Jimbo,
I think Boras was referring to Lowe being capable of handling the media pressure in those two venues.


Coco will be a very valuable commodity no matter where he ends up.

I love Coco's attitude.

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"If winning isn't everything, then why do they keep score?" - Vince Lombardi

The Los Angeles Dodgers want a full-length feature of the Manny Ramirez show after last season's short.

General manager Ned Colletti said Wednesday that the Dodgers made an offer to the free-agent slugger, and their pitch would give him the second-highest average salary in the sport behind Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez.

"If you saw the bid, it's nothing that we're embarrassed by," Colletti said at the GM meetings. "Manny was close to that number, anyway -- closer to that area than the last place he's been."

The Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday that the Dodgers' offer is believed to be for either two years at $50 million or three years for $75 million.

Rodriguez currently has the top average at $27.5 million under the 10-year deal he agreed to before last season. Mets pitcher Johan Santana is second at $22.9 million under the six-season deal he agreed to before the '08 season.

Ramirez, acquired from Boston on July 31, is coming off a $160 million, eight-year contract he signed with the Red Sox before the 2001 season.

"We said, 'Think about it for a while. It's not going to be there forever,'" Colletti said. "Things are always subject to change, and it depends on what else we do, to some extent. I've been asked a few times here if we're going to wait to see what happens with this before we do anything else. But I'm not sure we're going to have the luxury to do that. If there's something else that comes about that we feel we need to do, and the timeliness is there to do it, we'll have to do it."

When the Dodgers were eliminated from the playoffs last month, Ramirez expressed a desire to test the market.

"I want to see who is the highest bidder. Gas is up and so am I," he said then.

ESPN - Los Angeles Dodgers make very rich offer to Manny Ramirez

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“Context and memory play powerful roles in all the truly great meals in one's life.” -- Anthony Bourdain

I read this morning that the Phillies new GM was interested in Jake Peavy. Any chance it could happen? Is Reuben Amaro Jr. really a GM now. Man am I old or what? I remember when his dad played for the Phillies. He and Bobby Wine shared shortstop. Neither hit much but both were outstanding with the glove.

geonaz,
What a 1-2 punch Hamels and Peavy would make!!!


Here's the latest Peavy rumors I've seen:

Jake Peavy Rumors: Wednesday

By Tim Dierkes

11:00pm: Meanwhile, Yahoo's Tim Brown says the Braves, Cubs, and Cardinals are all working out contigency plans to replace the players they'd use in a Peavy deal.
10:53pm: Ken Rosenthal says the Cubs are the frontrunner for Peavy, "perhaps even ahead of the Braves." He says the Cubs also want to re-sign Ryan Dempster. The Cubs' dream rotation would be Peavy, Carlos Zambrano, Dempster, Ted Lilly, and Rich Harden.
The Braves had a window of exclusivity to hammer out a Peavy trade, but that has apparently passed. The Padres like the Cubs' young pitching, even if it doesn't match Atlanta's.
If the Cubs pull this off, they'd have to cut costs by perhaps letting Kerry Wood go and going cheaper in right field.

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"If winning isn't everything, then why do they keep score?" - Vince Lombardi

Jason Varitek wants $52.4 mil from Red Sox

FOX Sports on MSN - - Ben Maller's MLB rumors

Sorry....but Jorge Posada is a much better catcher than Varitek. Boras is on crack to think Varitek is....

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"ESPN killed sports journalism. It hired, overpaid and showered our best and brightest with fame, turning many of them into jig-dancing clowns unprepared to insightfully examine the sports world they allegedly cover.' ....Jason Whitlock

Aren't both of these guys in their mid-thirties? Just about the time when the physical toll of catching, catch's up with the body? (No pun intended). The only buyers I would see for Varitek would be contenders misiing the "final piece". I for one would not be dangling any long-term contracts at him.

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Everybody is entitled to my opinion.

Thanks for your service and the memories Jason!

Time to be moving on now.

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"If winning isn't everything, then why do they keep score?" - Vince Lombardi

Mark Teixeira Rumors: Thursday

By Tim Dierkes [November 6 at 10:12am CST]
According to ESPN's Buster Olney, the Nationals are preparing to make a significant offer to Mark Teixeira. Olney believes the Angels will make an offer in the $100-120MM range, but that offer will expire soon. If and when Scott Boras passes on that proposal, it might be the Yankees, Red Sox, Nationals, and Orioles competing for Tex.


The Nationals???!!!

Signing Tex would give the Nats instant credibility!

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"If winning isn't everything, then why do they keep score?" - Vince Lombardi

Hideki Matsui-Mariners Rumor

By Tim Dierkes


From Yahoo's Tim Brown:
One source mentioned a potential three-way deal that would send outfielder Hideki Matsui from the New York Yankees to the Seattle Mariners for a pitching prospect, perhaps Ryan Rowland-Smith. The Yankees would package the prospect with second baseman Robinson Cano and another young player to the Rockies for Matt Holliday.
Matsui has a full no-trade clause. He's owed $13MM next year, the last of his deal. He hit .294/.370/.424 this year in 378 plate appearances, missing much of the season with knee problems. He now has two surgically repaired knees, so he's questionable to play the outfield.
At any rate, it doesn't seem like the Yankees would seriously explore a Holliday trade unless Mark Teixeira signs elsewhere first. And does it make sense for the Mariners to give up a young pitcher and take on a risky DH like Matsui?

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"If winning isn't everything, then why do they keep score?" - Vince Lombardi

Phillies Rumors: Howard, Schilling, Madson

By Tim Dierkes [November 6 at 9:38am CST]
Checkin' in on the Phillies...

• GM Ruben Amaro Jr. had an informal five-minute talk with Casey Close, who represents Ryan Howard and Joe Blanton.
• Talks have not yet begun with free agents Pat Burrell, Jamie Moyer, and Scott Eyre. Conversations will begin soon with Moyer and Eyre.
• Curt Schilling would be open to returning to the Phillies if he pitches next year. Amaro says he hasn't even considered the possibility yet. He would make a nice fifth starter if they can re-sign Moyer.
• The Phillies control setup man Ryan Madson through 2009, but he's represented by Scott Boras. Boras compared Madson to Mariano Rivera circa 1996, so don't look for an affordable long-term deal.
• Amaro talked to at least 27 other GMs at the meetings.
• No word yet from the Philly writers on Andrew Baggarly's rumor that the Phils will listen on Jimmy Rollins.

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"If winning isn't everything, then why do they keep score?" - Vince Lombardi