As you've probably heard, Manny Ramirez turned down a two-year, $45 million offer from the Dodgers yesterday. When I heard the news, it just left me shaking my head. What in the world is Manny and The Embodiment of Evil Himself, Scott Boras, waiting for? The Dodgers don't want to bid against themselves, and Lord knows, this is a generous offer, since NO ONE else is interested in acquiring Manny and all the baggage that comes with him. Or is he really interested in retiring or playing in Japan?
My friend Dan sent me an email this morning about it, from the Los Angeles Times:
The Dodgers offered Manny Ramirez a two-year, $45-million contract that included a player option to void the second year. Ramirez's agent, Scott Boras, countered by proposing a two-year, $45-million contract that included a player option to void the second year. So why isn't the deal done? The reason is in the fine print, according to a baseball source familiar with the negotiations who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the two sides are still working toward a deal. What Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti confirmed on Thursday is that by agreeing to the club's offer, Ramirez would've earned $25 million this season and another $20 million in 2010 by exercising the player option for the second year. What Colletti didn't mention, the source said, is that most of Ramirez's salary would've been deferred. Two other sources previously told The Times that the proposed deal included deferred payments. 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. When making his counteroffer, Boras requested that none of the money be deferred.
Obviously both parties in this scenario need each other and badly. A deal will get hammered out, and if it is just over deferred money, it should be done soon.
Or maybe Manny just wants to spend as little time in spring training as possible.
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