When I turned on ESPN News this morning and saw that Manny Ramirez had once again rejected the Dodgers offer, alot of 4-letter words crossed my mind. But now that the details of the Dodgers offer has been released, I can't blame Ramirez for turning it down. I am actually shocked that it took that long for him to turn it down. The offer was 2 yrs, $45 million, but with $25 million deferred.
Dylan Hernandez from the LA Times has the details:
Under the terms of the contract that Ramirez was offered by the Dodgers on Wednesday, he would've received $10 million this year. And by exercising the option for the second year, he would've received $10 million in 2010.
Ramirez, who turns 37 in May, would've been paid the remaining $25 million over the next three years without any added interest. He would've received $10 million in 2011, $10 million in 2012 and $5 million in 2013 .
So, the offer was $10 million for 2009!!! WTF!!! Apparently, Boras has made a counter-offer, and has given LA till noon to respond. I assume noon PCT. If McCourt actually thought Ramirez would accept that offer, he is out of his mind. He says he wants Manny back. He says he knows what he does for the lineup, in the clubhouse, for his bank account, and he makes THAT offer!!
I, as a Dodgers fan, can only hope that McCourt comes to his senses and negotiates a more reasonable offer....something like....2 yrs, $45 million....NO deferred money, with an opt out clause after 2009. That should work.
Otherwise, he really never wanted Manny in the first place. Tony Jackson from the LA Daily News says it best:
The wonder is that the Dodgers wasted their time making an offer that they HAD TO KNOW wouldn't be accepted. Why would they do that, you ask? Well, now Frank McCourt gets to say to his fan base, ``Hey, I tried.'' Well, no, Frank, you really didn't.
The sentence in bold couldn't be more true.