Dodgers part ways with pitcher Brad Penny
The team declines to exercise its option on the former All-Star, who is coming off a down season. Club officials meet with the agent for free agent Manny Ramirez.
The Dodgers parted ways with Brad Penny today, deciding to pay him $2 million to walk away instead of exercising his $9.25-million option for next season.
The two-time All-Star had a down year in 2008, set back by shoulder problems that forced him to end the season on the 60-day disabled list. He was 6-9 with a 6.27 earned-run average in 19 games, including 17 starts.
Penny's relationship with Dodgers management became severely strained this year. Penny, who won 16 games in 2006 and 2007, was upset that the Dodgers wouldn't offer him a contract extension in the spring or at least guarantee him that they would pick up his option for next year. He said uncertainty about his future drove him to pitch through shoulder pain, resulting in further injury.
Several club officials believed that Penny wasn't seriously hurt and blamed his decline on his work ethic, which they described as poor.
Penny will file for free agency on Thursday, according to his agent, Greg Genske.
"I think it's a real positive thing," Genske said. "I think he was not surprised. He's optimistic."
Genske said he believed there would be a healthy market for Penny.
Penny's departure creates another hole in the Dodgers' rotation, which could lose Derek Lowe on the open market.
The Dodgers are interested in another one of Genske's clients, CC Sabathia.
Dodgers finally meet with Ramirez's agent
The Dodgers had their first discussions of the winter with Manny Ramirez's agent on Tuesday night.
In what he described as "a tire-kicking session," Scott Boras said he was informed by General Manager Ned Colletti that the Dodgers would attempt to re-sign free agents Ramirez and Lowe, another of his clients.
Boras would not say whether he received any offers for either player.
"They let us know they have an interest in Manny," Boras said. "We informed them that Manny had a great time in L.A. We'll continue to talk."
Boras said Colletti told him that the Dodgers were also interested in retaining Lowe. Colletti recently said he was under the impression that Lowe wanted to play on the East Coast, but Boras said he and his client would be open to discussing a new deal with the Dodgers.
Lowe, the Dodgers' No. 1 starter in the playoffs, has often felt disrespected by the club, according to sources close to him.
In any case, Boras said, Ramirez and Lowe will test the market.
Hernandez is a Times staff writer.
dylan.hernandez@latimes.com
