Hanley Ramirez Declines Qualifying Offer, Obviously

Like there was ever any doubt, of course. Remember last week, when I wrote that Hanley Ramirez had received a qualifying offer and that the move was so obvious that I’d written the post days in advance? Yeah, this one too.

Ramirez is going to get four or five years from someone, and so there was never going to be a scenario where he decided he’d rather take a single year, even for $15.3 million. If and when he signs with a new team, the Dodgers will get a compensation draft pick, though keep in mind that it’s not the specific pick that the signing team loses. That is, if Ramirez signs with the Yankees, they lose the No. 19 overall pick, but the Dodgers don’t get to pick No. 19. They simply get a pick at the end of the first round, or, depending on how you choose to look at it, between the first round and second round. That remains true even if a team with a protected draft pick — one who would forfeit their second-round pick instead — signs him.

Again, this was never in question, because in the first two years of the qualifying offer system, zero free agents had accepted the offer, and while it once seemed likely that the Dodgers and Ramirez would have agreed to a long term deal by now, that possibility seemed to fizzle over the last few months amid questions about Ramirez’ health, attitude, and future position. It’s still not impossible that Ramirez returns to the team, but it’s extremely unlikely at this point.