Burn the witch!

Well … not really, I just really thought it would make a cool title for a post.

Regardless, when I saw this article on Yahoo: Boras: Don’t play chicken with Manny I had to laugh. First Manny (or Boras…I’ll just call them Boramirez) turn down--or even really acknowledge--the two years/$45 million offer from the Dodgers and Boras later states (when teams could bid on free agents) that they’re willing to entertain “serious offers” for Ramirez which never materialize, then Boramirez turns down arbitration, then arrives the one year $25 million offer and now we get this announcement from Boras.

Uh huh.

What I thought interesting was Boras’ half statement of a “healthy market” without really defining the parameters of what constitutes a “healthy market.” I mean, if healthy means that there are a number of clubs willing to better what the Dodgers have put on the table then (1) why even bother with LA yet alone (2) issue warnings about not playing chicken. I’m sure the market for Ramirez is healthy but is it healthy at the levels Boramirez are seeking?

I would imagine that if Ramirez publicly stated that he was willing to sign a four year/$16 million contract that Boras’ switchboard would short out. I’m equally certain that if he said he was looking for a Pat Burrell type contract (2 years/$16 million) the same thing would happen.

What is not to be forgotten is that “healthy market” has Bobby Abreu and Adam Dunn still on the shelves--in Abreu a team gets better defense and base running, solid offense and a good citizen at a lot less per year than what Ramirez has turned down. In Adam Dunn they receive a consistent power bat (I mean, 40 HR on the nose in each of the last five seasons and six straight of 40-plus--how cool is that?), fewer headaches and a guy not yet 30 years old that can likely be had at half of what they’re seeking on an annual basis for Manny Space Cadet.

Sure, it was really convenient that San Francisco Giants player personnel director Bobby Evans stated “You can’t deny interest if there’s an opportunity to bring him to the Giants. … We’re going to monitor the market on him. It doesn’t seem to be going down, although he did turn down this offer” but let’s face it: there is an opportunity to bring him to the Giants--offer more than the Dodgers.

However, that’s not an option they seem keen on exploring; heck, any team has the same opportunity but nobody has stepped up to the levels Boramirez are demanding. The Yankees say they’re out (I say they’re not), the Mets likewise, the Red Sox (HA!) definitely not so who does that leave with $25 million lying around and willing to blow it on one player when you can probably get some combination of Dunn, Abreu and Orlando Hudson for the same amount with change left over?

Either Boras has a hole card (the Yankees) or he’s desperately trying to get Ned Colletti to bid against himself and let’s face it--is there any other team out there that would love to see the Dodgers do just that more than the Giants?

I think it’s safe to say that the duo blew this one--Ramirez’s age, demands and disgraceful exit from Boston did more damage than they initially thought; Ramirez said that ‘gas was up and so was he’ however he went into the tank while in Beantown never considering that the economy and the free agent market might follow right along.

A bit of poetic justice to be sure.

The thing is, surely Boras is not so dense to realize that a one year contract at $25 million followed by a season of Manny being magnificent proceeded by a return to the free agent auction with a healthier economy and fewer slugging corner OF/DH types on the market isn’t the worst scenario ever devised and let’s face it 2/45 is better than the 2/40 they left on the table in Boston (with no guarantees that the Red Sox would even pick up the options in this economic environment). Therefore, the question has to be asked:

Who is the driving force behind the debacle: Ramirez or Boras?

Is Ramirez’s pride wounded and he refuses to play for anything less than what he feels he is worth or is it Boras trying to save face hoping that something will transpire a la Derek Lowe that will bring another bidder or two into the picture?

Or is it a team effort: Beavis and Butthead Do America?

I guess time will tell.

This much is certain--this is one of those rare times I’ve stooped to indulge in a little schadenfreude; I was willing to do so after Scott Boras announced A-Rod’s opt out during the World Series but when Rodriguez manned up and did what he wished to do then the future Hall of Famer earned back a lot of respect from me and I was happy for him (I'm sure he sleeps better at night knowing that). Well, there are two people in MLB that bring nasty visceral feelings to the surface in me by the very mention of their names: Bud Selig and Scott Boras. I feel strongly (and have written articles) that Ramirez’s exit from Boston was choreographed to get Ramirez into free agency in what appeared to be a very lucrative market.

The fact that it could have affected a pennant race made it that much more purulent to me and quite frankly I am happy that it appears to be backfiring. Nobody will suffer from this--both men will remain fabulously wealthy and gainfully employed but it’s nice to see that when you screw with the game then sometimes the game will screw with you.

Baseball is a century-plus old institution enjoyed by billions over the decades and few have had the privilege of playing at the highest levels--it is not a playground and piggybank for small minded and greedy men whose time in the game is short.

It’s good that we be reminded of that on occasion.

Best Regards

John