Note to Dodgers and Manny's Agent: Get the Deal Done

And they say women are emotional. Read any of the news reports about the state of the negotiations between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the agent for Manny Ramirez, Scott Boras and you will wonder if the parties are really Hollywood divas.

But unlike Hollywood power brokers who understand how to posture in the media when an impasse is reached, I don't believe one player in this drama is ready for prime time. That would be Frank McCourt, owner of the Dodgers.

The Manny Ramirez negotiations dominated the sports news in Los Angeles this past weekend and even obscured back-to-back losses by the Lakers, well at least a little.

The Dodgers' last offer was $45 million for a two year deal structured so that the Ramirez can choose to go elsewhere after the first year. The Dodgers reported he'd be paid $25 million for the first year and $20 million if he chose to stay through year two.

But Manny would only receive the full amount of the contract after five years of deferred payments, without interest.

That rendered the deal worth less than $45 million and came as a big surprise to fans and media alike who had been hammered by the Dodgers about the total package price being very generous, given the state of the economy.

Who broke the news to us? Scott Boras of course. He was tired of Frank McCourt controlling the information flow regarding the details of the offer. When Boras told us why this seemingly generous package was turned down the nasty-meter cranked up to the max.

Since then Boras has spoken unequivocally about Manny's willingness to accept "some" deferred money with all other offer terms acceptable to his side.

The Dodgers owner now says he won't negotiate from that point to try and reach an accommodation. In his opinion, the negotiations are back to ground zero.

We know that isn't true. How do you start from the beginning when the process is now about the difference between being paid $45 million in two years or a bit more than that?

Frank McCourt hasn't built up the good will in Los Angeles to rely on the fans' belief in his good intentions. Some of us believe he is compensating for very bad deals made in the first few years he owned the club. But Manny isn't Juan Pierre, Andruw Jones or Jason Schmidt. We saw the direct link between the arrival of Manny and the team's performance as it got through to the second round of the playoffs last season.

We heard from GM Ned Colletti and McCourt throughout this tortuous process that Boras wasn't giving them anything concrete to work with while not presenting counter offers that were even close to realistic.

I think the Dodgers have received something realistic and definite. If the team is cash-strapped then just say it out loud to help fans digest the reason why Ramirez might play elsewhere this season. We'll understand it but make no mistake... we won't like it. The team has to take that into account if it's a matter of a few million dollars.

It might help swallow the prices of tickets, food, parking and merchandise.

Comments

[3fingerbrown]

The latest off the wire is that he'll sign for $45M over two years. Not bad for a 37-year-old ballplayer in the worst economic times since Ducky Medwick was MVP material.

[sportsd]

Takavl: If we were all honest with ourselves we'd admit that Boras, love him or loathe him gets the most for his athletes. I'd love him to be agent. As for the Dodger fans expectations and fears of having Manny be the petulant child he can be: we're willing to take the risk. He's the best thing to hit the Dodgers in years and makes them relevant. We'll deal with the bad stuff as it comes. Thanks for commenting and the passion that comes through.

Paula Duffy

[Takavl]

I really thought that after some Dodgers fans got a taste of "Manny Being Manny" (the selfish stuff, NOT the goofy, hiding in the Green Monster, taking fans' cell phones,etc) you'd come to your senses. Frank McCourt is some media master "controlling the information flow"? Boras must by your agent, Duffy.

Spring training is already here, where's Manny? (I wonder what kind of message this sends to the rest of the Dodgers' squad...) Right, waiting on "better offers." Manny burned his bridge out of Beantown and look what hap'd -- will most likely be taking McCourt's offer, which sure ain't what he and Boras were thinking ManRam would get back around ManRam's stupid "gas is up and so am I" insult. (All of this money-grubbing vis a vis the fallout from the Bushian economy is quite unseemly, dontcha think?)

If L.A. didn't get the message since November (with Boras and ManRam turning down 4 offers from McCourt, not to mention giving the finger to the guaranteed admiration that came from the new Ramirezites), maybe the sight of Manny dogging it down the basepaths, sitting out games against tough pitchers, complaining about his knees (despite clean MRIs), slapping teammates, pushing team secretaries to the floor because ManRam didn't get enough free tix for his 'family,' etc will do that. ManRam's record of obstinance is why no other GM would touch him with a ten-foot pole, and proof of McCourt craziness. Good luck.