The Dodgers are not operating in a vacuum in their pursuits of other free agents, particularly if they're preparing to offer only one-year contracts.

Wolf should be theirs by the end of the week now that the Mets have re-signed free-agent lefty Oliver Perez. But Dunn presumably is drawing other interest and Hudson would prefer to play for one of the New York teams.

Dunn probably does not want to accept a multi-year deal from the lowly Nationals, but might be inclined to take a superior one-year offer with the right contender — say, the Red Sox or Yankees.

As for Hudson, neither the Mets nor Yankees currently has an opening at second base, but he seems to be banking on one of those clubs pursuing a creative solution.

No matter, the Dodgers have at least $25 million to spend in a buyer's market. They can pick and choose.

If they can't get Dunn, there's Bobby Abreu. If they can't get Hudson, there's Orlando Cabrera. Heck, they might even get away with waiting on Cabrera until after the June draft to avoid forfeiting a high pick.

The point is, the Dodgers have options.

More options, it seems, than Ramirez.