"The Giants have inquired about free-agent outfielder Manny Ramirez, although no contract offer had been made as of Friday, club sources told the Mercury News."

OK.  We can reasonably conclude the San Francisco Giants have kicked the tires on free agent outfielder Manny Ramirez.  What we can't conclude is what the Giants mean by "no contract offer".  Does that exclude general parameters of what would be an official contract?  Does a "contract offer" mean the actual contract that the Atlanta Braves did not provide Raphael Furcal?

While I think the Los Angeles Dodgers will blink and give Manny three guaranteed years in excess of $20 million per season, I cannot dismiss the smoke around the San Francisco Giants.