http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2009/11/dodgers-manny-ramirez-to-return-in-2010.html

“Obviously, he enjoys L.A.,” Boras said. “If he went into the marketplace, the real negative was that he could end up playing in a place he wasn’t comfortable playing.”

Um, yeah. That, and the marketplace wouldn’t pay him close to $20 million (or whatever the NPV is of his deferred contract…$18-19m or so)

I’m as suspicious of Scott Boras as the next guy – and it ain’t over until the deadline passes – but as much as I try, I can’t think of any advantage for Boras to announce this now if it isn’t going to be true.

Same article mentions that Gurnick believes the Dodgers are interested in re-upping Padilla, Weaver and Ausmus.

http://bit.ly/QSHJ7

too busy pimping Matt Holiday for 150 Mill

The comments at the L.A. Times for this story are hilarious. You can tell outside of one person that they don’t comment at Dodger Thoughts.

Any team that transacts with Boras does so with their eyes wide open and at their own risk.
The overall results for the Dodgers in dealing with this character are not a net positive, rather very costly.
It might be more fun to take bags of money out into the parking lot and light it on fire rather than give it to this man and the people he represents.

Wolf and Belliard only?

I’m figuring Ned will offer it to guys who he would like back AND at a reasonable cost. The two above fit the bill.

Hudson is too much of risk, but it sucks to lose out on Type A compensation.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=santan001car

and now this: Five notable hitting projections from the Bill James 2010 handbook

According to his website, Bell has "enchanted audiences worldwide with his breathtaking virtuosity and tone of rare beauty" for more than two decades. Apparently, he’s turned his attention to baseball as of late. Bell was acquired by Baltimore from Los Angeles (N) in the George Sherrill trade. He posted a wOBA of .397 in Double-A last year. He’s currently slashing .320/.404/.500 in the Arizona Fall League.

I wonder if I’ll feel as sick watching Santana in Cleveland while Martin continues to struggle at the bat and Bell tear it up in Baltimore with Blake ungracefully age as I do when I see Edwin Jackson pitch really damned well in Detroit. Of course, who am I kidding – Bell’s in Baltimore’s system, Bell has a better chance playing anywhere else than Baltimore.

It truly is time to fork stab Ned (again).