As of this posting Manny Ramirez has received only ONE offer, and it comes courtesy of the Los Angeles Dodgers. For the Dodgers that's great. For Team Manny not so much. As Manny's demand is dropping Scott Boras is having to get more creative. I reasoned that by bringing other teams (falsely) into the mix he's essentially trying to get Ned to bid against himself.
And then today this comes out...
As hard as Scott Boras may be trying to portray the San Francisco Giants as serious bidders for Manny Ramirez , it's even harder to find executives in baseball who believe that.
According to one source familiar with the Giants' thinking, just about every recent rumor connecting the Giants with Manny is "unfounded" or "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."
Industry sources estimate that the Giants' payroll, with no other additions or subtractions, is already likely to be north of $85 million -- and would be more than $90 million if you include deferred money owed to Barry Bonds. That's already significantly higher than last year's payroll (about $77 million) and close to the highest in team history. So signing Ramirez would push them well beyond $100 million. And multiple sources indicate there is virtually no scenario that would allow them to maintain a payroll in that range.
Assuming this report is accurate then that would leave the Nationals and Orioles as the only other teams mentioned in the Ramirez sweepstakes. Judging by the non-existence of ANY offers I don't see either of those teams, or the Giants, stepping up.
Manny will be back in Los Angeles in 2009. For how much, and for how long, really depends on Ned Colletti.
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