Jon Heyman reports that Manny is asking for a two year contract worth $43.5 million while Manny’s previous request was for two years at $45 million. The information comes from an email allegedly sent to the media by  Scott Boras.

Dodgers owner Frank McCourt recently announced that all deals were off the table and that the two sides needed to start from scratch.

Boras has been known to conduct similar acts of trickery before, but hopefully this time it is not just another act of “confusing the media”.

More updates to follow….

The offer is believed to be a two-year, $45 million contract, with a salary of $25 million during the first year and  $20 million during the second. The second year is supposedly a player option so Manny could leave for another team if he desires.

The Dodgers have now made a total of 3 offers to the slugger this offseason. The last offer was a similar dollar amount, but the current offer is now structured to Manny’s favor including the player option.

Miguel Salcido reported earlier this week that Adding Manny also makes Pierre somewhat expendable. That and a logjam at certain positions internally put the Dodgers in a great spot to trade for some pitching as the season unfolds if necessary. I feel that the Dodgers are prepared to run their kids out there this year and see what they can do. And of course there are a slew of veterans trying to resurrect their careers as well. People like Vargas, Schmidt, Estes, Weaver, and Milton are all seasoned vets that could turn things around.

“Third times the charm?” I guess we’ll see!

Adam Dunn was speculated, with good cause, to be the top target for the Dodgers after Manny Ramirez, and Bobby Abreu were believed to be third in line on the wish list. So if the Dodgers did not sign Manny Ramirez to a deal they would go after Dunn, and if they could not sign Dunn, they would then go after Abreu and Dunn have already signed and the Dodgers still do not have Manny signed to a deal! Oh my, that really throws a wrench in the Dodgers plans. Or does it? Boras will really have a lot of ammo to force the Dodgers to give up the dollars and the years. Or does it?

I am going to call it here right now. Manny Ramirez has already signed a deal with the Dodgers! Yes, I said it.
I have to believe that the only reason that Abreu AND Dunn have both been able to sign, and on the same day mind you, is because they are no longer blocked by Manny Ramirez. I am also guessing that the Dodgers are not dumb enough to allow them both to sign if they did not already have Manny signed. That being said, my educated guess is that the Dodgers have already signed Manny but have yet to announce anything.

This is the only scenario that makes any sense to me. Dunn had been courted by the Nationals for a while now and everyone knows that Bowden loves Dunn, he drafted originally with the Reds. So the Nats have been courting Dunn all off season. But Dunn has been holding out for the Dodgers. He made it very clear that he favored the Dodgers over the Nationals.

Now I have not heard much about Abreu’s desire to play anywhere but it is actually a really good fit for him with the Angels, it totally makes sense. But for both of the obvious backup plans for the Dodgers to be off the table all of a sudden, on the same day? Something smelled odd about that.

Well, so what do you have to say about that? I want to know who disagrees or agrees and why. Only time will tell though.

In an article written by ESPN’s Peter Gammons, Gammons describes the Manny Ramirez standoff and the pressure that Manny’s agent Boras has been inflicting on the Dodgers. According to Gammons, The L.A. scouting department has been told it will not draft Boras clients come June. If that statement alone does not speak voluble measures, I am not sure what does.

If you know anything about baseball you’ve heard the name Scott Boras. Boras has managed and represented more than a few of the highest paid players in Major League Baseball. A few names to mention include Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Derek Lowe, Carlos Beltran, Barry Zito, and of course Manny Ramirez.

As one of the most epic offseasons in baseball history begins to wind to a close, Boras has definitely set a “higher than high” profile for his clients. Some like the L.A. Scouting Department would say too high! In the month of January alone, the infamous agent has signed Derek Lowe with the Braves, Jason Varitek to the Red Sox, and probably the most notable- Mark Texieira to the Yankees with a deal worth an estimated $180MM. No joke, he knows how to get it done, at least for now.

Ok, enough with the stats that we already know. How about something we don’t know? Will teams begin to say “no” to the players associated with Boras? Teams will be certained to hesitate, but completely avoiding Boras clients may be a tad bit impossible! Here’s why.

MLBTR’s has kept a current list of all the players involved with Scott Boras. He is currently employed by “count em” 90 players currently in Major League Baseball. Just in case you were wondering, that’s an average of 3 players per team! With future 2009 MLB prospects like Stephen Strasburg, Andy Oliver, Donovan Tate, Grant Green, Dustin Ackley, Kentrail Davis, and Jacob Turner already beginning to utilize Boras’ services, the list will only continue to grow along with the pressure that ball clubs will face by dealing with the “tyrant” and his tyrantees.

There is no question that teams will try to avoid Boras as much as they can, especially with the troubled economy that only looks to be getting progressively worse. Not only will team officials need to weigh talent vs. dollars, they will also need to take into consideration what the future will hold for that particular Boras player. Teams will either “break the bank” or send their talent packing when it comes time to negotiate. Not exactly a solid investment.

Just ask the Dodgers, they know exactly what I mean.

After Manny Ramirez rejected a total of three offers from the Dodgers so far this offseason, team officials are continuing their pursuit of the slugger. According to various news sources Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti confirmed to the Associated Press that the Dodgers are very interested in striking a deal with Manny and agent Scott Boras.

Colletti was also very eager to express that no deadline for a contract agreement has been set, but those circumstances “could change in an instant”. Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has described Manny and agent Scott Boras as a challenging duo to work with.

The Dodgers have also expressed interest in outfielder Adam Dunn who currently has an offer from the Nationals and “intriguing interest” from the Dodgers as well.

Various baseball news sources are now reporting that free agent outfielder Manny Ramirez received a second offer from the Dodgers on Monday, possibly worth a whopping 1-year $25MM. It is also being reported that the slugger and agent Scott Boras almost immediately rejected the offer.

According to ESPN’s Jayson Stark, the pair were given only 48-hours to formulate a decision. The second offer comes to Manny after he declined the previous offer made back in November which was said to be worth 2-years and $45M. A shorter length contract may have not been what Manny expected, as we move closer and closer to spring training.

Agent Scott Boras and the rumors that continue to swirl around the duo, have told baseball officials that Manny is still drawing interest from “multiple clubs”.

Miguel Salcido reports that Manny recently hit .396 with 17 homers and 53 RBIs in 53 games for Dodgers and  carried the team into the playoffs last year. Sure he has a checkered past and has proven to be quite juvenile, but it is apparent that all he wants is to be respected for his talents and acknowledged.

Harold Reynolds of ESPN and MLB Network notes that what Manny has done in the past is nowhere close to as criminal as what so many other players have done on and off the field! Manny just attracts attention because of his electric personality and bat.

The offer comes after Varitek and Red Sox owner John Henry took part in a meeting on January 16th. The meeting was initiated by Varitek and agent Scott Boras to discuss the catcher’s future in Boston.

Jason Varitek is a Type A free agent who rejected the Red Sox’ arbitration offer earilier this offseason. He started 120 games for the Red Sox in 2008, his lowest number of career starts recorded – except in 2006 when injuries played a role.

Pitchers and catchers are due to report to Spring Training on Feb. 12.

Varitek and agent Scott Boras are said to be seeking a long term deal possibly worth 4 years and about $50MM. The catcher was previously signed by the Red Sox at the end of the 2004 season in which Varitek accepted a 4-year deal worth $40MM.

Varitek started only 120 games in Boston last year , his lowest number of career starts recorded, except in 2006 when injuries played a role.

What do we know? We know Boston has made it a priority to fill the position behind the plate. The Red Sox have shown interest in Miguel Montero of the Diamondbacks and possibly Taylor Teagarden of the Rangers. They also have access to a few younger players, one of those being recently acquired Josh Bard-a catcher who began his career with the Cleveland Indians in 2002 and spent a few months previously with the Red Sox in 2006. Bard signed with the ‘Sox on January 2nd with a deal that was worth 1-year, $1.6MM.

RBI Magazine conducted a poll when we first heard about Varitek’s choice to decline arbitration. Out of 584 total votes; 78% (457) believed Jason Varitek will be wearing a Red Sox jersey next year.  68 voters agreed Varitek would be with another team come the 2009 season.

One thing is for sure; the Red Sox seem to be in the spending mood after resigning first baseman Kevin Youkilis earlier today. Do not be suprised if Varitek has a formal offer within the next few days.

The meeting which was held on Thursday afternoon, was said to last almost three hours with agent Scott Boras, Derek Lowe, Braves manager Bobby Cox, general manager Frank Wren and pitching coach Roger McDowell all in attendance. The meeting must have been a “Brave” success as According to MLB.com, the Braves are expected to make a formal offer to Lowe as early as Monday or Tuesday.

If you are a team like the Atlanta Braves-looking for a starter to lead off your rotation, consistency is a must and if consistency is a must, then Derek Lowe is the prize.

Miguel Salcido reports that Lowe averages more than 15 wins a season, throws a heavy sinker that keeps the ball on the ground, has a stellar record of not being injured, and has proven to be a great big game pitcher.

The Mets were the front runners to sign Lowe but the $36MM offer already seems to have fizzled out. Unless the Mets can come up with more funds, Lowe may be on the hill for Atlanta with Javier Vazquez moving behind him in the rotation.

A few offers may have already been made to Lowe, but as of yet NO offers have been approved or made official by the Braves organization.

Yet, given the amount of talent available the market has developed slower than Andruw Jones’ bat this season. We all have Scott Boras to thank for that. He likes to hoard his players until the last minute while he tries everything to create a circus and a buzz around his players. And unfortunately he represents the majority of the biggest names in baseball.

Another thing that has slowed the market is the economic uncertainty that owners are facing. No one is sure what the impact will be on their respective markets. If you ask Scott Boras baseball is recession proof. Nevertheless teams are treading very carefully, especially those in smaller markets that rely more on ticket sales.

But I need to also mention that we need to not only look at this year’s free agent crop when analyzing the market. We need to consider who will be on the market in the coming years. Fred Claire does a great job of analyzing the free agent market in the coming years. Read it if you have the time but the jist of it is that the market, in terms of the amount of talent that will be available, will be much thinner in the years to come. And that tells us that now is the time to buy, especially considering that contracts are going to be smaller this year because of the amount of talent out there and because of the economic uncertainty.

That being said, here are the top 10 free agents left in this year’s market:

MANNY RAMIREZ, OF/DH

Not much needs to be mentioned here as Manny Ramirez is one of the greatest right handed hitters of all time. He recently hit .396 with 17 homers and 53 RBIs in 53 games for Dodgers and pretty much carried them into the playoffs, while making everyone on the team better around him. Sure he has a checkered past and has proven to be quite juvenile. But it is apparent that all he wants to be respected for his talents and acknowledged. He has a ton of money and I do not believe that is all that motivates him. And Harold Reynolds of ESPN and MLB Network notes that what Manny has done in the past is nowhere close to as criminal as what so many other players have done on and off the field! Manny just attracts attention because of his electric personality and bat.

DEREK LOWE, SP

If you are looking for pitching, and most teams are, then Derek Lowe is your safest option left because if his consistency. He averages more than 15 wins a season, throws a heavy sinker that keeps the ball on the ground, has a stellar record of not being injured, and has proven to be a great big game pitcher. The Mets are the front runners to sign him but I don’t think that the three-year, $36 million offer will get it done unless Lowe is really motivated to pitch in NY this season.

BOBBY ABREU, OF/DH

Abreu is consistent and his cautious approach keeps him healthy. He is in very good company, joining Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols, as having reached at least 100 RBI in the past six seasons. His defense is average, and is better than Manny’s and Dunn’s but that isn’t saying much. He is patient at the plate and uses the whole field. He would set a great example for other young hitters on any team he lands with. He will probably be the best bargain of this year’s free agent class as he is highly underrated.

ADAM DUNN, OF/DH

Adam Dunn is a great power hitting left handed run producer. But he is a below average fielder that has proven to be cranky player when he doesn’t get his way. Dunn does not run well, Manny might be able to beat him to first, and he strikes out more than almost anyone else. However his patience at the plate gives him a good OBP and his all or nothing approach gives you about 40 home runs and 100 RBI each season. Given his lack defensive liability and power stoke he may be well suited for the American League, possibly the Angels, which is why I list him as a possible DH. It has been reported that the Nationals and Jim Bowden may make a run at Dunn but the Dodgers have also listed him as a fall back option if they do not land Manny.

BEN SHEETS, SP

Big Ben is a great pitcher with electric stuff….. when he is healthy that is. He has a better career than A.J. Burnett but also has an injury plagued history that is keeping teams away. He is definitely not getting the respect he deserves which makes him a possible bargain and candidate for a short-term incentive laden contract. If he stays healthy he can be one of the top pitchers in the league. Unfortunately that is too big of an “if” for most teams it seems.

PAT BURRELL, OF/DH

Pat Burrell has all the shortcomings of Dunn. Poor defensive skills, no speed, and strikes out at a dizzying rate. But he is also good for 30+ home runs and 100 RBI a season. His declining defense and lack of speed also make him well suited for move to the American League. I am totally amazed that there are not more teams going after his power bat. Maybe it is because of the fact that he has not been able to put together a complete season, often playing poorly in either the first or second half of each season. He tends to not be consistent and that maybe his main drawback. I still feel that Burrell is in the same group with Sheets and Abreu as one of the more underrated free agents of this year’s market.

MILTON BRADLEY, OF/DH

Bradley is coming off of a stellar season in which he lead the entire AL in both on-base percentage (.436) and OPS (.999). Another plus is that he is a switch hitter that hits for power and average. The reason that I list him so low is that he has bad knees that limit him to probably 130-135 games in the field. It is said that he could still go to the National League and the Nationals are said to have him at the top of their list, as well as the Cubs.

JON GARLAND, SP

Jon Garland is coming off of a weak 2008, which is never good for a free agent, despite a respectable 14 wins which can be counted on from him. He rarely strikes anyone out and is said to be one of those guys that pitches to contact, so he needs a solid defense behind him. His career is not that dissimilar to that of Burnett or Lowe but again his 2008 was not super, with an ERA of 4.90 and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 1.53. Garland would be a much better fit for the NL where there is no DH and has been rumored to be sought after by the Cardinals and their pitching maestro Dave Duncan.

OLIVER PEREZ, SP

Perez is solid lefty, posting 25 wins over the past two seasons with the Mets. He has proven to be pretty durable by pitching over 170 innings in the past two years. He is a strikeout pitcher, averaging 150+ over the past three seasons but is also hittable with an average of 150 hits per season during that same span of time. So he is not spectacular but can be solid. Unfortunately Boras is his agent and is of course asking for way too much, 5 years and $70 million. I doubt that he’ll get that in today’s market. The Mets would like him back but need to first see if they can land Lowe before they will make him an offer.

ORLANDO CABRERA, SS

I am going to round out my list with an infielder, not just to round out the top 10 but because he deserves it. Cabrera is much better, right now, than Renteria. And Renteria surprisingly signed an $18.5 million deal. Cabrera is a masterful fielder, earning this year’s Defensive Player of the year from MLB.com/TWIB and just missed the Gold Glove award in the AL. Along with his glove, Cabrera also brings his bat with him to the ball park. He hit a respectable .281, can score around 100 runs per season, will swipe some bags and makes for a great lead-off man. Unfortunately the market was full of good SS this year so he has lost some value. But some team somewhere will end up with a great lead-off man/SS at a great value.
Honorable mentions: Jason Giambi, Orlando Hudson, Joe Crede, Andy Pettitte, Garret Anderson, Randy Wolf, and Freddy Garcia.