Report: Dodgers offer to Ramirez includes club option

Nov 12, 2008 - 5:00 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Dodgers' initial contract offer to left fielder Manny Ramirez includes a club option for a third year that could push the deal to $60 million, according to a published report.

The option for 2011 is worth a reported $22.5 million and could be bought out for $7.5 million. Ramirez would earn $15 million next season and $22.5 million in 2010, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The Dodgers made the lucrative offer to the free-agent slugger on Wednesday, and general manager Ned Colletti told the Times that it would be the "second-highest average annual value in baseball."

Currently, New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez has the highest annual salary at $27.5 million, while New York Mets ace Johan Santana makes about $22.9 million.

Ramirez and agent Scott Boras made it clear that the initial offer was not long enough, according to the Times, but one team source told the newspaper that owner Frank McCourt is open to guaranteeing the third year of the contract.

The offer stands until Thursday when Los Angeles' exclusive negotiating window with Ramirez expires. If the deal is not accepted, the Dodgers still plan to continue their talks with the mercurial All-Star .

Ramirez was acquired in a deadline deal from the Boston Red Sox this year and carried the Dodgers into the postseason. They won their first playoff series since 1988, advancing to the National League Championship Series before falling to the eventual World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies.

Ramirez hit .396 with 17 homers and 53 RBI in 53 games with Los Angeles. He turned it up even more in the playoffs, hitting .520 (13-for-25) with four homers, 10 RBI and 11 walks.

The 12-time All-Star is 17th on baseball's all-time home run list with 527 and 20th in RBI with 1,725 in 16 seasons.

The career .314 hitter, who helped lead the Boston Red Sox to two World Series titles before falling out of favor with upper management, will turn 37 in May.