Frayed Knot

Manny/Boras turn down the Dodger proposal ... and the beat goes on.

From Jayson Stark - espn.com: A two-year, $45 million offer three months ago didn't get it done. So on Monday, the Los Angeles Dodgers made a new offer to Manny Ramirez -- for one year and $25 million, according to a major league source. Dodgers GM Ned Colletti confirmed to ESPN.com that he met with Ramirez's agent, Scott Boras, on Monday and presented the new offer in person. Colletti declined to confirm any details of the offer. But the offer was confirmed by another source with knowledge of the discussions. It's believed that Ramirez and Boras were given a 48-hour deadline to accept the offer.

Eh, as usual I care more about the length of these deals than the money. If he falls on his face he'll be about as untradeable at $10mil/per as he will at $12 and if he's good who cares what they're paying him. Plus, Ollie at 3x$12 while in his 20's sounds a whole lot better than Lowe in his late 30's at 4x$15, and the more I hear about teams being fraidy-scared over what's on Sheets' medical sheets it's probably the best deal for us right now.

I'm not so sure that Pudge is even an upgrade these days. He never did walk, has seen his power diminish as he got older and (how you say) 'smaller' in recent years, and is no longer the defensive force he once was. Plus he was simply awful in his 2-month tour w/the Yanx to end last season.

13) That dive in the stands catch? ... only did it because I landed in some lady's tits. That I also caught the ball was a secondary consideration.

Assuming that Ollie passes the physical then I'd say that the pitching staff is fairly complete outside of the usual last minute questions as to who mans the back-end jobs and who gets stored in Buffalo for first call-up duty. So what else needs to be done? * 2nd base - Not gonna happen I don't think. Yeah it's far too much money and far too much time on Castillo's contract, but a healthy Luis simply coming near his career norms is at least useful and I think it's folly to assume they're going to eat $18mil. With even a decent year and an improved economy he's much more tradable/dumpable next off-season if need be. * Catcher - again not much happening Mainly because there's just not that much out there. Catchers don't hit much to begin with which makes the Schneid-Astro combo not THAT much worse than the norm. Texas and maybe Arizona have some kiddie-catchers that they may be willing to deal but of course you don't know what some rookie will bring you and then there's the question about where you'll have to weaken yourself elsewhere to get them. * So I think we're looking OF if anywhere.. With what seems like a glut of good-if-flawed veteran corners out there at Crazy Eddie prices I suspect if there are any other 'Big' moves left it'll be for one of the Dunn, Abreu, Wiggy, (dare I say) Manny group. Or maybe they consider themselves done?

And then ESPN, after reading Rosenthal, then reading Lunchbucket's reporting of Rosenthal, and then hearing FAN's learning of the new deal, will say that "as first reported on ESPN" the Mets and Oliver Perez have agreed to a deal.

The Yanx DFA'd Chase Wright[/url:1wyt9fuv] when they signed Pettitte although I'm not sure if his status is clear yet. He had some decent AA & AAA numbers last year and if one could overlook the time when he served up 4 consecutive bombs to the BoSox back in early '07** he could be a candidate. Turns 26 this week. ** 4/22/07 After giving up 1 run over 3 innings and getting the first 2 outs in the 4th as the starter that day, Chase ran into a bit of trouble: * M Ramirez - Home Run (Fly Ball to Deep LF-CF) * J Drew - Home Run (Fly Ball to Deep CF-RF) * M Lowell - Home Run (Fly Ball to Deep LF) * J Varitek - Home Run (Fly Ball to Deep LF) He then struck out W.M. Pena to end the inning (and his day)

="metirish":3ko8tdnw]Hasn't Manny already turned down more than that from the Dodgers way back in FA , 2 years and $45 million IIRC.[/quote:3ko8tdnw] Yes, LA put that deal out there early on and is waiting for a counter-offer from Boras but hasn't heard anything. And word leaked out the other day that Manny supposedly let it slip via his buddy A. Pujols that he hasn't received an offer other than that one. The Giants showed some brief interest and continue to stick their nose in every once in a while but that now seems to be more in making sure the Dodgers don't get him cheaply than it is in snagging him for themselves. Presumably that same Dodger offer is still on the table although they might just reduce it themselves. Meanwhile Boras is still talking about wanting 4 years. Frayed Knot Feb 02 2009 08:35 PM From Jayson Stark - espn.com: A two-year, $45 million offer three months ago didn't get it done. So on Monday, the Los Angeles Dodgers made a new offer to Manny Ramirez -- for one year and $25 million, according to a major league source. Dodgers GM Ned Colletti confirmed to ESPN.com that he met with Ramirez's agent, Scott Boras, on Monday and presented the new offer in person. Colletti declined to confirm any details of the offer. But the offer was confirmed by another source with knowledge of the discussions. It's believed that Ramirez and Boras were given a 48-hour deadline to accept the offer. John Cougar Lunchbucket Feb 02 2009 09:00 PM They stole my idea! metsguyinmichigan Feb 02 2009 09:35 PM That's more than the entire Marlins payroll. Number 6 Feb 02 2009 11:31 PM Of course, he could be referring to talks that happened a while ago, were not substantial, or are dead due to the Perez signing and/or Castillo, but Hudson is still name-dropping the Mets. http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200902023793126 Frayed Knot Feb 03 2009 06:46 AM Manny/Boras turn down the Dodger proposal ... and the beat goes on. Benjamin Grimm Feb 03 2009 07:34 AM Report this morning that the White Sox have offered Abreu one year, $8 million. John Cougar Lunchbucket Feb 03 2009 07:45 AM Take it, Bobby.

We could definitely use Finch in our rotation this year but he's recently hired Boras as his agent and now there are rumors of a secret monastery in the bidding for his services.

And if all else fails ... Get Wiggy With It!!!

]Well there is truth to that. Well there is speculation about that. Phillips' line of thing was that with a catcher already under contract the "chips" might be best spent elsewhere or maybe saved for another day. But then the boss whispered (asked?, pleaded?, demanded?) in his ear he changed his tune and started looking into things. Whether Doubleday's action was as the result of the M&MD scream-a-thon is up to interpretation and even the duo never claimed that they were anything other than a small part in it.

Varitek's (read: Boras's) threat to sit out the season and/or retire didn't get the Sox to budge I see. Tek is one of several who turned down arbitration offers this winter only to wind up not only with a much smaller deal than arb would have snagged him but didn't get the multi-year deal either. Now it's hope you play well and the economy improves when you can do the same dance next year.

If he makes it I hope he grows his hair out again. Last time I saw him he had opted for the standard issue close-cropped jock look - but originally he had this huge bird's-nest going on in a rusty-red shade not seen since the early part of Daniel Joseph's career.

Mark Hale in the NYPost reports that if Pedro doesn't have a team by spring training he plans to pitch for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic and use that as an audition, hoping that will reveal what he can still offer a major league team in 2009.

I was just thinking about a similar, though much better attended, 'We Want Favre' rally held about 6 months ago and wondering how many of those who were there are still happy with the results of all their chanting and pleading.

Adam Rubin's blog describes the Pedro meeting as more like a courtesy call than like talks which may lead to a contract offer. Seems that Omar and several of his lieutenants are in the DR looking at kiddies to potentially sign and stopped by to pay their respects. He doesn't think it's a sign that it'll lead to anything even though several outlets reported yesterday that Omar indicated interest.

"Serial tough man Roger Clemens? Uncontrollable sobbing in the clubhouse during a game he was pitching in the World Series! This after his got all macho and threw a shard of bat in the direction of nemesis Mike Piazza." Good thing steroids haven't been linked to wild mood swings. Oh wait!

] ... jeez on some level I can't help but grin to myself and think, "this could only happen to the freakin' Mets." Astros fans forced to deal with 'Enron Field' might disagree there.

]The proposed clause is intended to ensure that future books about the Yankees are "positive in tone," and "do not breach the sanctity of our clubhouse." It's modeled after the same plan the CIA uses.

I have more interest in Torre's than I would in one from Willie. But mainly I'm just waiting for Valentine's.

Plus, one can't discount something like the Glavine signing because he wasn't in his prime in support of a piece that whines about not signing Lowe.

Reading Wolf's spared me from having to read the original -- one which I'm sure the dude wrote by simply combining a dozen or so WFAN rants while convincing himself that he's come up with some kind of fresh angle on the subject.

There were two pitching circles (not raised mounds, just a dirt area) to either side of home plate towards the batting circles with extra plates back near the backstop. Those were intended as warmup areas although I don't think I ever saw anyone actually warm up from there. They eventually got erased and the backstop moved up to make it impossible anyway but I don't specifically remember when. An overhead shot of the field from the early days would show the marks.

Adam Rubin: ... a Mets official strongly suggested that the club is not included to guarantee Ben Sheets two years after reviewing his medical report, though it's not clear Texas would guarantee two years, either. I think that's supposed to read 'inclined' to guarantee (rather than 'included') but, in any case, it sounds like something in the med reports (not to mention his history) is causing folks to be mighty cautious around Mr. Sheets.