Frank McCourt Wields The Hammer
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2009 12:50 AM PST
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PrintGEORGE: No, I, uh, um, wa, wa, What did I do? ... Where are you going?
NOEL: I ... am breaking up ... with you!
GEORGE: You can't break up with me. I've got hand.
NOEL: And you're going to need it.
-Seinfeld, "The Pez Dispenser"
Now that Scott Boras has offered to bridge the gap between Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers, a deal must be close to getting done, right?
Wrong.
Dodgers' owner Frank McCourt has decided to use his position in the driver's seat to stall a little, claiming negotiations ended Thursday. Per Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times:
McCourt on Sunday called that counteroffer "too little too late" and said negotiations would resume with "a fresh start." He said he stressed to the agent that he had wanted a resolution by Friday because he didn't want the negotiations to dominate conversation Sunday, the day the Dodgers opened the gates of their new spring training ballpark.
But why not consider the offer when the two sides appear to be so close?
"Because we're going to start from scratch," McCourt said.
But why start from scratch when you're so close?
"I answered it twice," McCourt said
To me, this is the equivalent of Scott Boras responding in November to the Dodgers' orginal offer of $45 million over two years by saying he looked forward to fielding serious offers. At the time, Boras had the upper hand in the negotiation -- the Yankees were still in play, the economy hadn't tanked, and it looked like Manny might get his 3-4 year deal, from someone at least.
Now, the Dodgers have the upper hand. The joint statement put out by Manny Ramirez and Scott Boras included the following quote (per Tony Jackson of the Daily News):
`We have continued to work with Ned and the Dodgers to do away with the artificial barriers and attempt get a deal completed. There is no issue with deferred money being part of any contract; just want to make sure the value is stated accurately and appropriately.
Manny is anxious to get a deal done, and it remains clear that there is simply no other team that can match what the Dodgers are offering. McCourt is simply flexing a little muscle here. The last offers from each side are close enough to suggest a deal will eventually get done. We just have to wait for all the posturing and pettiness to fade away.
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Tired
I am tired of both sides at this point. I want Manny back, but I want the whining from McCourt to stop.
If Manny doesn’t come back, I will be happy with anyone other than Pierre in LF
by robotmadeofnails on Mar 2, 2009 10:51 AM PST reply actions
Uh oh
I was reading the article on MLB.com and this quote from Frank got me worried:
" “We’re going to start from scratch, and that’s why I said it on Thursday,” McCourt said. "There’s a lot going on in this world, and this world changes every day. Look at our ticket prices. Our original plan was to give season-ticket holders for ‘09 a shot at ’08 prices. We didn’t think we were going to keep ‘09 prices flat throughout the whole year. Our model all along assumed that we would raise ticket prices. We can’t do that now. It isn’t fair to our fans.
“We kept our offer pretty much the same as where it was in November. And you know what? The world isn’t anything like what it was in November. And so we’re going to now start fresh … and we’re going to look at it sometime next week.” "
-We kept our offer the same… The world isn’t anything like it was in November… Could Frank actually be hoping that the Boras/Manny camp LOWERS their asking price? Every new “compromise” they’ve made has asked for more money than the original offer. No way they would go lower than that.
by EthierIsBetterThanKemp on Mar 2, 2009 11:26 AM PST reply actions
That's exactly what McCourt wants
Could Frank actually be hoping that the Boras/Manny camp LOWERS their asking price?
It’s becoming more and more clear that (a) Manny wants to get a deal done, and (b) there are no other teams even close to the Dodgers’ offer(s).
The only way Manny ends up with the Giants is for substantially less money, and to spite the Dodgers. The only problem with the way McCourt is currently acting is that it might just ensure that.
However, I’m confident despite the “starting from scratch” comment that the two sides are close enough to hammer out a deal this week.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2009 11:33 AM PST up reply actions
From an outside perspective
It keeps looking more and more like the Dodgers have been waiting all along- and hoping- for someone to outbid them.
"Honestly, if you're given the choice between Armageddon or tea, you don't say "what kind of tea?" People.I love you all, but...(shakes head)"
-Neil Gaiman
re:
That has been my position. Not sure how Frank can handle the PR on this if Boras does indeed have a two year offer for the same money but with none deferred on the table.
I think you're right
Because to start negotiations from scratch when the two sides were only 3 million dollars apart in terms of the value of the contract is otherwise insane. But if you are McCourt and you don’t really want to spend 20+ million more on a player then this whole argument over deferred payments becomes a convenient excuse to blow everything up. He must be hoping that Boras either lowers his demands or pushes Manny to another team.
re:
At least Pierre will be batting eighth when all this gets settled. I wonder how many left fielders are batting eighth for playoff contenders?
Not many LF batting 8th
Jim Wohlford has the most starts batting 8th in LF, 53 with the Brewers.
Chad Curtis started 29 games for the 1999 champion Yankees.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2009 11:53 AM PST up reply actions
meant to say
“with the Brewers in 1977.”
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2009 12:28 PM PST up reply actions
DEFLATION
Take a look Manny and Boras.
It’s happening.
To both of you and all the rest of us… a bitter, bitter pill that we will all be forced to take.
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