Dodgers offer arbitration to Ramirez, Lowe, Blake

LOS ANGELES (AP) -The Los Angeles Dodgers offered salary arbitration to free agents Manny Ramirez, Derek Lowe and Casey Blake on Monday.

The club declined arbitration offers to its other free agents: Rafael Furcal, Jeff Kent, Greg Maddux, Nomar Garciaparra, Brad Penny, Joe Beimel, Gary Bennett, Jason Johnson, Pablo Ozuna, Chan Ho Park and Mark Sweeney.

The three players offered arbitration have until Sunday to accept the offer, in which case they would be assured a spot on the 2009 roster.

"This basically is to protect our rights to get draft picks for these particular players. If they want to accept (arbitration), we'll be happy to bring them back,'' Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said. "We can continue to negotiate with these players for a long time. There's no deadline.''

If Type A free agents Ramirez and Lowe do not accept arbitration and choose to sign with another team, the Dodgers will receive two draft picks apiece from that club. Blake, a Type B free agent, would net the Dodgers a supplemental draft pick if he signs with another team.