CLEVELAND -- Manny Ramirez wants to be the first $200 million man in sports.

The free agent outfielder asked the Cleveland Indians for that amount as part of a 10-year contract that would make him the highest-paid player in baseball history, according to a baseball management source, speaking on the condition he not be identified.

	Manny Ramirez Right Field Free Agent Profile
	2000 SEASON STATISTICS GM HR RBI R SLG AVG 118 38 122 92 .697 .351

Ramirez's agent, Jeff Moorad, faxed the proposal Thursday to the Indians but wouldn't comment on specifics of the deal.

"At this point our preference is to preserve the integrity of the negotiating process," Moorad said Friday night. "I don't think it's appropriate to discuss specifics."

The Indians are also remaining tight-lipped.

"It's inappropriate to comment," Indians general manager John Hart said. "We want the process to play itself out. We are in conversation and will continue to talk."

The source, speaking Friday, said the proposal totaled $200 million -- the highest total package in sports history -- but contained money deferred without interest that would lower the present-day value to $175 million to $185 million.

The deal would dwarf baseball's current largest contract, a $105 million, seven-year deal the Los Angeles Dodgers gave pitcher Kevin Brown in December 1998.

And at an average of $20 million per season, Ramirez's salary would surpass the $17 million per year first baseman Carlos Delgado will get from the Toronto Blue Jays under a $68 million, four-year contract signed last month.

The highest total contract in sports is Kevin Garnett's $126 million, six-year deal with the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves, which averages $21 million. The highest average salary agreed to is $29.5 million, which will be earned by Shaquille O'Neal of the Los Angeles Lakers in an $88.5 million, three-year extension that starts with the 2003-04 season.

Baseball salaries, which averaged $1.99 million on opening day, are expected to rise this winter. Former Seattle shortstop Alex Rodriguez probably will ask for a higher average salary than Ramirez.

Cleveland will have more money available to play its star: The Indians announced that season-ticket prices for next year will increase by an average of 10 percent.

Ramirez has driven in 432 runs the past three seasons and this week he was rated as the top position player in the annual rankings issued by the Elias Sports Bureau based on criteria players and owners agreed to in 1981.

Through Moorad, Ramirez has said he wants to remain with the Indians, who will now use the weekend to figure out if they can afford to keep the 28-year-old slugger.

Indians owner Larry Dolan refused comment Friday on specifics of the proposal. However, he did say the team could make a public statement on Monday and "certainly no later than Tuesday" and hinted that the Indians could make a counteroffer.

"I think there is plenty of time to do a deal," he said.

Moorad did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment.

Ramirez arrived in Cleveland on Friday and is scheduled to appear at a card show Saturday at the Convention Center.

During a news briefing at Jacobs Field to discuss plans for the Indians' 100th anniversary celebration in 2001, Dolan was asked if the prospect of a $20-million-per-year ballplayer was scary.

"The numbers seem unsupportable," he said. "The trend is there. I would hope that owners, individually, would have the common sense to recognize that that particular trend can not continue."

Ramirez, who hit .351 while making $4.5 million last season, filed for free agency on Oct. 27, the day after the final game of the World Series. He can talk money only with Cleveland until Nov. 11, when he would be free to sign with any team.

The three-time defending World Series champion New York Yankees are thought to have Ramirez as their No. 1 priority in free agency. Ramirez grew up in New York, and would be a perfect fit for the Yankees, seeking a power-hitting outfielder.

Ramirez also has drawn interest from several other teams.

The Indians have told Moorad that if they don't sign Ramirez soon that they would not wait on him and turn their attention to other free agents.

Cleveland could use more pitching and is believed to be interested in Mike Mussina, Mike Hampton, Darren Dreifort and Denny Neagle.

"If we have Manny, we have different needs," Dolan said. "If we don't have Manny, we have other needs. My philosophy has been, for what it's worth, that it's still pitching."

Ramirez's carefree handling of his money in the past has some wondering what he would do with $200 million.

He once sent an Indians clubhouse attendant to get his car washed and said the money was in the glove compartment. In it was $10,000.

There was also the time on a road trip that he asked a reporter covering the Indians if he could borrow $60,000 -- on the spot -- so he could buy two motorcycles.