When the Dodgers saw how Manny Ramirez leaded them to their best run at the MLB in a few years, they knew they had to come up with a good deal in order to keep him on the team.
And yesterday, the Dodgers made an initial offer of – it’s being said -- two years for $55 million to Ramirez. The offer was extended to Scott Boras, Manny’s agent.
Boras got Manny the four-year $160 million dollar contract he had with the Red Sox, and he will surely wait until more offers are put on the table before he and Ramirez to conclude what is the best futurefor experienced left fielder.
Our job is patience, but our job is also looking at other players to see how we can improve the club."
Manny Ramirez will be a free-agent officially on November 14, so before such date no team can put on the table any monetary figures, there can be discussions but nothing beyond that, so for the moment, the Dodgers have the edge.
The Dodgers currently have 12 free agents, and talks have come around Casey Blake and Rafael Furcal, their respective agents have advised both players to wait until the exclusivity period to be over so the real talks can begin.
Manny Ramirez came to the Dodgers after a last-minute, non-waiver trade back on July 31, and had an immediate impact both on his teammates and fans alike. He brought a winning spirit with him that was needed in the Los Angeles team. His Dodgers t-shirt and dreadlock wigs immediately started to sell in a good number, which means that Manny is not just a valuable asset for the Dodgers in terms of baseball results but also as a marketing figure
The Dodgers made it to the NL Championship series with Ramirez on the team, but were eliminated by the Phillies. If Los Angeles manages to keep Manny Ramirez on the team, they know he can have a bigger impact playing a full season for them, and the fight for his contract won’t go easy.
