Gas is down, and so is Manny

[kNiCk_PriDe]

Hey guys I wrote this article about Manny Ramirez. Would appreciate the input, and criticism.
The article is posted on http://www.prosportspress.com/baseball_news/881.html


'Gas is down, and so is Manny'



What does a man need to do get paid these days?

-Be one of, if not the greatest hitters of our generation? Check.
-1st ballet Hall-of-Famer? Definitely.
-RBI machine? He’s only averaged 115 RBIs over the past 15 years.
-Clutch performer? Ask the Red Sox and their 2 trophies.
-Hit .396 in the second half of the season last year? Yeah, boy was he hot.
-Hit 527 career home runs? It helps.
-Have almost 2400 hits and have a career .314 batting average? Yup.
-Be one of the greatest players to ever put on a uniform? Oh yeah.

Why isn’t Manny getting paid?

-Dogging it down the line? Jogging down the line in the middle of John Lackey’s no-hit bid.
-Pushing down team employees? Pushed Red Sox employee Jack McCormick to the floor.
-Faking injuries? Hey Coach, I don’t think I can go tonight. Maybe tomorrow.
-Insane contract demands by a 36-year-old player? Manny+Boras= Show me the money
-Club house malcontent? In 2003 proclaimed he wanted to be a Yankee
-Disliked by teammates? Just ask Kevin Youkillis.
-The Ultimate Mercenary attitude? Manny famously said he would play in Iraq if he had to.
-Manny being Manny? You know it.


As predicted the MLB off-season has seen many big contracts handed out, main culprits, or perhaps the only culprits being the New York Yankees.

Scott Boras clients Mark Teixeira and CC Sabathia have both seen huge pay-outs coming from New York, but surprisingly another one of Boras’ clients, Manny Ramirez, by far the best hitter available on the market, surprisingly doesn’t have a home yet.

Why you ask? Well, according to Manny his price is based on gas, and since gas is down, well you know the rest.

Ok, all jokes aside, yes, Manny is still on the market, and with no indications on where he’s going to go. The reasons for that are his ridiculous contract demands and his attitude. Facts are facts. Yes, Manny Ramirez is one of the best hitters you will ever see, but he’s also a certified head case, who doesn’t bust it down the line, assaults helpless old men, and plays not for the love of the game, but for the money it brings.

That being said, Manny still swings one of the most lethal bats in all of baseball.
After getting traded by the Boston Red Sox to the L.A Dodgers this past season, Manny hit .396, while driving in 53 runs, and hitting 17 long balls in only 53 games. He added to his stellar second half by hitting .500 in the first round of the playoffs. After re-establishing himself as one of the top hitters of the game, Manny famously proclaimed, “Gas is up, and so am I“.

In an age where character issues are pushed aside for ‘talent’, it is pretty surprising Scott Boras’ ‘one-dumb-owner’ hasn’t taken the bait yet.

After Manny rescinded the Dodgers’ original offer of 2 years/$45 million, the New York Yankees were viewed as the favorite to land the run-producing slugger.
Ramirez wanted a 5-year deal worth more than $100 million. The Yankees had a hole in their line-up, and deep pockets. Who better to fill that hole than the aforementioned Ramirez? The move would bring him home to New York, something Manny has always been fond of, and provide protection for Alex Rodriguez.

But that notion went out the window as soon as the Yankees signed another Boras client, Mark Teixeira to an 8 year/$180 million deal to play first base, and protect A-Rod.

With the Yankees out of the picture, the Nation being in an economic recession, no outspoken suitors, and Manny being Manny, the chances of a 5 year deal look slim.

So where will Manny go? Let’s see the Slum dog Millionaire answer that.

PRO SPORTS PRESS PREDICTION-

This writer believes Manny will continue to watch the market and wait to see if a desperate owner falls to his demands. The likelihood of that, like the 5 year deal, is bleak.

Manny earlier threatened to retire, upset about the lack of interest shown to him by teams. Manny can take that comment and stuff it back where most of his other famous quotes come from.

The money is way too important to him.

And after putting on a show in Dodgertown last year, it’s clear he can still play at a high level.

Pro Sports Press believes Manny will eventually lower his demands while the Dodgers raise their offer. When it’s all said and done, Manny will be back in Los Angeles. Manny Ramirez means too much to the Dodgers. The frustrated fans will call out the organization for letting him go, already famous for being on the stingy side. Manny also equates for a huge financial gain for the Dodger franchise, as he brings a huge boost to merchandise, and stadium revenue.

The Dodgers will find the money needed to bring him back. Restructuring Andruw Jones’ deal will help the cause. A deal will get done.

They’re the perfect fit for each other. Only Hollywood can house the drama that is Manny-being-Manny.

[CR Reina]

It seems to be mostly a factor of age and his unwilling to budge on annual salary for more length. Boras needs to give a little there to get anything beyond two years. Three-years, $65M-$70M seems fair at this point.

[LLcoleJ]

I think one of the Dodgers biggest issues is with Boras. ( surprise!) The Dodgers are not going to cave into this tactics. What I mean by that, is there seems to be no negotiation on the Manny side. The Dodogers make and offer and they reject it. Dont say why ( we know why) dont counter, dont even lay out any groundwork.

Since the Market has cooled on Manny the dodgers are letting this unfold and not be victims of Boras.

I expect to see Manny in Blue with a 3 year 70 million dollar deal with the 3rd year being a club option.

[CR Reina]

That's definitely true on him not really negotiating, though it's rare for Boras to be forced into a situation where he can't just pull the 'mystery team' card.

[daddyfivestar]

Seems like Boras threw out the mystery team card with the Cubs "Soriano will move back to 2b for Manny" sham of a rumor.