Checked in with Ned Colletti today. Absolutely nothing is going on with the Dodgers, so you won’t see anything in tomorrow’s paper, but even in down times, I like to check in at least once a week or so, as do the other beat writers. One thing I asked him was whether he has to proceed now on the assumption that Manny Ramirez isn’t coming back so he isn’t unnecessarily hampered in his pursuit of other free agents or possible trades. Here is what he said:

“No. I think we have to do business as it comes our way. I think we have to sign players we want to sign as we agree to do deals with them. We have enough areas of need that we can’t wait by the side and wait for one person to make up their mind, really. We have to continue. We would love to have Manny back, but that is going to be a decision that will probably take some time. In the meantime, we will still try to add some other pieces to it.”

It doesn’t appear likely that one of those pieces will be another outfielder. Ned said he is comfortable with the outfield quartet of Ethier, Jones, Kemp and Pierre if Manny ends up signing elsewhere.