Manny leaves without discussing future with Dodgers

Ramirez is just one of several Dodgers veterans who will become free agents after the World Series, perhaps making for a madeover Dodgers team next season to surround a nucleus of young players that includes Ethier, fellow outfielder Matt Kemp, catcher Russell Martin, first baseman James Loney and pitchers Chad Billingsley, Clayton Kershaw and James McDonald.

The Dodgers have a major league-leading 14 potential free agents led by Ramirez, infielders Rafael Furcal, Casey Blake, Jeff Kent and Nomar Garciaparra, starting pitchers Derek Lowe and Greg Maddux, and relievers Joe Beimel and Chan Ho Park. In addition, they have a club option on starter Brad Penny, with a $2 million buyout.

It's likely most of those players won't be back.

Making life a little more difficult is the status of outfielder Andruw Jones and pitcher Jason Schmidt, who are both under contract for one more year. Jones, who hit .158 with three homers and 14 RBI this season, signed a two-year, $36.2 million contract last winter. Schmidt, who didn't play this year after undergoing shoulder surgery 16 months ago, signed a three-year, $47 million contract before the 2007 season.

"On every club I've been on, there have been a number of key people that have moved on," first-year Dodgers manager Joe Torre said Thursday. "I still think that pitching is something that should be front and center as having to be addressed."

Regarding Ramirez, Torre said: "I don't think it's a one-way street. Manny certainly has to do what's best for him and his family. (The contract) is going to take a lot of length, from what I hear. He was certainly an A-No. 1 citizen here."

Since winning the 1988 World Series, the Dodgers had gone 1-12 in four postseason appearances before sweeping the Chicago Cubs in the first round and losing to the Phillies in the second.

"It was a bumpy road for a while," said Torre, whose team had a 65-70 record in late August before winning 19 of their final 27 games to finish 84-78. "I know I was satisfied with the effort. We all want to go further than we did. We beat a very good Cubs team. I don't think you can look at this club and just say we won a very weak division.

"Considering we were three games from going to the World Series, you've got to be proud of that. There's more work to do. I thought we eliminated a lot of the hills and valleys, for the most part."

A lot of that came after the addition of Ramirez, who not only performed at an amazing level, he loosened things up in the clubhouse as well.

"This game, it's all about emotion to me," Torre said. "It's a man's game. There's still room for growth, no question. We've got some talent in some very key spots."