Henry Schulman of theSan Francisco Chronicle comes round to the Manny Ramirez rumors and reports the Giants are interested. Whether the Giants become more than a tool for Scott Boras following the Los Angeles Dodgers restructuring of Andruw Jones 2009 contract, we will see.
With the Dodgers freeing $12MM from its 2009 payroll, one is lead to believe the team is freeing up cash for a run at Manny Ramirez at a salary greater than the two-years and $45MM previously offerred. Why jump to that conclusion? According to Bill Shaikin of the LA Times, the Dodgers 2009 payroll is set to plummet 45% from $119MM to $65 million.
That aside, the bigger question for fantasy baseballers is whether Andruw Jones retains any value whatsoever coming off a season where he hit .158 and managed an OBP (.256) and SLG (.249) that look more like a weak middle infielder than a strike-out-or-hit-a-home-run power hitter. Is there a situation where someone would draft him?
I am not convinced he is a better risk than a flyer on a closer, breakout starting pitcher or sleeper middle infielder like Mike Fontenot of the Chicago Cubs or Brandon Wood of the Los Angeles Angels.