We're Talkin' Baseball...

With the trade deadline coming up tomorrow, it seemed like a good time to run down some of the happenings on and off the diamond.

Dodgers beat Cards!  I knew this four game set was going to be a nightmare when I saw it on the schedule but I had no idea it'd be this bad.  Blown saves, extended rain delays, extra innings, shutouts.  Good grief, Charlie Brown.  Thankfully they managed to scrape out one win tonight but the pitching staff and offense have both managed to fall asleep at the same time.

Speaking of the pitching staff - the Dodgers made a deal today, sending out two minor leaguers for Orioles closer George Sherrill who is a pitcher I've seen described today as "death on left handed hitters."  The bullpen looks to be gaining some strength back with the return of Kuo and the addition of Sherrill.  It doesn't mean that Torre won't manage to overwork them in the two months left and make them useless but let's hope for the best.  I wouldn't be opposed to seeing another 'pen arm picked up if the price is right.

Still no starter added though which makes me nervous.  I'm fine with Bills, Kershaw, Kuroda, and Wolf.  I truly am.  Sure, I'd love a Cliff Lee or Halladay to lead the pack but I'm really fine without them.  I know, I know.  Everyone wants the Dodgers to have an "ace" but honestly, how many teams have a legit ace starter leading the way?  Besides if Bills is half of an ace and Kershaw is half of an ace... ?  Both of those guys have ace stuff and the potential to be an ace on any given night.  I think both are showing signs of fatigue though which worries me.  What I'd like to see though is one more back of the rotation guys.  Schmidt doesn't appear to be the answer.  Neither does Weaver [although he looks good every once in a while.]  James McDonald?  Scott Elbert?  Maybe.  But neither of them can get settled in that spot before they get yanked out of it.  Who is out there?  No clue.

In addition to all the trade deadline madness, of course there was the Manny story today.  I think I've lost the ability to care.  I officially have PED story fatigue.  I'm just going to assume that everyone from pre-2003 was probably taking something and deal with it.  I'm not sure there are any names left that could come out on that list that would surprise me.  Let's just deal with the people testing positive now and not worry about who tested positive six years ago.

I'll be home some of the day tomorrow so if the Dodgers manage to make any more moves, I might drop in with some comments.

In the meantime... go Blue!

Game Over

I hate being the depressing guy but I read this story from the LA Times today during my lunch break and it made me feel pretty sad for someone that I didn't think I could possibly manage to feel sorry for.

Everyone knows the story. Eric Gagne was the hero of Dodger Stadium at a time when we didn't have many heroes. It was such a fairytale story, really. The mediocre starting pitcher turned into a reliever out of necessity that quickly became a closer when it became obvious that his hockey player mentality was better suited for it. Then the real magic began. He turned from a starter-turned-closer into the best closer in baseball. His fastballs exploded with velocity and movement. His changeup seemed almost unfair to the people who were forced to stand at the plate and have their knees buckled by it. The blaring sound of "Welcome To The Jungle" and the idea of "Game Over" flashing across the Diamond Vision kept Dodger fans in their seats all the way through the ninth inning, completely destroying the "Ha ha - Dodger fans show up in the 3rd and leave in the 7th" that has haunted us for so all.

It all seemed so perfect. Too perfect. It was a too good to be true scenario and in the end, it turned out to be exactly that.

Gagne signed a big contract after three huge years... and then physically collapsed. No one wanted to even whisper the thought at the time but as the physical downfall dovetailed with baseball's new drug testing policy, the thought crossed everyone's minds.

The contract came and went with little fanfare as he was barely able to throw a pitch for the team during it. Everyone was convinced he'd take a paycut to "make it up to the team" during contract negotiations and when he didn't, he quickly became the object of much scorn throughout Southern California.

Fast forward a bit to the arrival of the Mitchell Report and the news that Dodger fans had dreaded all along. Evidence that Gagne had received shipments of HGH. And even worse, fellow Cindarella story teammate Paul LoDuca seemed to be the man who started him on that path. We even got salt rubbed in the wounds with an e-mail from a Boston scout clearly stating that "steroids is the problem."

Sigh.

And so it goes. After reading that, I never thought I could feel pity for Gagne's career again however when he was released during spring training, I thought that a pity signing might be in order. What could it hurt after all?

Occasionally, you'd hear a whisper about him rehabbing his latest injury but this is the first full-length story I've seen on him in a while. It really is a sad story and while part of me still has a lot of bitterness towards him, this story goes a long way towards soothing old wounds.

Here are a couple excerpts that I found most interesting...

On the day Manny Ramirez would make his comeback before tens of thousands of adoring fans -- in enemy territory, no less -- Gagne sat at a table for two at a riverfront cafe, in this weathered city more than 400 years old, and more than 400 miles from the nearest big league outpost.

He wore a black Ed Hardy T-shirt. He ate his poutine -- the Quebec delicacy of fries topped with gravy and cheese -- in peace. No one asked him for an autograph.

This is a long way to go to get away from the Mitchell Report and start over.

This is home. These are the people who nurtured him, who dropped coins into a bucket to help pay his way to college, who packed the stadium here and gave him a standing ovation just for coming home to pitch, for the Quebec Capitales of the independent Can-Am League.

L.A. was home too, once upon a time. We wore goggles and goatees, sweat-stained caps and "Game Over" shirts. We went nuts for the record-setting 84 consecutive saves and for the Cy Young Award, for "Welcome to the Jungle" and for the best show in town.

"The electricity was unreal," Gagne said. "I never thought that was possible in baseball.

"Those were the best days of my life. I think about them every day."

Or this one...

The details might be sparse, but the remorse is genuine.

"I've been straightforward about everything. It [stinks] that I can't be about this," he said. "I'm not looking for sympathy anyway.

"I have to live with this the rest of my life. I'm going to have to explain this to my kids. It's going to be on my resume the rest of my life."

He volunteers that he is a role model for kids -- and not just his four kids, none older than 8. He is a model for what not to do, whatever that might have been.

"I hope I serve as an example," Gagne said. "You don't want to be in my shoes.

"This is hell. I've still got to talk about it."

His three best seasons, the ones in which he recorded the 84 consecutive saves, were the last three before baseball instituted a drug policy and initiated mandatory suspensions for first offenders.

Did Dodgers fans -- the ones that paid good money for tickets and "Game Over" memorabilia -- get an honest performance in return?

"To me, yes," Gagne said. "I can guarantee I worked harder than anybody.

Or one last one...

Gagne is in Quebec to revive his career. He is trying to work his way back from a partially torn rotator cuff, with four appearances so far and a fastball Laplante put at 84-87 mph. He should get stronger, and presumably better, and if so he could get a minor league contract in August, or a spring training invitation next year.

He is in baseball limbo here, not because of the Mitchell Report, but because of his shoulder. What was once a national outrage over baseball's steroid era has evolved into a national fatigue.

If Ramirez hits, Dodgers fans cheer.

"Everybody makes mistakes," Gagne said. "You keep going. You do what you do. What Manny does best is hit balls. Manny is an entertainer. That's not just in L.A. It's anywhere. If you're a fan . . . you want to see something special."

There was no better entertainer in L.A. than Gagne, back in the day.

"That's why I keep going to the ballpark," he said. "I'm searching for that again."

Gagne relives it every day. His 5-year-old son scampers about in a Dodgers cap. His 3-year-old daughter is named Bluu -- yes, he said, for Dodger blue.

Like I said, a sad story. I might be alone in my pity for the man who once thrilled us all but... well, if Mr. Ramirez gets a second chance...

Manny's Back

July 3rd was the day that Dodger fans have had etched on their brains for 50 games now - the day that Manny Ramirez would finally return from suspension and hopefully pick up right where he left off.

Well, the Dodgers won tonight but Manny had very little to do with it.

The media's been out in full force for this return for days but especially over the past day or so. Lots of reporters that are full of piss and vinegar that Manny hasn't been strung up by his toes by fans across the globe. There's a lot of arguments for and against Manny right now with a lot of good points on both sides.

But there's something that I took away from them that kinda made me realize why I, personally, haven't been as upset about the situation as some others have.

I read someone saying that the fans are just too overexposed to the situation by this point. Bonds, A-Rod, Clemens, McGwire... you name it, we've seen their names and reputations and records dragged through the mud.

At some point, don't we all just become a little bit numb to it?

The Clemens one is the one that probably did me in. I've been a huge Clemens fan for his entire career. At one point in my childhood, I proudly held over a hundred Clemens baseball cards in my collection and proclaimed him to be one of my favorite players [as a non-Dodger, that was saying something.]

So, when a childhood hero is busted for Performance Enhancing Drugs, am I going to be affected as much when someone that I probably REALLY only like because I met him on my wedding day is?

The A-Rod one stings a little too because he was supposed to be clean. He was the guy who was going to "save" the record books from the taint of Barry Bonds. But in the end, all he did was prove Jose Canseco right... again.

In the end, it's starting to become more and more apparent that just about every high profile player from that period of time were "influenced" in some fashion. Can we hate them all? I guess but at some point, you have to start to wonder if there's a point to that.

He got caught, he did his time, he quasi-admits to it...

I guess that's good enough... sorta. Everyone deserves a second chance and all that jazz, right?

Right?

And That's That...Finally

On my way out the door for work but I thought I'd drop this in since it's apparently now official...

Sources: Dodgers, Manny agree at 2 years, $45M

Manny Ramirez is a Dodger once again.

Ramirez on Wednesday agreed to a two-year, $45 million contract to return to Los Angeles, according to major-league sources. The deal will be finalized after Ramirez passes his physical.

Manny Watch Continues

Honestly, I'm getting a little sick of all this so I'm going to make this my last post discussing the Manny Ramirez situation until he's signed - here or elsewhere.

Last night took an interesting turn in the saga as the Dodgers offered up a one year, $25 million dollar offer that would have:
a] Allowed the Dodgers to dangle the free agency carrot over his head all year, presumably ensuring maximum effort while also ensuring he would be able to hit the free agency market next winter when he could hope for better results
b] Make Manny the second highest paid player in the Major Leagues - not too shabby
c] Keep the Dodgers payroll-flexible beyond this season

Within 24 hours, Manny and his puppetmaster had rejected the deal. No big surprise to me. I didn't think his pride [or Boras' bank account] would let him take a one year deal after all the bluster about needing 4 or 5 years. Apparently, somewhere and somehow, Boras must think there's a better offer out there.

Not from the Nationals who shot down rumors of their interest today. The Mets did likewise last week.

That basically leaves the Giants as the only other team with public interest and they appear to not be willing to go past two years. So, will they go higher than the Dodgers originally offered for the two year + option deal? If they don't, Mr. Boras may find himself minus one high profile client in the near future.

So, will the Dodgers stay in this little race?

Right now, the odds are pointing against it. Check out these little tidbits.

** Once again, the Dodgers are showing signs of weariness at dealing with Boras. Frank McCourt was quoted as saying, "His agent is challenging to work with. It's been over three months, and [we're] two weeks away from spring training, and we still have not received a specific number from the agent. At some point in time, it's time to move on." Now that may be a lot of public posturing but it could also mean that I'm not the only one growing tired of being jerked around by the Dreadlocked One and his minion.

** There has been an increase in rumors over recent days that many in the Dodgers Front Office are advocating spending the Manny money on Randy Wolf, Orlando Hudson, and either Bobby Abreu or Adam Dunn. Coletti restated the team's interest in Abreu today as well according to Abreu's agent. Dunn is playing the waiting game as well as the Dodgers are apparently his top choice if the Manny negotiations go south.

** "We have tried to bring closure to this," McCourt said. "Three times, we've tried to bring closure to this. It's not for a lack of effort. What should be clear to everyone is that signing Manny was -- and remains -- a priority. How long that remains a priority will depend on other things that happen as we get closer and closer to the real season."

Closure, huh?

Sounds kinda nice, doesn't it?

Despite signs pointing the other direction, Coletti apparently did not contact the agents for any of the Dunn/Abreu/Hudson triumvirate today - holding firm to the company line that they're still trying to bring back Manny.

I'm sure I'm not alone - Larry Bowa agrees! - in thinking that (a happy) Manny is the Dodgers' best option and if at all possible, they should make that happen.

By the same token, they can not allow themselves to be held hostage by Scott Boras and Manny Ramirez at the possible expense of other free agents that could be gotten to make the team better. Is Adam Dunn a better player than Manny? Hell no. But at a fraction of the cost and to go into Spring Training with your full squad? Possibly.

I think the Dodgers owe it to themselves, their fans, and to Manny to make one final offer. Make it the very best offer you're willing to make and slap a deadline on it. 24 hours, 48 hours, 5 days - whatever works.

If it's accepted, the streets of Los Angeles will be lined with dreadlocks and dreams of playing in October once more.

If it's rejected or ignored, it's time to move on - for all of us.

Poor Multi-Millionaire

There's been a lot of talk on the Manny front this week so it seemed like a good time for a little rundown on what's being discussed.

Let's start ten days ago just for a complete roundup...

January 19th
---
Ken Rosenthal reports that the Dodgers have roughly 50 million in payroll flexibility assuming they're aiming for a similar payroll to last season. You have to imagine they were holding half of that for Manny. But the other half? Beats me. They're not likely to spend $25 mil on pitching at this stage of the off-season in my opinion. I'm guessing they'll come up far short of the 50 mil which'll get them worlds of shit from the fans but... no point on spending money for no reason, right? Save it just in case you can find a trade mid-season.

Rosenthal also speculates that the Giants have one eye on Manny but are really looking to fill their "big hitter" role in a trade - perhaps Prince Fielder. Makes sense. They do have some talented prospects to work with - probably more prospects than money.

Dylan Hernandez also reports that day that there's basically a stalemate between the Dodgers and Scott Boras. The Dodgers are holding firm on their two-year $25 mil offer so that they don't bid against themselves. Boras is holding firm on his desire for a four or five year deal. So... stalemate. But apparently Boras and Ned Coletti had a 15 minute conversation the day prior... so that's... something?


January 20th
---
SI's Tom Verducci reports that although the Giants aren't in the market for an outfielder, they'd make an exception for Manny. But they're not willing to enter a bidding war for him meaning they're looking for the big bargain too.

January 22nd
---
Ken Rosenthal says the Giants might consider Manny in a high dollar offer because they have a lot of low-cost younger players right now. It's a similar situation that the Dodgers find themselves in except a lot better since they don't have albatrosses like Jones and Pierre hanging on them.

SI's Jon Heyman believes the Dodgers will eventually bid against themselves and go to three years to land Manny [which is what I've suggested for a lonnnnnng while now.] I still believe if you stick him with a 2 year deal, you just might not like what you end up with.

A little fly in the ointment popped up this day when the Mets CEO made headlines by stating that Minaya has never asked if he could try to sign Manny. Obviously, the Mets getting into this would potentially be a game-changer. Some hopeful Mets fans see this as a public signal to Boras to try to get the Mets involved - like he hasn't already been trying for months.

The final piece of Manny-related news [sorta] that day was Kobe making headlines by offering to play LF for the Dodgers. Yes, it was a joke. But I bet it'd put some asses in the seats.


January 23rd
---
ESPN's Jayson Stark says the Dodgers intend to finish up with their pitching staff before really looking to finish the Manny situation. Again, that makes sense because that'll really let you know how much financial flexibility is left.


January 26th
---
Things picked up a little bit after a few days of silence. The day started with Bill Shaikin saying the Dodgers were still waiting for a counter-offer from Boras on their 2 year deal offered before. Boras is such an ass. Apparently Coletti doesn't believe Boras repeatedly re-starting his "dresm deal" constitutes negotiating. Like him or not, Ned's on target here. All of LA wants Manny but if the price isn't right, I'll take a season of Adam Dunn for half the price.

Later in the day, Jon Heyman reiterates that Manny still wants the 4 or 5 year deal at $25 mil per. Another baseball exec is quoted in the same article as saying he believes the Dodgers and Manny are in the "fourth inning" of negotiations. No idea what the fuck that means.


January 27th
---
Rosenthal tries his hand at matchmaker a few weeks early when he not only speculates the Giants would be a bad fit for Manny considering the ballpark and questionable supporting cast but that a good compromise with LA might be two years with a third year option and no-trade protection for the first two season. I can live with that as well. It's bidding against ourselves a bit but I'd rather have a happy Manny than "Manny Being Manny."


January 28th
---
Boras made headlines today with "news" that most people universally shat upon as being total and complete bullshit. So, first he claimed that "the train had left the station" with the Manny negotiations in progress with the Dodgers and other mystery clubs he won't name. He also proclaimed that Manny would be signed by Spring Training [which I kinda think is true.] The Mets manager piped in by saying he'd love Manny on his team but apparently the manager and the CEO being interested isn't enough - hopefully.


January 29th
---
Jayson Stark kicks us off by speculating that Manny could wait until March to sign. God, I hope not. I can't take much more Manny Watch. He also says that Adam Dunn is waiting for Manny to sign because Dunn prefers LA. I'm starting to think it may be time to turn up the pressure on Boras. Well, once we have a starting pitcher or two anyways.

But here's my favorite story and the reason I decided to write this tonight...

Albert Pujols says that he can't understand why no one has signed Manny and that his good friend has told him that "nobody wants him" or some such. Pujols went as far as to exchange numbers with Tony LaRussa and Manny in hopes Manny would give some kind of discount to the Cards. The Cards GM says they're not interested either.

So, Mr. Pujols, as talented as he is, can't comprehend why a team might be scared of signing Manny? Really?

As much as I love watching Manny the player and I enjoyed meeting Manny the person, even his biggest fan has to admit he's a powderkeg always dangerously close to a spark. You just don't know what Manny you'll get from night to night. Dodger fans who are calling for Coletti's head to sign him could just as easily be calling for Coletti's head in August when Manny has a phantom knee injury because global warming has left field in LA around 86 degrees.

Production = dollars in baseball... usually. But even the most desperate of offense-starved teams has to give Manny a second look.

Can you blame them? Really?

One And Done

So long, Mr. Jones.

Earlier today, the Dodgers announced that they had reached an agreement to restructure Andruw Jones contract in exchange for agreeing to either trade or release him before the
season starts.

Wow.

I guess he REALLY didn't want to come back for another year, huh?

With our luck, he'll get signed to the league minimum elsewhere, turn back to the player the Dodgers wanted him to be, and then the Dodgers will be paying for him to excel for another team.

But I guess I'm willing to risk it. Now let's hope that financial saving can be used to sign a certain power-hitting outfielder - and yes, I think the Giants report is a Boras bluff job.

Come Crawling Back, Bitches!

It's amazing what a well-placed news leak or two can accomplish. When word broke over the past couple of days that the Dodgers had reached out to the reps for both Adam Dunn and Bobby Abreu, I was more than a little surprised and wondered if there was another motive.

And now, we know what it was.

The LA Times reported today that Scott Boras FINALLY reached out to the Dodgers to talk Manny. Apparently even the slightest rumor that Dunn or Abreu might be signed made Boras realize that Manny would be a man without a country in the event that that went down.

You've gotta love leverage.

Now, let's just hope the Dodgers allow Manny to sign with some dignity so we don't get three seasons of cranky Manny instead of happy, productive Manny.

The Rich Get Richer

The baseball fandom world is all up in arms tonight over the Yankees big signing today. Yes, it is another example of the Yankees trying to buy a World Championship. Yes, it really is a horrible thing for baseball. Yes, it really does point out the inequalities of the free agent market as it stands.

And yes, we've heard it all before.

At some point, don't you just have to shrug your shoulders and chalk it up to being a part of the status quo? How many times can you cry and moan and wail and tear out your hair over the need for a salary cap in baseball? It's just not likely to ever happen. The owners had their shot during the strike. They had already lost the World Series so it wasn't like they could make things worse in the eyes of the fans. They had their shot to finally make the union cave and they didn't do it.

Unless you're hungry for another work stoppage, don't expect your tears to pave the road to a salary capped system.

On the other hand, if you're a Manny-To-Dodgers fan, this has to be actually good news. There were a few ways that situation could have worked itself out and from what I can tell, this is the best possible result for the Boys In Blue.

We could've seen:

a] Tex re-signs with the Angels. This leaves the Yankees hungry to make an offensive splash to go with their pitching buffet and in this market, there would really only be one splashy bat left to sign. As seen today, when in a bidding war, the Yankees win every time - and even if they lost, no one wanted to see them drive up the price for the McCourts.

b] Tex signs with the Sox. See above with the potential of the Angels getting in on the action as well.

c] Tex signs with Cue bidding war frenzy.

But instead, we saw Tex sign with the Yankees as the Angels revealed they have no interest in Manny. With the Sox not about to go back down that road, does that leave any other options? The Nationals with a huge offer but no chance of winning? The Orioles trying to appease an angry fanbase?

From my seat down the left field line, it looks like the Dodgers are in the driver's seat here and could potentially even get the two year with a third year option deal they were looking for orginally.

EEEEKS!

Do you trust newspapers in the Dominican Republic?

Apparently Impacto Deportivo, a newspaper in the DR with a somewhat spotty record when it comes to sports scoops, is claiming that the Yanks have presented a three year, 75 mil offer to Manny and that negotiations are advanced with a potential announcement of a deal coming Monday or Tuesday.

Couple that with the Texeira news today that the Angels were pulling out of the race for him and it's been an interesting day on the Hot Stove.

So, is it true?

My gut still tells me no. I'm going to stick to my guns and believe the Dodgers end up with Manny at a similar deal. 3 years, 75 mil with a mutual option for a fourth.

Until I see otherwise, I'm holding onto that hope that Santa McCourt drops Mr. Ramirez under the tree this week.

Manny Watch

Of course, by now, almost everyone has heard of the offer that the Dodgers made to Manny Ramirez this week in the range of 2 years at around 45 mil with an option year as well. The reason everyone's heard the offer? The Dodgers wanted it that way - and who can blame them?

They wanted it made very clear that they had made what they consider a fair offer for Manny's services and if they lose him, it's not for lack of effort. Now, whether anyone else considers this a fair offer is another story. Obviously, Scott Boras does not when he talks about Manny as an "iconic" player and draws comparisons to Bonds getting a contract from SF to take him into his forties. We've known for quite some time that Boras was shooting for a six year deal - a deal that nearly no one believes he'll get.

So, the question becomes quite simple. Was the offer:

a] A legitimate offer they believe Manny should consider.
b] A legitimate first offer they intend to better when the time is right.
c] A bullshit offer they made just to save face in the press.

Personally, I think it's Option B. I fully expect that when push comes to shove the Dodgers will offer three guaranteed years [possibly four] with an option year for a fourth at around 25 mil per.

Is it worth it?

With a starting rotation in shambles, one could argue the money could be better spent elsewhere perhaps. As much as I love Manny and the offensive firepower [not to mention amazing star power presence] he brings to our Boys In Blue, I am wary to put all those eggs in his temperamental basket.

In the end, for some reason, I expect Manny to remain a Dodger because I just can't see anyone else putting up the cash he wants [unless the Yanks or Mets get involved.] But what that means for the gaping holes at 3B, SS, 2B, and the starting rotation, I just don't know. I expect Dewitt will return at second after an entire spring at the position. I still think they'll manage to work out a deal with Furcal but his agent's hunt for a four year deal disturbs me. 3B could be a problem. I'd be fine with Casey Blake coming back but I don't know how likely that is. That leaves our starting rotation which currently consists of Billingsley and Kuroda. Expect Kershaw to join them. That still leaves two spots. I don't think they'll be able to retain Lowe and it looks like Maddux will finally retire. Do they go for broke with the kids and let McDonald join the rotation? Maybe offer Randy Johnson a decent deal to bring up the rear of the rotation?

It's gonna be a fun off-season!

Manny Watch: DAY 9

I talked about it a little bit last night but this morning, according to this article, the Dodgers have made a two year, 60 million dollar offer to the big slugger.

Wow.

That's a lot of dollars, no?

The NY Post reporters in the article listed above speculate the Dodgers know there's no chance in hell that Satan Boras will accept such a deal and that's simply a PR offer so the McCourts can shrug their shoulders and say "We made a fair offer" when Manny signs elsewhere.

It's possible but it's also possible they consider it a legit offer as we've seen them go high dollars/low years on several deals in the past few years [Furcal, Andruw Jones.] Whatever the situation is, I don't expect Manny/Boras to accept the offer as they'll definitely be shopping around to see how long of a deal they can land.

The plot thickens.

Oh, and another Dodgers note from that article, apparently Larry Bowa has yet to tell the team whether or not he'll be returning for next season. The Yankees have their eyes on him to fill their third base coach slot as well so he's got another job waiting in the wings. Personally, I hope they manage to keep him because I think he's one of the few guys left in the game that can provide some fire in the belly for a team and I still love him for calling out the team for their lack of heart back in September.

Baseball Season Ends

Technically, it ended a few days ago as I really couldn't bring myself to care after the Dodgers were eliminated but since I consider the Sox my "American League team" and have done so for over twenty years now, I maintained the slightest bit of interest until tonight. With the Sox out of it and facing the idea of a Tampa Bay/Philly World Series [Bud Selig may kill himself tonight,] it's officially time to say "Wait til next year."

But the Hot Stove season is already in full effect with the majority of speculation falling in three spots: Manny, CC, and Peavy.

Let's take a look at some of the early rumors regarding the Dodgers so far...

It's pretty much a given that Lowe is gone. Penny is probably gone too. I'm guessing Saito will be gone. Blake too. I'm thinking Raffy will stay.

Really, that just leaves Manny.

McCourt was wishy-washy about it, talking about how it takes two to tango and all that jazz. It was him preparing Dodger fans that it's not gonna happen. I'm guessing the Dodgers will offer three years with an option for a fourth. Unless they highly overpay, I don't think that'll get it done. I can't imagine someone won't go four guaranteed. Maybe even five. I don't think anyone will go six like Boras is looking for but four or five shouldn't be a problem and I'm guessing that takes the Dodgers out of the Manny market unfortunately.

Joe Torre wants pitching - and made no secret about it. With Lowe and Penny gone, that'll leave Kuroda, Billingsley, and Kershaw in the starting rotation. McDonald might be a possibility for the fifth spot since he did well in his limited action in the callup. So, if you figure the Dodgers are shooting for at least one starter and maybe two, there are some targets already being mentioned that are pretty intriguing.

CC Sabathia is obviously the number one target for starting pitching for all teams this offseason. The Yankees are going to go in and go in big for CC. The rumors all say that Sabathia wants to stay on the West Coast but it'll take a pretty big offer to make him turn down the kind of dollars the Yanks are going to offer him. The Dodgers will make a big offer, I'd imagine - if for no other reason to make it look good that they tried. If I had to guess, I'm thinking Sabathia won't end up in Dodger blue. And frankly, I don't know if I'm that upset about that. Long-term, big dollar deals for starting pitching hasn't worked out so well in recent years for my team.

The number one trade target for pitching is going to be Jake Peavy. We've already heard that Peavy picked five teams that he'd waive his no-trade for with the Dodgers being one of them. The Pads are looking for middle infielders and young pitching to make the deal. I'd dangle Hu and McDonald - see what happens. If they want a lot more, move on.

There's been pretty persistent rumors of the Dodgers' interest in Robinson Cano for a while with Yanks fans thinking a Cano for Kemp was fair. While I wouldn't go that far, it's probably a conversation worth having since they apparently don't feel that Blake DeWitt is a good long-term solution at second base. With Kent likely to retire, second base will be a hole that needs to be filled this winter.

Juan Pierre and Andruw Jones have both requested trades if they won't be played. I have no problem with either of those - but I'm sure Ned Coletti will have quite a problem with making a deal for either. Both would require taking on a bad contract in return. Any ideas?

Nomar thinks he might retire. Might not be a bad idea for him. If he wants to stick around as a super-sub/pinch hitter for cheap enough, I'd keep him for that purpose as long as he knows his role.

Some talk about Randy Johnson possibly coming to the Dodgers or Angels. I could live with that as a 4th or 5th starter. It'd kinda be like Greg Maddux but... well, a lot different. If the price is right, I'm cool with that deal.

Saw some speculation today that the Cubs might be interested in Manny and might try to move Soriano or Aramis Ramirez to the Dodgers to clear payroll to accomplish that. I'm not overly fond of either of those deals but they're interesting ideas.

Okay... so, I know it's the time of year for weird rumors but this one took the cake for sure...

The Dodgers might be exploring trades for Russell Martin?

I'm going to hold firm and deny, deny, deny there's any way that's true until I hear more details.

It's gonna be an interesting six months.

MannyMania Is Running Wild

Is there such a thing as "music to my eyes?"

Top Five Friday: Survivor - A Dodger Edition

What was that I said last week about 1-10 shifts on a Friday? Grrr.

Anyways, one day removed, I've decided to expand upon my words earlier this week regarding the Dodgers' youth movement. Obviously, some bodies need to hit the floor over this off-season and quite frankly, a lot of them. And just as obviously, it'll be close to impossible to get rid of everyone I'd like to get rid of. So, I'm going with the opposite approach today.

The Top Five Members Of The '08 Dodgers Roster I'd Keep For '09!

NOTE: I considered the current 25 Man Roster as well as the disabled list when coming up with this list.

That means the players under consideration are the following:

RP Joe Beimel
SP Chad Billingsley
RP Jonathan Broxton
SP/RP Scott Elbert
SP/RP Jason Johnson
SP/RP Hong-Chih Kuo
SP Hiroki Kuroda
SP Derek Lowe
SP Greg Maddux
SP/RP Chan Ho Park
RP Ramon Troncoso
RP Cory Wade
C Danny Ardoin
C Russell Martin
IF Angel Berroa
3B Casey Blake
IF Blake DeWitt
IF Nomar Garciaparra
IF Jeff Kent
1B James Loney
IF Mark Sweeney
OF Andre Ethier
OF Matt Kemp
OF Juan Pierre
OF Manny Ramirez

DL
--
RP Scott Proctor
SP/RP Brad Penny
OF Andruw Jones
OF/IF Delwyn Young
RP Yhency Brazoban
RP Takashi Saito
SS Rafael Furcal
C Gary Bennett
SP Jason Schmidt
IF Tony Abreu

First, we ditch the journeymen who are easily replaced. So long Jason Johnson, Ramon Troncoso, Cory Wade, Danny Ardoin, Angel Berroa, Mark Sweeney, Scott Proctor, and Gary Bennett.

Next, we bid adieu to the oft-injured lot who you just can't depend on over a 162 game season. Hit the road Hong-Chih Kuo, Tony Abreu, and Yhency Brazoban. All have/had potential but they just can't be relied on. That also casts out Jason Schmidt who has sat on the DL for two of his three year deal and has become yet another reason why Dodger fans fear FA pitching [see: Brown, Kevin and Dreifort, Darren.] Everyone will be gunning for Sabathia in the off-season but the length of deal and numbers he's talking will make me nervous. And yes, a fond farewell to Nomar Garciaparra. We really wanted to love you - but your injury prone history couldn't help but catch up with you.

Here's a few that I hate to drop but odds are, it's time.

Greg Maddux is a great midseason grab - but to watch him hold a spot in the rotation [unless the other four are way above average] at this point, it probably not a good idea. He wants to sign on as a pitching coach? Hell yes. As a starter, I think I'm over it.

Chan Ho Park's return is a great story but at this stage of his career, he's basically a long reliever and occasional spot starter. I don't think he's about to relive his youth so I'll pass.

Brad Penny's recent slew of injuries have me worried that he may never recapture his ace form. I think it's time to cut bait and run. Takashi Saito also gets dropped at this point sadly. I think he's still got life in him but if Broxton's the closer of the future, give him the ball and see what happens.

Next, we drop a couple of overpriced free agents. Obviously, Juan Pierre and Andruw Jones must go. 'nuff said.

I'll also not re-sign Casey Blake cause I don't feel like spending the money on a 35 year old 3B.

Here's a few that I wouldn't mind keeping but just don't have room for. Joe Beimel, Hiroki Kuroda, Blake DeWitt, and Delwyn Young.

Of course, my number one "please get him out of my sight" on this list is Jeff Kent.
That leaves us with ten.

Scott Elbert gets pulled off the list since he hasn't had a start yet and I don't have any reason to keep him on here at this point.

Derek Lowe gets knocked off the list because I think he's peaked as a Dodger and just hasn't seemed himself since the Carolyn Hughes mess. Plus, as a FA, he'll be too pricey I'd imagine. Down to eight.

This is where it gets tough. I also gotta give up Jonathan Broxton here. I think he's a great pitcher but his recent struggles have me wondering if his conditioning or the pressure is the problem. Either way, I'm not sure I trust him as the closer of the future at the moment.

Rafael Furcal is the next to go on my list. While he's a fantastic player and has been a great asset to the team over the past couple of years but he does have some pretty chronic injuries that would make me think twice before giving him the kind of deal he's likely to want.

5. Andre Ethier/Manny Ramirez
This is the hard one. It really depends on how the rest of the team is made up. Right now, there's a surplus of outfielders. There's also a surplus of big money contracts. Unless serious salary can be shed, I'm guessing Manny will have to go despite his positive impact on the team's offense, public relations, and fan support.

4. James Loney
I think Loney is the Dodger first baseman for some time to come. He's an excellent hitter and will only get better in time.

3. Russell Martin
Of course. In my mmind, the team captain and best chance they have at a Kirk Gibson type who will get the squad fired up and make the kind of hustle plays to carry the team to the next level. There's been a lot of talk this week about lack of heart and passion. Russell Martin could be the answer to that.

2. Chad Billingsley
The ace of the future - and perhaps the ace right now. Billingsley should anchor the Dodgers rotaton for a long time to come. When Kershaw and Elbert are ready to join him, we should really see something special.

1. Matt Kemp
When Matt Kemp becomes the kind of player that we all believe he can, the Dodgers will have their own homegrown Manny Ramirez at a fraction of the price. To me, Kemp is perhaps the most vital piece of this puzzle the franchise is trying to put together.

Top Five Friday: It's A Beautiful Day For A Ballgame

Top Five Friday will not be airing in it's normal time so we can bring you the Wonderful World Of Sleeping.  By the way, whoever created the 1-10 PM shift on a Friday is a cruel, evil, heartless son of a bitch who I wish a world of mysterious rashes and "that's never happened to be me before" on.

One day late, indeed, but I thought I'd bring you a taste of Thursday's Dodger game in photos.  Without further adieu...

My Top Five Favorite Photos From Thursday's Game

5.  The Manny Dreads
You've gotta love capitalism when it rears it's head.  So, not only do the Dodgers get Manny's offensive production for the rest of the season for the low, low price of free... not only do they get to soak up all the incredible publicity and marketing opportunities for the not so inexpensive cost of nothing... but they get to sell these wonderful bandana/dreadlock combos for $25 each - and yes, they were selling like crazy.  We had to resist buying them - I may not be so lucky the next time.  "For only $25, you too can spend a warm day roasting under a cheap bandana and fake hair!  SIGN ME UP!"

4.  Different Strokes To Rule The World
Okay, so I don't really know who or what this is.  We had difficulty decoding if he/she was a man/woman.  There were really no identifying signs that made us comfortable in making  a final decision.  But crazy blond hair?  Glove on your head?  Big ass sunglasses?  Oh, you're making the Top Five, sweetheart.  To top this story off, we saw him/her with a female friend after the game being "detained" by security - or at least that's how it appeared to me.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

 

 3.  Put Me In Coach - I'm Ready To Play... Todaaaay

The Dodgers have instituted this awesome new program where two hours before the game on game days, you can go onto the field in center field and shag batting practice flyballs.  The kids love it - and the "kids at heart" aren't far behind them.  We didn't get there in time for batting practice but we did get there in time to go the field and take a few photos.  This is a black and white [mostly] shot from centerfield that I thought turned out pretty groovy.  Highlight of this section of the day?  A big group of sorority girls from SC were at the game as a group.  During this period, they were screaming at all the people playing catch to toss a ball to them.  Someone finally did - and they scattered completely as the ball came smashing down in the middle of them.  Way to work it out, ladies.

 2.  A Deeper Shade Of Soul
So, our camera has this cool little feature that we get obsessed with from time to time.  You should see our San Francisco photos - lots of black and white with splashes of color.  Basically, the way it works is you can pull all the color out of your photos except for one color that you set.  So, I decided it would P-I-M-P to only feature Dodger Blue.  This is the result of that shot.  Oh, that guy in the foreground was part of a trio of fans that ended up being pretty cool that we chatted with on and off throughout the game - topics ranging from Vin Scully and throat-slitting, a discussion of my throwing arm versus Juan Pierre's, and life in Iraq and the taste of camel meat.  Yeah.  That really could be it's own post - should be, in fact.  Stay tuned for more on that!

1.  Check 'Em Out, Angel Fans
That's right, baby.  There's six of them there.  I thought I'd provide a quick count because we all know Angel fans can't count!  Ohhh!  Sick burn!  I figure if I insult the Angel fans enough here, I might get picked up by another Angel message board and send my traffic through the roof for a few days.  Angel fans suck!  Yeah!  Uhhh!  Take that!  So, I played with iPhoto to jazz this one up a bit this morning and I really liked the end result.

  Honorable Mention
We thought this guy was pretty rad considering Snoop was throwing out the opening pitch and the guy had a matching pimp hat and shirt.  He turned out to be even more rad than we ever could possibly imagine when during James Loney's homerun, the guy started doing some weird finger-pointing and fist-pumping dance that just made me wish I had video of it to share with the class.  Let's just say that some stereotypes were shattered on this day.

That's all, folks.  Hope it was worth the day delay!

Jeff Kent Is An Asshole

Once a fucking Giant...

The title pretty much says it all, no?

It's not like it's earthshattering news either. The guy has been a prick for the majority of his baseball career and got a free pass for a lot of it because it was aimed in a bigger prick's direction. I mean, how can you hate Jeff Kent compared to Barry Bonds? When Kent got into it with Milton Bradley, how could you not take his side when Bradley's a plastic bottle away from a meltdown at any moment?

But on a day when Dodger fans should be celebrating because the magnificent Greg Maddux is on his way back to town - a move I've supported for weeks, by the way - to hopefully steady a starting rotation that is hurting with Penny going back down to injury... we're having to deal with Jeff Kent running his mouth about Vin Scully.

I have little doubt that Jeff Kent greatly overestimates his value to Dodger fans but if he has any hope not to suffer the same fate as Andruw Jones, I think he might want to apologize... and in a hurry.

Vin Scully is not just a Dodger treasure - he's a baseball treasure.

Very few would say the same about Jeff Kent.

So, Mr. Kent, when Vin Scully says you're benefitting from hitting in front of Manny Ramirez, Dodger [and baseball] fans are going to believe no matter how much you throw your lifetime stats in our faces to try to prove him wrong.

I don't know if it's an ego thing or what but it's fairly obvious that you're hitting better in front of Manny than you were without him so just give him the nod of credit, suck it up, and play the game you're paid to play. And don't waste your time running down our legendary announcer trying to make yourself look better.

I've long held the belief that this team and franchise will find itself worlds better when Jeff Kent moves on - whether it's to retirement or another team. I've been hopeful it's been coming for a couple years but we haven't gotten lucky yet. Yes, it will be difficult to replace his production in another second baseman but I hold a firm belief that it will greatly improve team morale and chemistry to not have his grumpy ass polluting the air.

My stance on booing our own players is well-known so I will not be booing Jeff Kent when I [hopefully] go to the game on Thursday afternoon. I will cheer for Jeff Kent, the player, to help my team to victory.

But Jeff Kent the person?

Well... someone wise said earlier...

Jeff Kent Is An Asshole.

Quick Baseball Notes

Just a few quick thoughts before I head off to sleep...

-- D-Backs Land Dunn
Obviously this is Arizona's response to the Manny deal - looking for a power boost to carry them through August/September.  I don't know if it'll work or not.  Dunn is very much a feast or famine hitter.  He'll hit a lot of home runs but he'll have a lot of rally-killing Ks as well.  It's interesting though because a lot of experts were projecting Dunn as the hot free agent next winter - the guy that all the teams might target instead of big money deals for Tex or Manny.  This'll give the D-Backs a bit of an inside track if they're aiming to keep him.

-- Manny To Yanks?
In typical East Coast biased reporting fashion, almost none of the news outlets picked up on Manny's (possibly temporary) desire to retire as a Dodger.  Instead, all we've seen is rabid speculation about the Yankees signing him to spite the Sox.  With Manny being Manny, who knows if he'll really feel the same way about the Dodgers in three days, let alone three months - but it'd be nice to see the "journalists" at the big sports sites at least acknowledge the possibility.

-- Lucchino to Dodgers?
I found this one interesting.  Reports of Larry Lucchino butting heads with Theo Epstein are in the air again and this time, instead of Theo's resignation/re-hiring, it looks like it might be Larry leaving town.  Speculation says he might end up in LA to serve as the team president.  Personally, despite McCourt's obsession with all things Sox, I don't really see it.  The Dodgers have enough trouble keeping the front office in order - why add another layer of red tape to it?

-- No Sale
Apparently Nolan Ryan wants to buy the Rangers from Tom Hicks but has been shut out so far - isn't it ironic, don'tchathink?  I'd like to see this happen.  Hicks has forever earned the ire of baseball fans for giving out the original A-Rod contract that threw the sport's finances for a loop.  Not to mention the deal he gave Chan Ho Park. 

-- Another Win, Another Day Of Mediocrity
The Dodgers knocked off the Phillies tonight - after nearly suffering another bullpen collapse.  I'm not sure what's up with the Dodgers' pen but it's a weakness they can't afford going into the home stretch.  They should have taken first place over the weekend and instead find themselves still a game out.  The end of the schedule is growing near so the time to "flip the switch" is now.

More On Manny

Man, you non-Dodger fans must be pulling your hair out reading this blog this week but... well, I can't quite help it. Like I said, there's a buzz in the air... a kind of magic surrounding the team that hasn't been felt in a long, long while.

I just can't seem to find anything else that I want to write about - not yet anyways. I'm sure it'll come and come soon but for now, it's all about Number 99.

There has been a lot written about Manny over the past few days - some of it right here on this page - but this is one of my favorite pieces.

Some highlights...

Maaannnyyy, Maaannnyyy," came the chorus, ringing through the left-field bleachers. "Maaannnyyy! Maaannnyyy!"

Manny Ramirez, No. 99 in his baggy Dodgers uniform, stood at the plate.
A pitch came.

He swung.

Thwap!

The ball lofted from his bat and traced a smooth arc in the sky, heading directly for the patch of seats where I happened to be sitting with a group of the Dodgers' most rambunctious fans. When it landed just feet from us -- Ramirez's first Dodgers homer -- the bleachers shook with euphoria.

"Maaannnyyy! Maaannnyyy! Maaannnyyy!"

Helping lead the chorus was Gabriel Ruiz, a 25-year-old from South L.A. who is also a left-field, cheap-seats lifer, on hand for every game he can possibly make.

...

Sitting on splintered seats, Ruiz and his fellow Dodgers loyalist Renato Casas told me Saturday night they feel like they've died and gone to heaven.

"Surprised isn't the right word, really," said Casas, leaning in to speak to me just after the beginning of the game, which turned out to be a 4-2 Dodgers win. "More like, I just couldn't believe it. I thought I was dreaming."

"I mean, we're talking Manny Ramirez," Ruiz added, tugging his Dodgers cap. "Manny Ramirez? He's the best hitter in baseball. It's that simple. . . . Trust me, one man can make a difference."

...

I hated to be a killjoy but amid all of this positivity, all this belief, I spoke of my skepticism. It's hard for me to imagine this team getting much better just because it now has a left fielder who trudged to Hollywood with a shaky glove, a .299 batting average and 20 home runs this year, even if he is a lock for the Hall of Fame. Ramirez, 36, isn't exactly in his prime, I reminded.

No way, you gotta keep the faith, Ruiz told me. I noticed that he was also the only person in the stands wearing an Andruw Jones jersey.

"One man can make a difference," said Ruiz, who often sits in the stands with a blue Mohawk skullcap perched on his head. "You gotta believe."

...

Look, I said, this is the ultimate .500 team, a group of underachievers whose slogan should be "wait till next year."

They eyed me like I was either nuts, or simply a Giants fan about to get mauled.

This is the year, they vowed. This is the year.

We laughed together. We turned to the green field and the large crowd. Ramirez was up. He walked to the plate, swung, and the ball he struck popped off his bat as if shot from a bazooka, landing just a few rows from us.

When the chorus of cheers and the high-fives died down, Ruiz spoke up.

"You see?" he said. "One man can make a difference!"

Caught up in a great moment, I found myself agreeing. Sometimes it's good to be among the true fans, and to believe like they do.

At one point this year, a very wise man repeatedly said about his favorite basketball team - "You've gotta believe."

Well, that one didn't turn out so well in the end, I suppose...

But the believing never ends.

One man can make a difference. If you don't believe it, give Kirk Gibson a call.

Manny Is Very, Very Happy To Be Here - Just Hopes He Can Help The Ballclub

It is Day Two of the Manny Era in Los Angeles and things are developing nicely.

He had his first homerun as a Dodger tonight, something that contributed to a big win over the first place Diamondbacks and earned him a curtain call from the fans.

Tickets are selling like crazy. They sold something like 11,000 tix for Friday's game between 1 PM Thursday when the trade was announced and 4 PM Friday. They also sold a few hundred season tickets - all for a player the Dodgers aren't even paying this season.

There's a definite buzz in the air that hasn't surrounded the Dodgers in a long, long while. When I went to lunch on Friday afternoon, ESPN was discussing the deal at length - for basically an entire show. I can't remember the last time that happened.

To drop the cherry on top, Manny apparently announced to the world that he's so happy in LA that he hopes to retire as a Dodger. Now, one can never tell if that's just "Manny being Manny" but on Day Two of the Manny Era, the fans seem like they would agree with him.

Of course, there's an odd man out at the moment named Andre Ethier who has spent two days on the bench despite playing so well this season. Here's hoping they can get Andruw Jones or Juan Pierre out of town on a waiver deal to clear the logjam a bit because Andre definitely deserves to be playing right now.

But for now, the Manny Era is in full effect and everything is sunshine and roses.

Check back later to see if it stays that way.