Baseball Musings: Insulting Offer

November 06, 2008

Insulting Offer

I can't believe the Dodgers offered Manny Ramirez just $45 million for two years. I could see offering that average salary for five years, but for that short a term, I would have thought the Dodgers would bring the average a lot closer to A-Rod's $27.5 million. Hat tip to The Big Lead, which thinks the Dodgers may be bidding against themselves.

One problem with Manny sticking with the Dodgers is that he can't really generate that much more revenue for them. They already draw very good crowds. The team that should go overboard to sign Ramirez is the Tampa Bay Rays. Think about it. The Red Sox and Yankees are going to reload, making the AL East that much tougher to win. The Rays should get a boost in attendance with their AL championship, but imagine putting Manny in leftfield. They might draw 20,000 more per game! And if the Rays manage to net just $40 per person coming into the park, 20,000 * 81 * 40 is about $64 million in increased revenue. They could offer Manny $60 million over two years and still make a tidy profit. On top of that, Manny plays close to home and gets to torment the Red Sox. Everyone wins!

Posted by David Pinto at 10:39 PM | Free Agents | TrackBack (0)

Comments

Did the Marlins get a boost when they won the World Series... either time?

Posted by: hohum at November 7, 2008 02:47 AM

That's correct about income generation for the teams that already pack the seats - but i don't think Ramirez is going to help the DRays double their attendance. Plus does baseball think it's going to be immune to the economy?

Posted by: Bandit at November 7, 2008 09:13 AM

wasn't there a $20M option in Manny's contract this year? Did the Dodgers promise not to pick it up when they traded for him? And if so, is that promise binding?

Before he went to LA, the consensus seemed to be that the $20M was waaaay too much - now it looks like a bargain!

Posted by: bc at November 7, 2008 09:49 AM

Imagine Manny in left field? Talk about spending a lot of money for little gain. Sure, he's 40 runs better as a hitter than Crawford, but Crawford is probably 25-30 runs better in the field.

Manny as DH makes more sense.

Posted by: Rally at November 7, 2008 10:03 AM

Actually, you move Crawford to right and put Manny in left. Can you imagine that lineup, though? Opposing pitchers would have to get though Upton, Crawford, Manny, Pena and Longoria. That would be fun to watch.

I have to agree that the Dodgers offer is ridiculous. Think that maybe they are just making an offer to appease the fan base?

Posted by: Mike at November 7, 2008 10:11 AM

Manny would add 20,000 more tickets sold per game? That means the Rays would be selling 42,000 tickets every night. I don't even know if the park holds that many people.

The Rays will get a nice attendance bump next year anyway. But even with Manny I wouldn't expect every seat to be sold every game.

The Rays were reportedly interested in Matt Holliday in left field. He's a far better hitter than Crawford (so are some shortstops) and about as good a fielder. He's also a whole lot cheaper and younger than Manny.

Posted by: Casey Abell at November 7, 2008 10:15 AM

Only Obama in left would draw another 20,000. Manny is going to make a sucker out of someone. Dodgers play is smart.

Posted by: dave at November 7, 2008 01:39 PM

Manny playing for the Tampa Bay Rays? Spare me. Rays management is too smart to throw away that kind of money for a guy that could/will be a clubhouse cancer. The Rays are young, proven and too smart to gamble on Manny NOT BEING Manny. Seriously.

Posted by: Jeffrey McKenney at November 7, 2008 06:31 PM

It's probhably good until Manny implodes.
The more young players on a team, the less I'd
like to see someone like Manny join them.
They had a lot of vets in L.A. that weren't as likely
to get distracted by Manny.

cbuster

Posted by: cbuster at November 7, 2008 07:02 PM

Manny is a cancer and the last thing you need on a young, impressionable team. After getting to the World Series, they may fill a lot more seats next year than you think. I mean, imagine benching Manny everytime he did not run out a BIP. Maddon would not be a happy man.

Also, the key to Tampas success was pitching, defense and base running, Manny is the anti-thesis to what Tampa was all about last year, except for that 2 1/2 game stretch against teh Red Sox when the ghost of the Bambino returned in a Tampa uniform.

What makes more sense to me is Manny going to the Yankees where he can DH at the the end of a 4-5 year contract. I could also see him making sense for Toronto if the tax issues could be addressed to Mannys satisfaction.

But remember, Manny in a contract year is not the same Manny after you sign him. Buyers beware.

Posted by: Paul at November 8, 2008 11:35 PM