After the Mets signed Oliver Perez, the remaining big names left in the market are all hitters. Adam Dunn, Bobby Abreu, and Manny Ramirez are all looking for teams as spring training quickly approaches.
Despite the impact one of these players could have on a team, the process has been slow. Manny is waiting for a bigger offer. Abreu is waiting for Manny to sign. And Dunn apparently has been generating much interest. However, all those players have been involved in the news today.
By now, everyone knows Manny rejected a one-year, $25 milion offer from the Dodgers this morning. Everyone expects the Dodgers to continue to pursue the slugger, but FOX has an article about the Dodger’s Plan B. For the same $25 million it takes to sign Manny, the Dodgers could have Dunn, second baseman Orlando Hudson, and starting pitcher Randy Wolf.
This makes more sense to me. I wrote in The Case Against Manny Ramirez that if the Mets were to spend all their money on Manny, they’d be worse off than last year. The same thing applied to the Dodgers. We saw in the playoffs how the Phillies neutralized L.A. by pitching around Ramirez. The same thing would happen this year. Plus, the Dodgers rotation is minus Derek Lowe. If the Dodgers do sign Manny, are they as good as last year?
- Meanwhile, Dunn has an offer waiting from the Nationals. It’s been reported that he’d rather play for a conteder, but a one-year deal with Washington might be what he ends up getting.
- MLB Trade Rumors has the latest on Abreu, which includes a one-year, $8 million deal. The rumor has been dismissed by Scot Gregor, but it’s still worth noting that if it were to happen, Jermaine Dye could possiblely be traded.
Yesterday, the New York Daily News reported the Perez signing means the Mets are out of contention for Ramirez and Abreu. Today, Jon Heyman’s quotes a source that says the Mets chances for Abreu and Manny are slim and practicly none.
TBD Spin
That’s a funny way to phrase the Mets chances of signing Ramirez. “Pracicly none.” I just keep thinking how the Mets chances of trading for Johan Santana were practicly none. I’m getting my hopes up that the Mets will upgrade the offense somehow, but not holding my breath for Manny. Still, if the Mets do want to upgrade their offense, they better act fast.
