Manny Asks for $43.5 Million

Manny Ramirez has requested a 2 year contract with a deferred salary valued at $43.5 million from the Dodgers, according to SI.com, who received the news from a statement sent by his agent Scott Boras. The Dodgers' original offer was for $45 million, but with a bulk of the salary being deferred over 5 years, its actual value would have been $42 million once the entire salary had been paid. Boras stated deferred compensation was never an issue, but the amount paid out was. Owner Frank McCourt said earlier that negotiations would "start from scratch." Boras previously requested a contract worth $55 million, then a $45 million contract with the money paid upfront.