"Here's the quick summation of why the A's signed Manny Ramirez: If he isn't the player the team hopes, they simply let him go, no fuss, no muss.

"We really couldn't find a reason not to," Oakland general manager Billy Beane said Tuesday. "Low risk, high reward, and we have time to evaluate him and time to evaluate some of our younger guys with little or no commitment. It seemed foolish not to take the chance.""