PEORIA, Ariz. -- The Los Angeles Dodgers spoke to the agent for Manny Ramirez on Friday, and still no sign the sides are any closer to a deal.
The Dodgers announced Thursday night that agent Scott Boras had declined the team's latest offer to the star outfielder -- a $25 million, one-year contract with a $20 million player option for 2010.
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"I talked to Scott a couple of hours ago," Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said, adding with a shrug of his shoulders, "Nothing new."
Asked during the Dodgers' game against Seattle if he remained at a stalemate with Boras, Colletti chuckled and said, "Yeah, whatever."
The issue separating the sides now appears to be how it will be paid out - either the total over the next two years, or spread out through 2013.
"Deferred compensation was part of the deal from the very beginning," Colletti said.
"I have asked Scott many times to tell us where we are at, what we are bidding against, to tell us what we have to meet. We have yet to be told what the parameters are," Colletti said.
Boras did not immediately return a call from the Associated Press to his offices in Newport Beach, Calif.
The San Francisco Giants are monitoring the negotiations, although managing partner Bill Neukom said there have been no new conversations with Boras.
The Giants didn't have a single player hit more than 16 home runs last year and hit just 94 all season.
"We can't control what is going on, but we are watching it closely," Neukom said. "Nobody knows how it's going to play out. It's mostly up to the player and his agent at this point."
Meanwhile, the Dodgers are trying to complete a deal.
"It's obviously been the longest negotiation, thought process I've ever been a part of," Colletti said. "I'm frustrated because we're here for spring training, too, to evaluate the club and try to make the club as good as we can.
"I missed the first (spring game) to fly back because I thought it was a serious enough meeting that we wanted to try to bring something to a head. This is important, certainly, Manny is someone we really want on this club. There is a lot to do in the course of a day, and the vast majority of it is spent on this subject."
Ramirez hit .332 with 37 homers and 121 RBI last season with Boston and the Dodgers. He hit .396 in two months with Los Angeles, helping lead a push into the playoffs.
Dodgers manager Joe Torre obviously was tired of talking about the situation, saying he wasn't going to answer any more questions about Ramirez.
"You're got about all the Manny stuff that I have," he said. "Until it's determined where he's going to wind up. I'm not angry or anything, but with all the back and forth, I'd just as soon not respond."
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