Manny Ramirez has some things to say

From Phoenix — The phone rings, and the voice sounds familiar, the giggle unmistakable.

"It's me," Manny Ramirez says, "your girlfriend."

What a goof, just what made him so endearing a year ago in making the Dodgers relevant in L.A. once again, the last time we spoke yet another joke closing out his stay in town: "Gas is up and so am I."

Reminded now, he laughs. "No, gas isn't up any more, but the price of milk is the same."

Take a few minutes, and while at first it doesn't always make sense what the goof has to say, usually there's a message very close to the truth in there.

Due to earn $40 million over the final two years of his contract with Boston, he knows now it's not going to be much different if he signs with the Dodgers.

"Two years is fine with me," he says, and whoever thought they would hear that from Manny Ramirez?

He will turn 37 this season and had hoped for four or five years to take him to the end of his career, but now he says, "the economy is making me adjust. That's just the way it is."

But some folks, and they don't all live in Boston, believe he won't be happy with such a contract given his earlier expectations, and therefore won't put out.

"I cannot control what people might think," Manny says. "The economy is making everyone adjust. I will be happy to play for L.A., win and win a couple Gold Gloves just like Andruw Jones."

At least he didn't say, "hit like Andruw Jones."

Manny's goofiness doesn't always play well in baseball, a game filled with so many serious folks, including many who make their living writing about the sport.

But in his time with the Dodgers, it became clear to those who hardly knew him previously, he's dedicated to working hard in order to hit the baseball hard with regularity.

The debate continues whether he is more into himself than his team, but inside the Dodger locker room it's unanimous -- unless someone is keeping quiet -- how much he meant to everyone on the team last season.

The Dodgers look solid and deeper in the infield this year, have an outstanding catcher and two key contributors in the outfield, but might need time, a miracle or a whole bunch of key hits again from Manny to compensate for a shaky starting rotation and bullpen.

But then how happy will Manny be after forcing his exit from Boston and playing at a level never seen before in L.A. only to fall so short in contract demands?