Not a hot property

One team after another has indicated an unwillingness to seriously pursue the services of slugger Manny Ramirez. The latest, according to ESPN, are the Giants, whom agent Scott Boras tried to use as a stalking horse to get the Dodgers — who actually DO have an interest in Ramirez — to make a better offer.

According to ESPN, Boras’ talk about five- and four-year deals worth some $25 million a year only caused the Dodgers to consider that maybe their money would be better spent bolstering their bullpen.

Now, Ramirez’s age — 36 — is all part of this, undoubtedly. But so is Ramirez’s history, most especially his last part season with the Red Sox. Owners and general managers and have to know that if Ramirez can turn on the Sox and quit on the them — turning so poisonous in the clubhouse that Boston was willing to nearly give him away — he can do the same to them.

Wouldn’t it be amusing if Ramirez ended up signing with someone for less than he would have gotten if he’d honored his contract with the Sox …