After an underwhelming 2010 with the Dodgers and White Sox, could it be that OF Manny Ramirez — one of the most potent offensive forces in the game as recently as two years ago — might find himself jobless in 2011? With a free agent market overflowing with veteran DH possibilities including but not limited to Jim Thome, Hideki Matsui, Johnny Damon an Vlad Guerrero, you’d expect agent Scott Boras to insist, “Manny Ramirez is a Hall of Fame hitter…they’re going to be seeking those extraordinary talents before they proceed elsewhere.” From the LA Times’ Bill Shaikin ;
“It’s just like Guerrero,” Boras said. “His last Angels season, where he had an injury season and he had 50 RBIs, was not a customary Vlad Guerrero season. He went to Texas and reestablished himself.
“This is really the course for great veteran hitters. We’ve seen, following an injury season, a player goes out and performs at optimum levels, because these players are still uniquely skilled. They’re still great hitters.”
“You look at Manny’ injuries, first of all,” Boras said. “He had a sports hernia. That was correctable. He had a calf injury. That was related to playing in the outfield.”
“Barry Bonds, at the very same age [actually, at 37], I got him a five-year contract for $90 million. It’s not really about age. It’s about what your level of performance is.”