Dodgers play waiting game with Ramirez

[December 12, 2008]  LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Ned Colletti is prepared to wait out Manny Ramirez. "This is like watching the San Andreas Fault," the Dodgers general manager said Thursday on the final day of the winter meetings. "Some days you can see it move probably, and other days it's going to sit there. And in a week or two it may move a lot. It's a slow process. It speeds up and it slows back down."

The NL West champions made the free-agent slugger an offer this fall but haven't heard whether he will accept it. Colletti said he last spoke with Ramirez's agent, Scott Boras, on Monday night.

"There's not necessarily a deadline with Manny," Colletti said.

The 36-year-old Ramirez, who came to the Dodgers from Boston at the July 31 trade deadline, batted .396 with 17 home runs and 53 RBIs in 53 games for Los Angeles.

He is coming off a $160 million, eight-year contract he signed with the Red Sox before the 2001 season and said after the season he wanted to test his value in free agency.

"I want to see who is the highest bidder. Gas is up and so am I," Ramirez said at the time.

In addition, Colletti said he exchanged text messages Wednesday night with Paul Kinzer, the representative for free-agent shortstop Rafael Furcal. It's no secret Furcal wants a four-year deal, but the Dodgers aren't necessarily willing to make such a commitment to a player who was limited to 36 games last season because of back problems that required surgery.

Furcal was activated from the 60-day disabled list during the final week after being sidelined since May 6. He batted .357 with five home runs and 16 RBIs in 2008 and has already turned down the Oakland Athletics.

Colletti said the timetable to determine whether Furcal will be in the mix is "approaching" and there are a few other choices on the market the Dodgers might pursue.

"We're focusing on Raffy. At some point in time we're going to have to open ourselves up to some other ideas," Colletti said. "Our desire is Furcal, but it has to be creative from our perspective."

Colletti already added two infielders this week, bringing back third baseman Casey Blake on a $17.5 million, three-year deal and agreeing to a $1.25 million, one-year contract with utilityman Mark Loretta.

[Associated Press; By JANIE McCAULEY]

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