The fact remains that regardless of whether Manny would have "earned" his future salary of 20 mil a year (less than CRAW btw), it would never have caused the friction it did the next season. All on Theo, all of it.

My guess is that you would have some Manny moments, but for the most part he would have felt "wanted" and it goes back to the egos that permeate in MLB. Nomar was the same. It was about market value, ego, and wanted to be recognized as one of the top players from a fiscal standpoint. Nothing wrong with that. But instead the Sox did eventually give a 50 mil re-up to Beckett when he was at an alltime low and pitching very poorly. It was an illtimed reup. Manny's would have been embraced if Theo did it during the Duck Parade, that would have been fantastic PR, but nope, all business, Mr. Epstein.