GM Ned Colletti chatted with
Boras last week the continued high asking price of re-signing Ramirez
has made them turn to possibly signing a reliever such as Trevor
Hoffman.
An offer Colletti extended to Ramirez worth $45 million over two
years, was taken off the table in early November when Boras didn't
respond to it.
In 53 games with Los Angeles last season, Ramirez batted .396 with 17
homers and 53 RBIs as the Dodgers drew 3.7 million fans, second in the
NL only to the Mets. In eight postseason games, Ramirez batted .520
(13-for-25) with four homers and 10 RBIs.
Barry M. Bloom is a national reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
