Back on November 14th, a few days after Ned Colletti announced he had made Manny Ramirez a 2 year, $45 million offer, Scot Boras announced to the nation that "he was ready to take serious offers!"
Well, we all know how he made out with that. It appears that the Dodgers are closing in on signing the future HOFer to a...well....a 2 year, $45 million offer! Manny can walk after 2009 if he feels he can get more as a free agent again-FAT CHANCE! Also, if Manny should get hurt in 2009, the 2nd year becomes guaranteed. It only took 3.5 months, and about 357 rumor articles posted by me, for him to realize he wouldn't get a better offer.
MLB.com's Ken Gurnick broke the story yesterday afternoon that Ned Colletti was absent from the Dodgers first spring training game fueling suspicion that he was meeting with Boras. The rumor eventually was confirmed by both Gurnick and Tony Jackson of the LA Daily News. Colletti and Dodgers owner Frank McCourt met with Scott Boras and Co. at Dodger Stadium to work out the deal.
According to Yahoo's Tim Brown, Boras did not immediately reject the offer, as he did with the Dodgers previous offers, and instead he delivered the offer to Manny Ramirez.
By no means has Ramirez accepted the deal as of yet, but the fact that Boras did not reject the offer tells me that he, and Manny, are ready to make a deal. I have a feeling it will be slightly different than was reported.
Should Ramirez get the two year deal detailed previously, he gets the chance to become a free agent at the end of the 2009 season. With that incentive, could Manny put up MVP numbers and pull a 2004 Adrian Beltre for the Dodgers? Is he a 1st round pick based on this incentive?