Hanley Ramirez says no extension talks with Dodgers

Given his importance to the Los Angeles Dodgers and the team’s seemingly limitless payroll, it is hard to imagine a scenario where shortstop Hanley Ramirez plays anywhere else next season.

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Ramirez is a free agent at season’s end. The quality of his play when he is healthy is without question. His ability to stay healthy, however, has been an issue and might be the reason that the Dodgers have not more aggressively pursued an extension with him.

As for his half of the negotiations, Ramirez told Jon Morosi of Fox Sports that there is nothing happen with an extension, at least not right now.

One issue that cropped up this week was the decision of manager Don Mattingly to lift Ramirez for a defensive replacement in the late innings of a game. While that surely did not sit well, Ramirez insists that he is happy with the Dodgers.

At this rate Yasiel Puig is going to look a model citizen by the end of the season. Matt Kemp is mad. Now Hanley might be growing mad. And besides, you can never trust that Hyun-Jin Ryu. Talk about a guy with an attitude problem.

Talent prevailed in Los Angeles last year. It likely will again this year. But there is sure to be plenty of drama in the meantime.