Slugger Manny Ramirez headed the list of 65 Major League Baseball players who filed for free agency on Thursday, the first day on which those eligible were allowed to file. While the St. Louis Cardinals led the way with six players filing, it was the Los Angeles Dodgers who boasted the marquee name in Ramirez. The slugger, who was obtained from the Boston Red Sox at the July 31 trade deadline, helped the Dodgers capture the National League West Division title. In 53 games with the Dodgers, Ramirez belted 17 homers and drove in 53 runs while hitting .396. Ramirez, 36, added two homers and three RBI in the Dogers' three-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs in the first round of the playoffs. He homered twice and drove in seven runs in the Dodgers' five-game loss to Philadelphia in the National League Championship Series. Dodgers' right-handed hurler Derek Lowe also filed, while the nearby Los Angeles Angels could lose a slugger in Mark Teixeira, who has decided to test the free agent market. Teixeira, acquired from the Atlanta Braves on July 29, helped the Angels to the American League West Division title, batting .358 with 13 home runs and 43 RBI in 54 games with the club. Fellow Angels Garret Anderson and right-hander Jon Garland also filed, while future Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux, third baseman Casey Blake and left-handed reliever Joe Beimel were the other Dodgers to decide to test the market. Other prominent players to file Thursday were Cubs right-hander Ryan Dempster, who posted a 17-6 record in his first season as a starter since 2003 with the Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers co-ace Ben Sheets, New York Mets left-hander Oliver Perez, Red Sox captain Jason Varitek, Seattle Mariners outfielder Raul Ibanez, outfielder Bobby Abreu and catcher Ivan Rodriguez of the New York Yankees and outfielder Milton Bradley of the Texas Rangers. The Philadelphia Phillies, who wrapped up the World Series with a victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night, were one of six teams that didn't have a player file. There were no Rays players among those filing. Ken Griffey Jr. and Edgar Renteria had their options declined for 2009 by their clubs, making both veterans free agents. The Chicago White Sox declined to pick the option on 38-year-old outfielder Griffey, who ranks fifth on the all-time major league home run list with 611, while the Detroit Tigers dumped Renteria, a 33-year-old shortstop. The Kansas City Royals acquired slugging first baseman Mike Jacobs from the Florida Marlins in a trade with relief pitcher Leo Nunez on Thursday. Jacobs, who celebrated his 28th birthday on Thursday, batted .247 for the Marlins last season slamming a career high 32 home runs and 93 RBIs. In four Major League seasons, including one with the New York Mets, Jacobs has produced 80 home runs and 247 RBIs in 421 career games. Macha Brewers manager Ken Macha was named manager of the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday, replacing interim manager Dale Sveum. Macha's hiring closes a revolving door in the Milwaukee manager's office since Ned Yost was sacked with 12 games remaining in the regular season. Yost was replaced by Sveum, who guided the slumping Brewers into the playoffs for the first time since 1982 but the accomplishment was not enough to have the interim tag removed from his job description.
