A few money links to start your day ...

• According to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times, the Dodgers' latest rejected offer to Manny Ramirez followed the age-old economic principle of "We will gladly pay you on Tuesday for a hamburger home run or two today."

While Hernandez's source says both sides liked the 2-year, $45 million offer, Ramirez and Scott Boras weren't on board with the deferred payments included in the deal. Reportedly, Man-Ram would've received payments of $10 million in '09 and '10 and the rest would be paid over the next three years from '11-'13 without the addition of accrued interest.

Since deferred payments are a common part of MLB's monster contracts and since many players have to wait much, much longer to receive them, I've cooked up an interesting theory that has absolutely no basis in fact: Perhaps Ramirez has run into some financial trouble and needs cold, hard cash on hand right this instant?

Interesting Theory With No Basis In Fact #2: Manny is an economic Nostradamus and wishes to be paid in gold bars before the market completely implodes.  [LA Times]

• Tony Jackson of the LA Daily News details the long and sordid history that the Dodgers have had with Scott Boras clients. Darren Dreifort, anyone? [Inside the Dodgers]

• Kyle urges Cubs fans not to panic after Milton Bradley left his first spring training game with "mild tightness in his quad." [Goat Riders]

• A nice and warming account of a winter trip to Cooperstown. [MetsGrrrl]

• The Phillies may not have been rewarded with a Wheaties box, but how many teams can say they were the question to a Final Jeopardy! answer? [The Fightins]

• If you want to watch a game with actual consequences — albeit one that you already know the outcome of — check out MLB.com/Live at 10 a.m. ET for a rebroadcast of the '82 ALCS Game 5 between the Brewers and Angels. But before you bite into that bratwurst, remember one thing: It's Friday and it's Lent. Bring on the fish fry! [Brew Crew Ball]

• Trevor Hoffman entered Thursday's game to the familiar strains of AC/DC's Hells Bells. But that's a San Diego-only thing, Hoffman says, and he'll be coming out to another tune next appearance. Since we're talking about Milwaukee here, may I suggest the Too Fat Polka? (I know it's early, but alll together now! "I don't want her, you can have her, she's too fat for me!") [Gaslamp Ball]