Manny may find Dodgers best option
Posted: Monday, December 08, 2008 2:11 PM
Baseball’s winter meetings are underway in Las Vegas so perhaps this week will bring at least some answers to the hot stove questions below:
1. IS THERE A MARKET FOR MANNY RAMIREZ? Can his agent Scott Boras generate/create any demand that surpasses the Dodgers’ initial and since withdrawn offer?
Ramirez rejected the Dodgers offer to go to arbitration. Boras maintained in comments printed in Sunday’s New York Times that the economic downturn doesn’t yet affect baseball. Boras says the “hay is already in the barn,” referencing MLB’s long-term broadcast and sponsorship deals. I guess Boras hasn’t spoken to a team president who told me three weeks ago that “General Motors is done with sports.”
Again, one of the biggest sponsors of U.S. team sports for decades is out begging for a lifeline from Congress, which if received would require austerity from General Motors. Could this be what teams are fearing, more major companies (beer and soda) following the lead of General Motors? Could Ramirez and the Dodgers end up together after all?
2. WILL WE LEARN WHAT RAFAEL FURCAL IS THINKING? He turned down an offer from Oakland with reports that the free agent shortstop is standing firm on a four-year deal.
In one sense, you can understand Furcal’s position -- if teams are willing to go four or five years for Burnett, a pitcher whose history is littered with injury, then why not the same length of deal for an everyday player and leadoff hitter whose career, with the exception of 2008, is marked by durability. Problem is the market doesn’t seem to support that logic and Furcal seems to be running out of options.
Like Manny Ramirez, perhaps Furcal’s home of the last three seasons (Dodgers) is his best home for the future.
3. CAN CC SABATHIA KEEP DANCING WITH THE YANKEES? General manager Brian Cashman has met face-to-face with the pitcher and his agent Greg Genske. The Yankees know no team can outbid them, thus they have no worry about being used as a pawn. And after missing on Johan Santana last winter, they don’t want to bail early and miss this year’s premier pitcher. But at some point they have reason to want some direction.
Can Sabathia stall in the hopes that the Angels summon the stomach to make an offer? Would Sabathia return to Milwaukee, which has already made him a five-year, $100 million offer and might be willing to sweeten it? Or could Sabathia, a Bay Area product, defy the union and take substantially less to play for San Francisco if the Giants believe his interest in them is sincere enough to seriously pursue him?
4. WILL THE METS CLOSE ON A CLOSER? This market for closers is saturated and it looks like Mets general manager Omar Minaya is the conductor of this orchestra. The Mets have the biggest need and largest payroll of those teams seeking closers so Minaya can call his shot.
Multiple reports say that he will toss offers at the three premier closers on the open market, Francisco Rodriguez, Kerry Wood and Brian Fuentes and the first to accept is a Met. Think about this unfolding scenario as Yankees general manager Brian Cashman sits and waits on Sabathia. Minaya came away the winner last winter in the play for Johan Santana and he should double down in this year’s derby to replace the injured Billy Wagner.
5. WILL THE PADRES FINALLY TRADE JAKE PEAVY? This answer may be connected to the A.J. Burnett romance with the Atlanta Braves. If those two parties consummate a deal, then the Cubs appear to be the only trade partner for San Diego. Between Peavy’s no-trade clause and the Padres’ obvious desire to cut payroll, San Diego general manager Kevin Towers is in an awful position of no leverage.
6. WHO BREAKS THE LOGJAM? San Francisco has been the most aggressive team in the free agent market signing Edgar Renteria, Bob Howry and Jeremey Affeldt. That has been a custom of Giants general manager Brian Sabean, who prefers to strike quickly and avoid drawn-out bidding wars. It has resulted in some spectacular misses but also has kept the Giants from being saddled with albatross contracts like Juan Pierre and Gary Matthews, both players they tried to sign.
White Sox general manager Ken Williams has made his team the leader in the trade market with San Diego general manager Kevin Towers likely to match Williams’ wheeling and dealing in Las Vegas.
7. WILL WASHINGTON MAKE A DRAMATIC MOVE? This puzzling franchise just finished its honeymoon season in a new ballpark with the lowest attendance and television ratings for such circumstances. They have sound local ownership and the respected Stan Kasten in charge. Yet they have done nothing to inspire confidence from their fan base.
Mark Teixeira is the obvious play but his Maryland roots alone wouldn’t seem likely to convince him to pass on the Angels, Red Sox or any other big market offer. An inactive week from this franchise may doom them to a long winter.
