How else can one explain this sort of valentine written to Ken Gurnick's mailbag:
Yours is a minority view, but a segment of e-mailers share your concern about devoting so much payroll to Ramirez when there remains so many other positions to fill. However, on your suggestion that Ramirez's stats are inflated because of free agency, he signed a massive contract eight years ago and has continued to produce like a Hall of Famer. Many players seem to coast after cashing in, but not this one. Manny this and Manny that. Let's be real. Manny Ramirez will never duplicate the numbers in a full season that he did in two months with the Dodgers. Nearly all players inflate their numbers in their free-agent year. National League pitchers and scouts will also find a way to pitch to him more effectively. I'd love to have him back, but the offer the Dodgers recently put out there was without question the smart thing to do. Spend all this money and who's gonna be pitching and fielding the ball? We have 13 other positions to fill. Pitching wins championships, not one superstar hitter. So kudos to general manager Ned Colletti restraining the offer to a two- or three-year contract. -- Ryan V., Fresno, Calif.
Yep, it's so syrupy sweet, even Gurnick has to counter the missive, lest it seem too obvious. Looks like Colletti is emboldened a bit since getting that tattoo...
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