DANA POINT, Calif. -- Don't be fooled: There is precious little hard news coming out of these annual general managers meetings. There is talk, speculation, conjecture, hypothesizing and theorizing. There are rumors and whispers.
There are the ingredients that will lead to the hard news that will come later, perhaps as early as next Thursday, the first day free agents can sign with new teams.
The location is beyond spectacular. Out the back of the St. Regis Resort, a veranda overlooks a beautiful golf course and, beyond that, the sunlight glimmers off the ocean. The rooms run up to $4,000 a night, a beer at the bar is $7.50 and a cup of coffee $5.50.
But then, when you're contemplating spending $25 million a year for Manny Ramirez, what's $5.50 for a cup of coffee?
A tour around the grounds as that warm California sun set on the general managers' final full day of meetings Wednesday. ...
Manny Ramirez
GM Ned Colletti confirmed that not only have the Dodgers made an offer to the slugger, but it is for the second-highest average annual value in baseball history. Being that Alex Rodriguez currently owns that record -- $27.5 million per year -- you can pencil Ramirez in somewhere around the $25 million to $27 million range.
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| What's up, Manny Ramirez? Well, your salary could be. (Getty Images) |
And being that this process is only beginning, Colletti isn't holding his breath on when Ramirez will make a decision.
"I've talked to Scott on Christmas, Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve ... I've talked to him numerous times throughout the winters," Colletti said of Scott Boras, the uberagent who represents Ramirez.
Judging from what Boras was saying earlier in the day Wednesday, Colletti -- and other GMs -- will be speaking with him on many days this winter, too. Boras ranked Ramirez alongside Barry Bonds and A-Rod as players who "pay for themselves."
"You have evidence," Boras said. "The Dodgers drew 5,000, 6,000 more a game with him. The merchandising."
Ramirez really paid for himself after the Dodgers acquired him, given Boston picked up the $7 million he was owed. Los Angeles didn't pay a dime.
"That's a surplus they have," Boras cracked. "It's nice that they got a running start."
