Manny Ramirez has come out and said that this will be his last year in a Dodger uniform. He’ll play as much as he’s asked to play, but once his contract expires, he’ll either look for a DH role with an American League team or even consider retirement. After teams failed to show significant interest prior to 2009, Manny signed a deal with Los Angeles that could have seen him test free agency again for this year, but he opted to stay in California, which was probably in his best interests.

It will be interesting to see the reaction fans have to Manny when he returns to Dodger Stadium in April. Will they embrace him for the entertaining star that he is? Or will they boo him for speculating he’ll be gone? Probably both, but neither will be overly justified until Manny can prove that he’s there to play in 2010 or not. After his bizarre 2009 season, who knows what to expect from the 37-year-old power hitter.

Despite this announcement, you have to give Manny some credit for being honest. He’s getting older and the game is wearing out his legs. Retirement or a DH position in the American League will relieve that pressure. Manny’s just being honest a little earlier than most other athletes would. But if he didn’t do it that way, that just wouldn’t be “Manny being Manny”. Having fun has always been one of his priorities on the field, and if he can’t play regularly in Los Angeles next year, that wouldn’t be him having fun.

If anybody think that Manny’s career will be done after this season, don’t count on it. Despite his goofy behavior and lackluster outfielding, he’ll certainly have something extra left in the tank to give to an American League team who are looking for a big veteran big to fill a hole in the middle of the lineup. He’ll probably be offered less money than he’s looking for, but if, and when, he accepts it, he’ll find himself cracking long balls in no time.