A-Rod, Ramirez and Galarraga all file for free agency

Latinos sweep the new Hank Aaron Award (1999)

Latinos in the Major Leagues - The Breakdown 2000.

A-Rod, Ramirez, Galarraga among others file for free agency!

October 31, 2000 -- The 2000 baseball season is over with the Yankees taking it all - again, but this is the beginning of an action-packed winter of player trades, hot rumors and contract talks.

Starting things off, Dominican slugger Manny Ramirez filed for free agency on Friday, just hours after the final out of the Yankees winning their 26th World Series. Ramirez who has said returning to Cleveland is his first priority, has already turned down a five-year, $75 million offer from the Indians.

Expect Mr. Steinbrenner to make a better than that for a player who hit .351 with 38 homers and 122 RBI despite missing a full month of the season. Besides, Ramirez grew up in Washington Heights in the shadow of Yankee Stadium.

"He's in the prime of his career, he's an RBI machine. Add him to this lineup and it would be sickening. Especially with the pitching that's here. It sure is an interesting thought." said Doc Gooden who played with him in Cleveland.

Another soon-to-be-very-rich Latino, Alex Rodriguez is expected by many to get a record-setting contract of at least 20 million a year, which will certainly top Carlos Delgado's new contract giving to him by the Toronto Blue Jays (17 Mil per year).

Rodriguez had said for more than a year that he didn't want to talk money with the Seattle Mariners until after he became a free agent. "He just wants a club that is going to consistently committed to making the team competitive every year," said the 25-year-old shortstop's agent, Scott Boras.

Expect the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets to throw mucho dinero at Rodriguez.

Andres Galarraga's who returned to the field after being diagnosed with a cancerous tumor on his spine, also filed for free agency on Monday after having an outstanding year including making the all-star team and the N.L playoffs.

43 player have filed for free agency since the end of the World Series. The deadline to file is Nov. 10.

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