As the stalemate between Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers approaches its third month, the club is exploring whether Bobby Abreu or Adam Dunn could replace Ramirez in left field.
The market for Ramirez apparently has not heated up even after Mark Teixeira, the most coveted hitter available in free agency, signed last week with the New York Yankees. General Manager Ned Colletti said Monday the Dodgers have not heard since then from Scott Boras, the agent for Ramirez and Teixeira. "I'm assuming, if Manny wants to play here, we'll hear at some point from Scott," Colletti said.
Colletti would not discuss what other players the Dodgers might pursue.
"Manny is our first choice," Colletti said.
The Dodgers offered Ramirez a two-year, $45-million contract eight weeks ago, then withdrew the offer after Boras declined to propose a counteroffer. The Dodgers also offered a one-year contract via salary arbitration, which Ramirez declined.
Ramirez, Abreu, Dunn, Garret Anderson and Pat Burrell are among the corner outfielders available in what has become a buyer's market, although the Dodgers are not believed to be interested in Anderson or Burrell.
The Dodgers found a possible taker for center fielder Andruw Jones in the New York Mets, but the talks apparently went nowhere after the Mets asked the Dodgers to take second baseman Luis Castillo in a swap of bad contracts. Jones has one year and $22 million left on his contract, Castillo three years at $18 million.
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bill.shaikin@latimes.com
