Is Manny Worth $20 Million?
Nov 18th 08
“Ramirez hit .396 with 17 homers, 53 RBIs, 36 runs scored, 74 hits and 35 walks in 53 regular-season games with Los Angeles, leading the Dodgers to the NL West title.
He was even more potent in the postseason, hitting .520 with four homers, 10 RBIs, nine runs scored and 11 walks in eight playoff games.”
-ESPN Report on Boras shopping Manny Ramirez
I am the biggest Manny defender you will find on the East Coast, but I don’t believe he is worth 3 years and $60 million. I think the best contract ( since he has clearly shown he will find a way to control a team option ) would be four years at $72 million with a $13 million buyout in the 4th year if the team decides to let him go.
They could then average out his first three season at 16 million ( 14,16,18 = defer as his contract progresses ) and if there is any craziness and/or loss of production, they buy out the other $20+ million with a $12 million dollar buyout. And you would have two scenarios:
Manny full four season: $18 million a year, most money deferred till last season.
Manny three seasons: $16 million + $13 million buyout: $20 million per year.
What kills with the 1st scenario is that he could lose production in his final year, or his output just won’t be as great at that age ( especially playing for a non-DH team such as the Dodgers ).
What kills with the second scenario is that something occurs, either with Ramirez or the financial opportunities & risks down the road, and you have to give him money to get rid of him.
My belief is that he will do really well as he gets older, but one thing was very apparent while playing for both the Red Sox and the Dodgers: The inside fastball was getting by him a little more than usual. A lot of pitchers paid the price for getting inside on him, but he doesn’t have the insane dominance of controlling that inside corner he did five years ago.
The plus side is that he is out of the frying pan that is Red Sox Nation, and maybe he will continue to produce and play intelligent against good pitching elsewhere. His quick-swing and ability to play the pitcher will keep him in this league for another decade. Lets hope that the weakness of the inside 92 MPH fastball above the belt doesn’t prove to be his Achilles heel after he puts some ink onto a hefty multi-million I.O.U.
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