Remember Manny Ramirez's new $45 million contract? Well, check out the math:

Manny Ramirez's money from his new $45 million, two-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers won't be fully paid until June 2013, according to contract details obtained Monday by The Associated Press. Ramirez gets a $25 million salary this year, but just $10 million is paid up front. The rest is due in $5 million installments each June 30 in 2010, 2011 and 2012. His contract calls for a $20 million salary in 2010, with $5 million payable up front. He is due two installments of $3,333,333 by June 30 in 2011 and 2012, and a final payment of $8,333,333 by June 30 in 2013. Ramirez has until the fifth day following this year's World Series or Nov. 10, whichever is later, to decide whether to void the second season of the contract and become eligible for free agency again. Because of the money deferred without interest, Ramirez's 2009 salary is given a present-day value of about $18.4 million by Major League Baseball.

It's worth remembering that when Ramirez supposedly refused to play for the Red Sox last July -- as reported by Pedro Gomez -- it was supposedly because he didn't want the Red Sox to pick up two options years on his contract, at $20 million per season. So before the Red Sox traded him, there were two possibilities: Manny could earn $40 million in 2009 and '10 or he could become a free agent; Boston's choice. After the Red Sox traded him, he could only become a free agent (unless he signed a new deal with the Dodgers during the season). It's pretty clear that he wanted out of Boston because he (and presumably his agent) thought he could do better than $40 million. Here's Ross Newhan in the L.A. Times, just before the regular season ended:

Boras didn't discuss specifics but said history documents that Teixeira will qualify for a contract similar to any "top-tier player in his 20s," and that "Manny is akin to where Barry Bonds was" at a comparable age, adding "an argument can be made that Manny continues to get better." Boras represented Bonds in 2002 when he signed a five-year, $90-million contract with the San Francisco Giants. He is expected to seek at least five years for the younger Ramirez, who will be coming off an eight-year, $160-million contract, and could draw interest from several American League clubs who view the left fielder more as a DH.

Now, it's not at all clear … actually, it's completely clear that Scott Boras was posturing, because that's what agents do (and few do it more outlandishly than him). But I think it's safe to say that Boras had in mind a four-year deal for at least $20 million per season. Again, reviewing: Manny started at $40 million, finagled his way out of Boston with hopes of getting $80 million (or a lot more) … and now, when considering present-day value, he's going to earn something like $35 million unless he opts out after a year (which, given his age and the economy, seems exceptionally unlikely). But you know what? If the guy didn't enjoy playing for the Red Sox, the difference between $40 million and $35 million is probably meaningless to him. I don't mean to excuse Ramirez for what happened last summer -- assuming the stories are true -- but before saying he and his agent messed up this contract situation, I would have to be inside Manny's head. And I'm not.