Off-Season In Full Swing

It's been quite a while (five weeks) since I last posted anything so I figured now would be as good a time as any to update this.

In the last five weeks a lot has transpired in Dodger land. Below are some links of the latest. I'll try to keep this in chronological order as much as possible, with the most recent occurances at the bottom.

• On November 20th, the Dodgers announced the name of their new spring training facility in Glendale, AZ, to be shared with the Chicago White Sox. The new state-of-the-art facility will be known as "Camelback Ranch."
• On December 1st, the Dodgers offered arbitration to three of its 14 free agents. Manny Ramirez, Derek Lowe and Casey Blake were all offered arbitration by the Dodgers. What this meant was should any of them had accepted arbitration by the deadline a week later, they would have essentially become signed players by the Dodgers, and would go through the usual arbitration process. However, all three declined just before the deadline on December 8th, thus meaning should any of them sign with another club, the Dodgers would receive compensation draft picks from the team that signs them.
• On the first day of the 2008 Winter Meetings in Las Vegas on December 8th, four-time Cy Young Award winner Greg Maddux officially announced his retirement. Maddux, who pitched two short stints with the Dodgers in 2006 and 2008, finished his 23-year Hall of Fame career with 355 wins, 3,371 strikeouts, and a 3.16 ERA. Maddux pitched for the Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, Dodgers and San Diego Padres, and won a Major League record 18 Gold Gloves, all of them between 1990 and this past season with the Padres and Dodgers. Maddux is sure to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer when he becomes eligible in 2013.
  
• On December 9th, the Dodgers agreed to terms with one of their own free agents. Third baseman Casey Blake agreed to a three-year deal with an option for 2012. The signing means Blake DeWitt will stay at second base.
• The following day, the Dodgers signed veteran utility infielder Mark Loretta to a one-year deal. The versatile Southern California native replaces Nomar Garciaparra, who is contemplating retirement for health reasons.
• And this past Friday, December 12th, the Dodgers non-tendered five players who were arbitration eligible, effectively making them free agents. Takashi Saito, Angel Berroa, Scott Proctor, Yhency Brazoban and minor league pitcher Mario Alvarez were not offered contracts by the Dodgers for the 2009 season. Each of them, for various reasons, could have received hefty pay raises through the arbitration process. Each of the non-tenders can still negotiate a contract with the Dodgers, and some, if not all, could be back next season. Four other players who are eligible for arbitration were tendered contracts. Russell Martin, Andre Ethier, Jonathan Broxton and Jason Repko will return in 2009.
• As far as other news goes, the Dodgers are patiently waiting on Manny Ramirez, and should know tomorrow afternoon whether ot not they will retain the services of shortstop Rafael Furcal. Furcal is mulling offers from three teams including the Dodgers, and his agent expects him to make a decision by tomorrow afternoon.

As more news breaks, I'll post what I can here. In the meantime, to stay up-to-date on your own on all the latest rumors surrounding Major League Baseball, check out MLBTradeRumors.com!!

More Manny...

Great blog put up by the guys at LA Times... it's actually a pretty funny Top 10 List of phrases probably overheard in the meeting between Colletti and Boras regarding Manny... like a fly on the wall so-to-speak...

Manny Gets Offer; Penny Bought Out

With about nine days of exclusive negotiating rights before he's eligible to talk to other clubs, the Dodgers tonight extended what is believed to be a two year, $55MM offer to Manny Ramirez. The deal would make him the second highest paid player in annual average salary in baseball, only behind Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, and the highest ever in Dodger history. Now the ball is in Manny's court.

I'm thinking this offer won't sit on the table for too long if the Dodgers don't get a response as they have other priorities that need to be addressed this winter. The Dodgers are said to be highly interested in free agent pitcher C.C. Sabathia as they do want to add rotation depth, but at what cost? And they would like to bring back at least one or two of their own free agents besides Manny, such as Rafael Furcal, Joe Beimel and perhaps Casey Blake. Dodgers GM Ned Colletti has reiterated that if other things come to fruition that they would address those needs as they come, regardless of the Manny situation.

It's no secret the fans want Manny back, and if I'm the Dodgers, I might even extend the offer to a third year just to sweeten the deal, but at the same time, they have to be responsible in addressing all their other needs. As of right now, the Dodgers appear to have about $70MM to spend, and that number is likely to shrink down to somewhere between $47 and $50MM once they take care of all their arbitration eligible players.

The question becomes, what happens if Manny rejects this deal, or any other deal the Dodgers offer, and signs elsewhere? What happens if they sign Sabathia instead of Manny? And more importantly, what happens if they end up with neither? The fans have made it clear. Could the Dodgers handle the backlash from the fans and the media if neither of them sign, especially Manny? We'll find out.

I'm cautiously optimistic Manny will end up back in Blue, simply because only one other team can come close to matching their offer in terms of average annual salary of $27.5MM. But will anyone give him more than three years because of his age? Time will tell.

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One other note: the Dodgers have bought out the final year of Brad Penny's contract for a cool $2MM, making him a free agent. This could be a blessing in disguise as I was not a fan of Penny's inconsistencies. Sure, he won 16 games in both 2006 and 2007, but other than 2007, he's never been able to put together a full consistent season.

Look for several teams to have interest in his services, including Toronto, who has shown interest in him in the past.

Free Agency Frenzy

With the season officially over and potential free agents starting to file before the free agency signing period begins on November 14, I thought now would be as good a time as any to make my fearless predictions on where I think the top free agents would end up in 2009. Note: the players listed below are those I feel are the top free agents.

1. C.C. Sabathia (Brewers) - Yankees. You could make the argument here that he will go to the highest bidder. However, he is not a client of super agent Scott Boras, so he might take less money ,if the dollars are in close proximity, to play on the west coast.
2. Mark Teixeira (Angels) - Angels. The Red Sox are planning on pursuing Teixeira, presumably to drive the price tag up on the Yankees, who could use his bat and glove at first base. In the end, I think Teixeira stays put in L.A. at about 7 years, $150MM.
3. Manny Ramirez (Dodgers) - Dodgers. If Boras and Manny are willing to "settle" at 3 years (maybe 4) at $25MM/per season, Manny ends up back in L.A. The Dodgers will have a lot of explaining to do to their fans if they don't get this done.
   
4. A.J. Burnett (Blue Jays) - Yankees. Logically, he'd be a great front-of-the-rotation pitcher for a number of teams, including the Dodgers. But Burnett is almost definitely staying on the east coast and the Yankees will throw the book at him. Other possible suitors: Mets, Orioles, Jays.
   
5. Francisco Rodriguez (Angels) - Rays. Tampa needs some consistency and depth at the back of their bullpen, and K-Rod has ties to manager Joe Maddon from their days together in Anaheim. Rays should be able to open up their checkbooks a little bit after the World Series run. Seems like a logical fit to me.
6. Derek Lowe (Dodgers) - Tigers. Lowe has made it be known he wants to be closer to his family again in Michigan. If the Red Sox find he's too pricey after his late season domination in L.A., look for him to go home to Detroit as the Tigers are in desperate need of starting pitching.
   
7. Adam Dunn (D'backs) - Mariners. Seattle has openings at first base and in left field, and have notoriously opened up their checkbooks to make a big splash in the free agent market. Dunn fits all of their needs for a middle of the order power hitter despite his knack for striking out. Dunn could also DH, as well.
8. Bobby Abreu (Yankees) - Yankees. This is an obvious choice. He loves it in New York, and New York seems to like him just as much. He's a consistent run producer hitting in front of A-Rod.
9. Rafael Furcal (Dodgers) - Dodgers. There's mutual interest here to get a deal done on keeping him in L.A. Furcal knows his back injury this past season lowers his value on the market, and he would likely accept a highly incentive-laden one-year deal with a second year vesting option. Just a matter of time before this one gets done.
10. Ryan Dempster (Cubs) - Cubs. Dempster would be a more logical pick for the Dodgers but he has a very good relationship with Cubs GM Jim Hendry, thus he probably stays put in Chicago.
11. Ben Sheets (Brewers) - Rangers. Sheets could go to any number of teams (Braves, Dodgers), but the Rangers have a more pressing need for starting pitching and Sheets could help solidfy that rotation, assuming he stays healthy.
    
12. Jason Giambi (Yankees) - Athletics. Giambi's past the point of commanding a long-term deal. That said, a reunion in Oakland makes sense. Look for the Yankees (if they can't find a viable replacement at first base) and Blue Jays to make a push for his services, as well.
13. Mike Mussina (Yankees) - Retire. Reports in recent days have said he is leaning towards retirement despite his comeback season in 2008. If he doesn't retire, he'll be back in pinstripes.
14. Orlando Hudson (D'backs) - Dodgers. There is a glaring need for the Dodgers at second with Jeff Kent's imminent retirement. Hudson also fits Joe Torre's type of player ("gritty") that helped him win four titles in New York. The move would also allow Blake DeWitt to return to third base, where Torre prefers him.
15. Brian Fuentes (Rockies) - Mets. Obvious marriage here. With Billy Wagner out for all of 2009, and over $10MM owed to him, the Mets will likely avoid K-Rod's high price tag and take the next best option. Fuentes would come cheaper and probably won't command a 5-year deal.
16. Pat Burrell (Phillies) - Phillies. He's supposedly already rejected a 2 year, $22MM deal, and rightfully so. Burrell could command 4 or 5 years from any A.L. team in need of a DH, and Tampa or Toronto would be logical fits. He doesn't want to DH though, and wants to stay in Philadelphia, and they want him to stay, so look for something to get done here. If Phils can't get it done, look for him to land in San Francisco.
    
17. Orlando Cabrera (White Sox) - Blue Jays. A nice upgrade over John MacDonald. A proven veteran who has a knack for finding his way onto playoff contenders. Other possibilities: Twins, Tigers, Cardinals.
18. Kerry Wood (Cubs) - Cubs. Same situation as Ryan Dempster. Has a great relationship with Hendry. Losing him could significantly weaken the Cubs pen as Carlos Marmol is a step down from Wood in the closer's role.
19. Milton Bradley (Rangers) - Blue Jays. Toronto would be his fourth team run by a "Moneyball" GM. J.P. Ricciardi comes from the Billy Beane school of GMs, and loves these type of players. Bradley would DH for the Jays.
20. Andy Pettitte (Yankees) - Yankees. He's in the same boat as Mussina. If he doesn't return, he'll retire.
21. Jamie Moyer (Phillies) - Phillies. At 45 years old, still capable of being a back-of-the-rotation guy. A hometown hero with a World Series win, a return makes sense.
22. Oliver Perez (Mets) - Dodgers. This is a tough pick to make as Perez isn't the top-of-the-rotation guy they need. However, he would help the Dodgers and provide stability in the rotation. His dramatic improvements under Rick Petersen's tutelage makes him an solid addition.
    
23. Raul Ibanez (Mariners) - Mets. A perfect match for the Mets and Ibanez. Mets have a need at one corner outfield spot and Ibanez, despite getting up there in age, could provide some corner outfield stability offensively and defensively.
24. Casey Blake (Dodgers) - Indians. A reunion is inevitable at this point. Dodgers would prefer to get a little younger here, and Blake has shown his likeness to playing in Cleveland.
25. Joe Crede (White Sox) - Rangers. With Hank Blalock a free agent (but likely to return to play first base), the Rangers are in need of a third baseman. Assuming his back is sound, Crede would fit in nicely in the middle of the Rangers potent lineup, and provide stability defensively. Other possible suitors: Dodgers.
    
26. Juan Rivera (Angels) - Cubs. The Cubs were not happy with Kosuke Fukudome's production last season, so much so, Lou Piniella benched him in the final two games of the NLDS against the Dodgers. Rivera brings some veteran stability to the outfield and should help both offensively and defensively.
    
27. Felipe Lopez (Cardinals) - Astros. Lopez had a solid stint with the Cards, and the Astros have a need at second base. The only catch is he's a Scott Boras client. Other possible destinations could be the D'backs, Dodgers and Orioles.
28. Trevor Hoffman (Padres) - Padres. A no-brainer.
29. Randy Johnson (D'backs) - Angels. A clear upgrade over Jon Garland, even at his age.
30. Garrett Anderson (Angels) - Giants. The growing sentiment is the Angels will try to re-sign him for less money, and Anderson could conceivably take whatever they offer. But the Giants would be a more ideal fit as they're looking to add a veteran left-handed bat out of the bargain bin in the middle of their lineup to pair up with Bengie Molina and Aaron Rowand.

Phinally, A Phantastic Phillie Win

Just a quick note to congratulate the entire Phillies organization for a job well done on winning the 2008 World Series. The title gives the franchise just its second in its 126-year history, and its first since 1980, and it gives the city its first title in any of the four major sports (baseball, football, basketball, hockey) since the 76ers defeated my Lakers way back in 1983.

So to all you Philly fans out there, congratulations, and celebrate peacefully! (In other words, don't set any police cars on fire or turn over any news vans, and stay clear of Philadelphia PD officers shooting rubber bullets into the crowd to calm you crazy drunks down!)

Weird Series

This has to rank as one of the strangest World Series I have ever seen. Between the strange plays, comedy of errors and unorthodox defensive alignments in Game 3, to the rout in Game 4, to the cold and wet weather that SUSPENDED Game 5 in the sixth inning, I don't think I've seen so much bizarreness (is that a word? it is now!) in a span of three games of the World Series, let alone ANY series!

In Game 3, the umpires blew a call at first base in which the runner would eventually score; both catchers also made throwing errors (one, after a wild pitch/passed ball that ricocheted off the backstop back to the catcher) that led to runs. But the weirdness that ended Game 3 had to be the most surreal turn of events. Phillies reserve infielder Eric Bruntlett led off the bottom of the ninth inning of a 4-4 game by getting hit by a pitch. He then took second on the aforementioned wild pitch/passed ball and took third on the errant throw by Rays catch Dioner Navarro into center field. With the winning run now at third and no outs, Rays manager Joe Maddon intentionally walked the next two hitters to the load the bases. He then summoned right fielder Ben Zobrist to the infield and with the infield playing in, went with a five-man infield (Zobrist was strategically stationed right in front of second base between the second baseman and shortstop). Carlos Ruiz then hit a little roller up the third base line for an infield hit after a valiant effort by Rays third baseman Evan Longoria to get Bruntlett out at the plate went for naught. Final score, Phillies 5, Rays 4. Phils lead series 2-1.

Game 4 was a complete blowout as the Phils won 10-2 on the strength of two Ryan Howard home runs and a Jayson Werth bomb.

As Game 5 approached, there was a threat of rain in the Philadelphia area for later in the night. The temperatures were already dropping, as they dipped into the upper 30s by game time. The Phils scored two quick runs in the first, and the Rays would get one back. The Phils had their ace, Cole Hamels on the mound, so the idea was to get as many innings in as possible out of him. But as the game progressed, the rains came, and they came, and they kept on coming. By the time the fourth or fifth inning rolled around, it was a torrential downpour. But this wasn't just any ordinary game. This was a decisive World Series game. A Phillies win would clinch the franchise's first title since 1980, and would be just its second in the 126-year history of the franchise. So there was plenty of reason to try to get as much of the game in as possible.

Baseball rules state that a five-inning game is an "official" game. If this had been a regular season game, the game would have likely been ruled a final after five innings, in which the Phils would have won 2-1. But this wasn't a regular season game. Could you imagine the scrutiny Major League Baseball would have taken had it ended a decisive World Series game after five innings? So they kept playing, and eventually, the Rays would get the tying run in the sixth inning. After an infield hit with two out in the top of the sixth, B.J. Upton got a great jump on stealing second base in the muddy basepath. He would score on the very next play, an opposite field floater to left-center field by Carlos Pena. The Phillies would then get the last out, sending the game to the bottom of the sixth inning. Now with the game tied, there was plenty of reason, not to mention the perfect timing, for MLB to stop the game at that point. And that's exactly what they did. Twenty-four hours later, that's exactly where the game still stands.

It looks like they will attempt to get the final 3½ innings in (assuming someone scores a run) tomorrow night. Or, they will keep waiting until Mother Nature allows the game to be resumed. Heck, the could possibly play extra innings! Could you imagine that? After waiting two days for the game to be completed, they wind up playing three, four, five extra innings before it's even decided. Even beyond that, if the Rays somehow win the Game 5, whenever it is completed, they would still have to go back to Tampa for a Game 6, which was originally scheduled for tomorrow... in Tampa!

In any case, it seems very few people are watching the Series. Last night's 6½ innings had the worst TV ratings ever for a World Series game, which is truly a shame. I'm assuming the same people who have been bitching and complaining for the last 10 years or so, or even longer, that they're sick and tired of seeing the Yankees or Red Sox every year, finally get two teams other than those two in the Series, and they're not even watching the damn games. Well, I'm watching them either way because... I'M A BASEBALL FAN... AND I LOVE THE GAME! And it's about time the aforementioned complainers do the same instead of not bothering to watch the games because they don't care to see teams like Philadelphia and Tampa.

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CORRECTION: on one of the polls to the left: I inadvertently named Josh Howard (who happens to also play here in Dallas, but for the NBA's Mavericks) as one of the options for A.L. MVP. The player's name should be Josh Hamilton. My apologies for the unintentional error.

Just As I Thought...

The Dodgers have confirmed that no offer has been made to Manny Ramirez, and they haven't even discussed the length of a possible deal internally. They also haven't even talked to Scott Boras yet, so they really have no idea exactly what kind of deal Manny and Boras want for Manny. Stay tuned. This will only get dicier as the off-season progresses!

1988 Dodgers: Where are they now?

Last week marked the 20th anniversary of the Dodgers winning the 1988 World Series against Oakland. Today, I found this little "Where are they now?" photo gallery on the L.A. Times website. Obviously we know where some of the players from that team are now (Mike Scioscia, Mickey Hatcher, Alfredo Griffin, Orel Hershiser, Kirk Gibson), but it's actually pretty interesting to ready what some of the others are doing right now. Sadly, two of the members are deceased after being killed in separate accidents in the mid-90's. Also, some of the players could not be reached by the Times for comments, but I'm pretty sure one or two of them are still in baseball somewhere. Anyway, check it out!

Manny Back in Blue? Maybe

According to SI.com's Jon Heyman, sources within the Dodger organization told him the team may offer Manny Ramirez a "short-term deal with a very high annual salary", perhaps something in the neighborhood of $55MM over two years. Apparently, according to Heyman, the Dodgers aren't thrilled with the idea of a long term deal of five or six years for Manny, or any player, for that matter. The Dodgers currently have no five or six year contracts on their payroll. Heyman also notes there are some in the industry who think Scott Boras, Manny's agent, won't even listen to any offers shorter than four years.

Personally, if I'm the Dodgers, I go to at least three years, four years tops, and lower the average annual salary down to somewhere between $22MM and $25MM. This ensures Manny and Scott Boras would actually listen to their offer, or at least take it seriously, and it ensures there's still enough left in the budget for 2009 to sign a front-line starting pitcher, perhaps an A.J. Burnett.

World Series Set

With a dramatic win tonight in Game 7 of the ALCS, the upstart Tampa Bay Rays earned their first ever World Series berth with a 3-1 victory in Tampa over the defending World Champion Boston Red Sox. Tampa, under third year manager Joe Maddon, have nearly completed the most improbable of feats, going from the worst record in all of baseball last year, to finishing first in the league's most toughest division. Tampa will now host the Philadelphia Phillies, making their first World Series appearance in 15 years, beginning this Wednesday evening, in a best-of-7 series. The Phillies, who defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-games-to-1 in the NLCS, won its only World Series Championship in 1980. Tampa is making its first appearance in its short 11 year history.

Congratulations to both the Tampa Bay Rays and Philadelphia Phillies.

Early gut prediction: Tampa in 6.

Year-End Rankings and Other Stuff

I didn't get around to doing my quarterly rankings in August or at the end of the season, so since the World Series is about to get underway in a few days, I thought now would be an ideal time to do my year end one, as well make my picks for the individual awards. Keep in mind these rankings DO NOT reflect what has transpired in the playoffs. These are for regular season only! So without further ado...

YEAR END RANKINGS

1. TAMPA BAY - From worst to first in the league's best division with 97 wins.

2. L.A. ANGELS - Quietly finished season with most wins (100), a franchise record.

3. CHICAGO (N.L.) - Were set to make a deep run through playoffs with best team in years and 97 wins.

4. BOSTON - Reigning champs win Wild Card looking to repeat.

5. PHILADELPHIA - Second hottest team in N.L. heading into post-season with 18 September wins.

6. L.A. DODGERS - Turned season around on Aug. 30 and coasted through September with 19 wins and West title.

7. CHICAGO (A.L.) - Came up with three big wins on last weekend to oust Twins from playoff contention.

8. MINNESOTA - Surprise team came up a win shy of postseason after trading Johan and letting Torii walk.

9. MILWAUKEE - Struggled en route to playoffs, including firing manager Ned Yost with 12 games left.

10. N.Y. YANKEES - Finished with respectable 89 wins but missed postseason for first time 13 seasons

11. N.Y. METS - Crumbled during last two weeks of season for second straight year and missed postseason again.

12. TORONTO - Made valiant run in early September only to fall short in the end with 86 wins.

13. HOUSTON - Was on fire and closing in on Wild Card when Hurricane Ike displaced them and hot streak ended.

14. FLORIDA - Salvaged decent season by knocking Mets out of postseason contention on last weekend of season.

15. ST. LOUIS - Despite a red hot Pujols, injuries caught up and team fell short in Wild Card chase.

16. CLEVELAND - Turned season around with 42 wins after trading C.C. and finishing a respectable .500.

17. ARIZONA - After torrid April and 4½ game lead in August, hit skids in September and lost division to L.A.

18. TEXAS - Finished season 21 games behind first place after flirting with Wild Card in July.

19. COLORADO - Made last ditch effort at Wild Card before faltering and finishing with 74 wins.

20. KANSAS CITY - Finished season as one of hottest teams in baseball and 75 wins.

21. OAKLAND - Was on a roll in late September before finishing season with 5 straight losses.

22. SAN FRANCISCO - Despite one of league's worst offenses, finished with 72 wins thanks to good pitching.

23. CINCINNATI - Seemed to play much better after trading both Junior and Adam Dunn late in season.

24. ATLANTA - Struggled mightily after trading Teixeira to Angels to finish with just 72 wins, lowest since 1990.

25. DETROIT - Disappointing season ended with Tigers finishing in last place when many predicted first place.

26. PITTSBURGH - Played decent baseball even after trading Nady and Bay to Yankees and Red Sox, respectively.

27. BALTIMORE - Finished dismal season losing 9 of 10 and last place in league's best division.

28. SAN DIEGO - Avoided 100 losses with a .500 record last 10 games to finish with 99 losses.

29. SEATTLE - Avoids the infamous 30th ranking with decent finish to 101 loss season.

30. WASHINGTON - Finished season with dismal 1-9 record and league worse 102 losses.

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This season might have been the most interesting when it comes potential MVPs and Cy Young winners. There have been a lot of debates about players such as Manny Ramirez and C.C. Sabathia whether or not they should be considered for N.L. MVP and Cy Young, respectively. Since enough people have discussed them both as possible winners for the awards, I will take them into consideration as I make my year end predictions. Remember, the awards are based only one regular season and not post-season. The ballots have been casted and were due before the playoffs began on the Wednesday after the regular season ended.

MVP

N.L. - Manny Ramirez, L.A. You can make an argument for a number players here, Albert Pujols, Ryan Braun, Ryan Howard, even C.C. Sabathia. But what Manny did to the Dodgers after his arrival was unheard of and he single-handedly carried the entire Dodger team on his shoulders and right into the post-season. (Yes, I'm homering up on this one, even though I know full well that Pujols will really win this award.)

A.L. - Dustin Pedroia, Boston. Same as N.L. You can make an argument for Josh Hamilton and Carlos Quentin, but Pedroia stepped up and anchored what was a somewhat inconsistent offense by Red Sox standards.

CY YOUNG

N.L. - Tim Lincecum, S.F. Two months ago, it looked like Brandon Webb and Ben Sheets were in a dogfight here. Then C.C. Sabathia entered the picture, but as Webb started to struggle and Sheets got hurt again, Lincecum continued to pitch his way past the trio and eventually set himself up as the clear cut winner of the award.

A.L. - Cliff Lee, Cleveland. There is no one else who should even be mentioned after the season Lee had.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

N.L. - Geovany Soto, Chicago. No change from my mid-season pick.

A.L. - Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay. Same - no change from mid-season.

MANAGER OF THE YEAR

N.L. - Charlie Manuel, Philadelphia. My choice at mid-season was Florida's Fredi Gonzalez, but this was when Florida was contending for the division and Philadelphia was struggling. All the Phillies did was reclaimed the East over the Mets during a late September run again and win 92 games.

A.L. - Joe Maddon, Tampa Bay. No change from mid-season prediction. Tampa went from worst to first in just one year and have set themselves up to be serious contenders for years to come.

Some Off-Season Dodger Notes to Ponder

Now that Dodger season is officially over on the field, the team can start focusing on the off-the-field stuff with the off-season and the Hot Stove around the corner. Some might say the off-season is one of the best times of the baseball season as baseball people and experts start making their own predictions as to where the free agents will end up, who could be traded and where, and start preparing for following season with their predictions and projections. It is a time where teams start having their in-house organizational meetings to get their game plan together for the off-season heading into the following season as both the General Manager and Winter meetings approach. Of course, for most teams, this all usually starts the day after the regular season ends, but for eight teams, it begins sometime in the month of October, depending on whether their team advances deep into the playoffs, or gets eliminated early. In the case of the Dodgers, this began on Thursday.

The Dodgers have a lot of questions to ponder, and a lot of decisions to make. They have a number of free agents-to-be (players can start filing for free agency after the World Series, and the free agency period can begin two weeks after the last day of the World Series). Below is an unofficial list of the principle Dodger free agents.

• Manny Ramirez
• Derek Lowe
• Rafael Furcal
• Casey Blake
• Jeff Kent
• Nomar Garciaparra
• Chan Ho Park
• Brad Penny
• Greg Maddux

Again, this is only a partial, unofficial list. I've listed only the principles (those that would have a major impact on what the team looks like next season). Some might be back, some might not be. They could all be back, or none of them will be back. It's like that old quote: "To be, or not to be... that is the question." And we'll find out sooner or later.

Each of the players above have their own situations. We already know about Manny, so no need to delve deeper into that one. But to put my two cents in anyway, the Dodgers would be dumb not to go all out to try and lure him back to L.A. But of course, as owner Frank McCourt said the other day, "it takes two to tango." Obviously Manny will go where the money is, and hopefully McCourt will be willing to be at the top of that list. The last two paragraphs in my earlier post today more or less says it all about Manny and his impact on the team, the fans and the city.

As for the others, Derek Lowe had made it be known throughout his tenure in L.A. that he didn't feel like he was appreciated much in L.A., and it has become more and more obvious that he will likely go back east again, where he'd be closer to his family and be more comfortable. Perhaps a return to Boston?

Rafael Furcal still says he wants to stay in L.A., and the Dodgers want him back. There is still a concern about his back, which could prompt the Dodgers to offer a heavily incentive-laden one-year deal, perhaps with an option year. It seems because of the mutual interest, something will get done, perhaps sooner than later.

Casey Blake brought consistency back to third base for the Dodgers, something they've only had once since Ron Cey left after the 1982 season, and that was Adrian Beltre from 1998 to 2004. Blake has been non-commital when asked about whether or not he wants to return to L.A., but despite his age (35), the Dodgers would probably try to convince him to return for another year, to allow Blake Dewitt another year of seasoning.

Jeff Kent had already stated during last off-season that this would likely be his final season, but he, too, was non-commital when asked about it late in the season. At 41, and with a lack of consistency over the last two years, primarily because of injuries, it's pretty obvious the Dodgers will move in a different direction at second, with either DeWitt, another free agent (Orlando Hudson?), or via a trade.

Nomar Garciaparra has been a fan favorite ever since he "came home" to L.A. three years ago. However, the oft-injured Whittier native has probably played his last game in Blue despite his versatility around the infield. There is always the possibility that the Dodgers could try to persuade him to come back as a utility reserve specialist and right-handed bat off the bench, but it's more likely than not he still wants to play everyday, and thinks he can. Could he possibly land on a west coast AL team as a DH, say, with the Angels? We'll see.

Chan Ho Park was a pleasant surprise out of the Dodger bullpen, and as a spot starter, this season. It's no shock that Park has had a lot of success pitching in L.A. and he could be a cheap option to return next season as a key part of the bullpen core.

Brad Penny technically has one more season left on his contract, but it's an option year in which the team holds the option. Penny had a very solid 2007 but struggled mightily this season having spent three stints on the disabled list and never really getting any consistency going after mid-May. The team placed him on the 60-day DL in late September after he struggled in two outings to get anyone out after his second DL stint, and he was ultimately left off the playoff roster. This didn't sit well with him, and he was never around for the end of the season or the postseason to support his teammates. It is my thought that, all that aside, the Dodgers probably will buy out the option year of his contract, and Penny will become a free agent.

Greg Maddux was strictly a rent-a-pitcher, again. He struggled in most of his starts with the team, but was effective in his limited appearances in the post-season. Despite his age, Maddux probably has another year or two left in him because of his pitching style, but it probably wont be in L.A.

Several Dodgers are facing arbitration for the first time in their careers. I'm not 100% sure on all of these names, but I do believe these players - James Loney, Russell Martin, Chad Billingsley, Jonathan Broxton, Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier - are eligible. How much these players get through arbitration (if it gets to that point) will also determine how much the Dodgers might be willing to spend on free agents. The payroll was fairly high this season, and Frank McCourt has not indicated whether or not he would allow the payroll to increase if they need it to sign any free agents.

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As expected, through his agent, Juan Pierre has asked the Dodgers to trade him if they have no intention on playing him everyday. Pierre was a good sport and a professional about his situation when the Dodgers signed Andruw Jones before the season and it appeared that he would lose playing time behind Jones, Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier. He found his way into the lineup periodically when Jones got hurt and Ethier struggled at times. Then it appeared he would lose more playing time when the Dodgers traded for Manny Ramirez. And that's exactly what happened.

Pierre never should have been signed in the first place. I had said before they signed him before last season that the Dodgers should re-sign their 2006 centerfielder, Kenny Lofton, for one more season and then slide Matt Kemp into center this season. But after they signed Pierre last season, they signed Jones before this season, and then added Manny at the end of July, and created a logjam in the outfield.

It seems as if there's going to be a logjam again next season because all indications are they will make a valiant effort to bring Manny back to L.A. If they do (and Kemp and Ethier will the other outfielders regardless), then that leaves Jones as the 4th outfielder. If they don't, chances are they don't go after another outfielder and Pierre will likely get stuck behind the $18MM-man, Andruw Jones.

I would guess they'll make an effort to trade him, but only after they know how the Manny situation plays out. Either way, I think the Dodgers have their hands tied because of Pierre's contract (he's still got three years left on it at roughly $11MM/year). They would almost have to be willing to eat some of the contract in order to convince a team to take him.

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Please take a moment to take some the polls in the column to left as they pertain to the free agents listed above, and such.

What Might've Been...

It's been a long while since I've blogged, and I thought now would be as a good a time as any, being that it's Saturday and I finally have some free time.

Since I last blogged about the Blue, a lot has transpired. They went on a disastrous 8-game losing skid that saw them go from tied atop the division to 4½ games back of Arizona. Then they did the unthinkable: they won 8 straight, including back-to-back wins against Arizona's Brandon Webb and Dan Haren... twice! Suddenly Arizona's lead was gone, the Dodgers had leap-frogged them into sole possession of first place and the Dodgers were off and running to the division title and a post-season berth. And Manny just kept on being Manny. In 53 regular season with the Dodgers, Manny hit .396 with 17 homeruns and 53 runs batted in. And he didn't let up in the postseason either.

In the postseason, the Dodgers were pitted against the team with the best record in the National League, the Chicago Cubs. Problem was, the Cubs forgot to show up, and after holding a brief 2-0 lead in Game 1, the Dodgers took the lead from them and were off and running. So much so, they completely dominated the Cubs and swept them right out of the playoffs, winning 7-2, 10-3 and 3-1, earning them a chance a to play for a trip to the World Series. But that's as far as they would get, and this is where I become very displeased.

In the League Championship Series against the Phillies, the Dodgers just didn't have it. They ran into a team that was playing just as well as they were, and were just about as hot a team as they were, as well. And in all actuality, they ran into a better team.

They held a 2-0 lead mid-way through Game 1, and they let it get away. A big error from shortstop Rafael Furcal, and two "frustrated" pitches thrown by starter Derek Lowe, all in the same inning, turned out to be costly. Phils win 3-2, up 1-0 in the series.

Ace Chad Billingsley, who was phenomenal against the Cubs in Chicago in Game 2 of that series, was given the ball for Game 2 here, and he couldn't get out of the third inning. His line? 2.1 innings pitched, 7 earned runs, 8 hits and 3 walks. Before they knew it, the Dodgers were down 8-2 after three innings. They made a game of it when Manny hit a three-run homerun in the 4th inning to make it 8-5, but thats as close as they would get. Phils win 8-5, lead the series 2-0. On to L.A.

In Game 3, the Phillies gave the ball to 45 year old Jamie Moyer, and the Dodgers tagged him for five 1st inning runs. After Rafael Furcal lead off the 2nd inning with a homerun off Moyer, he was pulled and the Dodgers led 6-1 and cruised to a 7-2 win. Phils lead series 2-1.

Game 4 was a see-saw battle all night. Veteran Derek Lowe was summoned to start on just three days rest, and after a shaky first inning, he more or less cruised through 5 innings, at which point the Dodgers led 3-2 and appeared well on their way to evening the series up two games apiece. Then the bizarre and unthinkable occured. Having thrown just 74 pitches through five innings, Joe Torre felt it was the right time to pull Lowe from the game. Then the wheels fell off the Dodger wagon. Twenty year old rookie Clayton Kershaw came into the game and the 3-2 lead evaporated and the Phils tied it at three. The Dodgers got the lead back on a solo homerun from Casey Blake, and would add another run for a 5-3 lead. The score would remain that way through a plethora of Dodger relievers until the 8th inning, when all hell broke loose. Hong-Chih Kuo, who pitched a perfect 7th inning, gave up a leadoff single to Ryan Howard and was promptly yanked from the game for reliable rookie Cory Wade. Wade, who had pitched the previous night in Game 3 and made 33 pitches, was making his first appearance all season in back-to-back games. Wade got his first man out, Pat Burrell, on a popup to second base, but Dodger nemsis Shane Victorino tehn came up and hit a straight liner into deep right field that looked like it was going to hit the wall. Instead, the ball screamed over the bullpen gate for a line drive homerun. Suddenly the game was tied at 5 and the Dodgers and their fans were in stunned silence and shock. And it only got worse. Wade would get the next hitter to line out to left field but then gave up a hit to catcher Carlos Ruiz. Torre came out and pulled Wade for his closer, Jonathan Broxton. Phils manager Charlie Manuel countered with pinch-hitter Matt Stairs, who is known for going up to the plate trying to hit homeruns. And that's exactly what he did. On a 3-1 count, Broxton gave him a fastball right down the middle and Stairs tattooed it half way up the right field pavilion for a 7-5 lead. The game would end that way, 7-5, after two Dodger rallies fell short in each the 8th and 9th innings, and suddenly the Dodgers were facing elimination after an off day. Phils lead series 3-1.

Now I'm usually not one to put the blame on the manager because all I hear and read about from managers and people around them is how hard it is to manage in the Major Leagues, especially in the playoffs. And while it is entirely up to the players to get the job done, such as Cory Wade and Jonathan Broxton, the manager has to take some of the heat for some the in-game decisions, win or lose. And Game 4 was no exception.

Derek Lowe started this game for a reason. He was their most reliable and most effective starter. He was the starter with a history of success in the playoffs. He was the one who had put up some insane numbers in his previous 12 starts, including the Game 1 loss. And the Dodgers had purposely set up their rotation so that Lowe would start Games 1, 4, and if necessary, 7. But for whatever reason, after having made just 74 pitches through 5 innings, Joe Torre felt it was time to remove him from the game, nevermind that Lowe was cruising up to that point. Now, we'll never know if Torre had left Lowe in to pitch just one more inning, and still went with Wade and Broxton in the 8th and 9th innings, what would have transpired. But the fact was they had purposely set up their rotation for Lowe to pitch this game on short rest, knowing full well that if the series got to a Game 7, Lowe would have been pitching on regular rest.

After the game, if I am not mistaken, I believe I heard Torre say they pulled Lowe because they didn't want to tire him out since he was on short rest, or something to that affect. Well, my question is, if you were concerned about tiring him out, why set up your rotation to start him, and why start him at all? The logic didn't really make sense, and five days later, I'm still having a hard time trying to understand it.

Now, as I said before, I'm usually not one who likes to blame the manager or even try to second guess him. Torre hadn't really given us any reason during the regular season to blame him for losses after handling the pitching staff in any sort of way. Game 4 was only one game, but it was more obvious, and more magnified because of the situation and because it was the playoffs. But again, pulling Lowe when he did, and using Wade on back-to-back nights when they hadn't all season, didn't make a whole lot of sense, considering too, that Kuo was doing just fine even after giving up that leadoff single in the 8th inning.

So now onto Game 5. After a much needed day off to get Game 4 out of their minds, they gave the ball once more to Chad Billingsley. Now keep in mind, Billingsley won 16 games during the regular season, had a very good 3.25 ERA, was second in the league in strikeouts and is considered one of the up-and-coming young pitchers in the league with the potential to be an ace. He pitched lights out in Game 2 in the previous series against the Cubs. But he looked awful in his last start in Game 2 of this series, and now was as good a time as ever to redeem himself. But you knew it was gonna be another long night when Phillies leadoff hitter, Jimmy Rollins, who had struggled throughout the series, led the game off with a homerun. The Dodgers were never in this game. After giving up two more runs in the third inning, Billingsley was pulled early again, this time having given up just three runs in less than three innings. But this was do-or-die now. Dodgers had to win this or else their season ends. The wheels really came off when Rafael Furcal started a comedy of errors (he had three total in one inning) and the Phils tacked on two more for a 5-0 lead. Phils starter Cole Hamels cruised through 7 innings, even after battling through several rallies in which Dodger rookie second baseman Blake DeWitt ended them by hitting into two double plays, and even after Manny lit him up for a solo homerun for the Dodgers lone run of the game. Final score: Phillies 5, Dodgers 1. Phils win series 4-1 and earn a trip to the World Series.

What irked me most about this game was the listless effort put forth by the Dodgers. They played Game 5, facing elimination, like it was just another mid-season game in July. They showed no heart at all. Billingsley couldn't get out of the third inning again. The defense was atrocious (they could have had two additional errors but got lucky). The offense couldn't get anything going, and when they tried, either the Phillies pitching and defense put a quick stop to it, or the Dodgers hitters simply couldn't get it done. The hitters were impatient all night, swinging at pitches down and away, swinging at the first or second pitch, or simply just trying to do too much and trying to swing for the fences. And it wasn't just the young kids, obviously still learning as they went along, who struggled on this night, but even some of the veterans struggled. Nomar, Kent, Blake, Furcal. Manny was probably the lone expception.

And speaking of Manny, just how good was Manny in the postseason? How about a single postseason record .520 avg (minimum of 25 plate appearances) in just 8 games, 4 homeruns, 10 RBI, a disgustingly sick OBP over .700, and a SLG % near 1.200 (the OBP and SLG % were also single postseason records, as well).

There was no question how important Manny was, not just to the team and organization, but to the city and the fans. He single-handedly and willingly carried the team on his shoulders. He created a buzz in the city and with the team that hasn't been seen in L.A. since Fernando-mania swept through L.A. in the early 80s. He made the Dodgers important again, and the talk of the town, even while the other L.A. baseball team, the Angels, were quietly going about their business with the league's best record. For two and a half months, during which time people in L.A. tend to start getting ready for USC football and/or Lakers basketball, no one even bothered to think about the Lakers yet. L.A. and Hollywood had become Mannywood!

We can only hope that Mannywood will be back for another two, three or four more years beginning in 2009. Now it's up to the Dodgers to go all out to bring him back (or face public scrutiny and a PR nightmare, or worse), and of course, it's now up to Manny, who said he loved L.A., to want to be back in L.A. All we can do now is sit back and wait and see.

Maddux Back In Blue

For the second time in three seasons, Greg Maddux is back in Dodger blue after a deadline deal. Two years ago in 2006, Ned Colletti sent SS Cesar Izturis to the Cubs to get Maddux at the non-waiver deadline. That year, he went 6-3 in the final two months, helping the Dodgers back into the post-season. This time, it was a waiver deal, with about two weeks left before that deadline on August 31. To get Maddux this time around, they sent the infamous two players to be named later to San Diego. Because those minor leaguers had not cleared through waivers at the time of the deal, the names of those two players could not be made public per baseball rules.

In the meantime, Maddux returns to the Dodgers one win shy of tying Roger Clemens on the all-time career wins list. With Brad Penny on the DL again, the Dodgers had to get some rotation depth. It was either Maddux or bring up prospect James McDonald from AAA-Las Vegas, but McDonald has struggled of late and the Dodgers obviously felt he wasn't ready. Might be a blessing in disguise because personally I think a smart, veteran pitcher would have a bigger impact on the success of the team and pitching rotation

Maddux will make his second Dodger debut tomorrow night when the Dodgers open a 10-game road trip in Philadelphia. Dodgers are 4-0 so far against Philly after sweeping them last week at home to start the just concluded homestand.

Five in a Row

What ended as a disastrous weekend in San Francisco last weekend has turned into a five-game winning streak to start the homestand, including a four-game sweep of the Phillies. Manny continues to be Manny (oh, and he finally "trimmed" his dreads, too!); Andre Ethier and Nomar continue to provide late-inning heroics; the pen is getting the job done; and the team caught Arizona atop the standings and share first place with the Snakes. All in all, it has been a successful week so far. With Milwaukee in town, the Dodgers get a bigger break when they avoid a red-hot CC Sabathia, and Ben Sheets. With about 40 games left in the schedule, the Dodgers picked the ideal time to play well, and go on a hot streak. If they can continue to play well, and continue the hot streak, they should be in great shape down the stretch. There is no room for error anymore. Now is the time.

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One other note: the Dodgers reportedly have put in a waiver claim for Washington second baseman Ronnie Belliard. Speculation is they put the claim in simply to prevent him from going to Arizona. (Arizona lost their second baseman Orlando Hudson last week for the remainder of the season with a wrist injury.) However, other sources say the Dodgers and Washington are trying to work out a deal to bring the second baseman to L.A. with the idea that he'd be their everyday second baseman next season should Jeff Kent opt to retire or play somewhere else.

Baseball and Concussions

Two words you rarely see in the same sentence.

You hear about concussions all the time in more contact sports than baseball, such as football and hockey. In football, defensive backs putting big hits on receivers, or defensive linebackers doing the same to quarterbacks are the most common causes of players suffering concussions. In hockey, it's generally any one player putting a hit or a hard check on another player either into the boards or the player taking a spill to the ice. But in baseball, where major contact with another player isn't as common as in other sports, unless perhaps a runner is barreling towards home plate to try and score, and the catcher is waiting for the runner and anticipating a hard collision, you rarely hear about concussions.

The Mets' Ryan Church, a victim of two collisions of different sorts on the playing field, knows all too well about the dangers of suffering a concussion, feeling the effects of post-concussion syndrome (PSC), which has ended a number of hockey, football and baseball players careers too early, and attempting to beat PCS too soon.

Church has been feeling those effects since the day he first collided with teammate Marlon Anderson in spring training. Both players had CT Scans which came back negative, and the Mets held Church out of baseball activities until his symtoms disappeared.

He was in the Mets Opening Day starting lineup. But less than two months later, Church suffered a second concussion when he was accidently kneed in the head by Atlanta's Yunel Escobar while trying to break up a double play at second base. Church was in and out of the lineup for three weeks after the second concussion before the Mets finally put him on the disabled list. He missed most of June with PCS. The Mets felt he had recovered enough to re-activate him three weeks later, but just as soon as he came off the disabled list, he was removed from a game against Philadelphia with dizziness, and placed back on the disabled list.

Church was told by doctors then that the episode of dizziness in Philadelphia could be related to the migraine headaches he's had since he was a teenager. Tests on his brain then were negative, but he still didn't feel 100%. He hasn't played since, and the Mets finally acknowledged today that he could be done for the season. Could his career be over, too? Only time will tell.

The Mets had been questioned recently by outsiders about the way they handled Church's second concussion. General Manager Omar Minaya insists they handled Church properly, but others, most notably, neurologists who specialize in PCS, aren't so sure.

The Mets went on Chruch's word that he felt symptom-free, rather than a doctor who specializes in these types of injuries to the head. Team doctors also cleared him to play each time he returned from PCS. But while Church may have felt symptom-free, his brain had not fully recovered from the two concussions he suffered earlier this year. And he may never fully recover.

When you take a blow to the head, your brain moves around in different directions inside your head. The direction of movement of your brain from the blow determines the severity of the concussion. The lingering effects such as headaches, dizziness, fatigue, memory and attention problems, sleep problems and irritability are commonly known as post-concussion syndrome, or PCS. These lingering effects can last for weeks, months or even years after the initial injury. Sometimes, rest alone has limited effectiveness. Generally, however, symptoms go away on their own within months.

Concussions aren't anything to mess around with. Major League Baseball is just now finding out that you simply can not use subjective reports on a player with a concussion as you would with an arm or leg injury. In the NFL or NHL, players are not allowed to even return to play until they've been tested thoroughly and are free of symptoms after rest and exertion. Major League Baseball doesn't have such testing in place.

Former Major Leaguers Mike Matheny and Corey Koskie retired early in recent years because of PCS. Like a lot of players in the NFL and NHL (the L.A. Kings' Adam Deadmarsh is a name that comes to mind) who have had to retire early because of PSC, Matheny and Koskie never fully recovered. To this day, Deadmarsh, who retired three years ago after suffering two concussions from 2002 to 2004, and missing most of the 2002-2003 season, and all of the 2003-2004 season due to lingering affects from PCS, is still feeling the symptoms of PSC.

The Ryan Church situation should be an eye-opener for Major League Baseball to look into mandating the same type of testing the NFL and NHL have in place. The players union has already begun plans to approach the league about developing formal league-wide guidlines for managing concussions. The union does not intend to use the Mets handling of Church's injury as a centerpiece of conversation with the league, but rather to use Church's injury as an awareness of the dangers of PCS, and to bring more attention to concussions and PCS.

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere's Manny!

Wow! What a wild and wacky four days it's been in Dodgerland.

First, the unexpected last second deadline deal that brought Manny Ramirez from Boston to L.A., and now, in the aftermath of it all, Manny's tearing the cover off the ball.

The Trade

I didn't see it coming. Just a total and complete shock! Stunned. I'm STILL blown away it actually happened. It came out of nowhere! Well... sort of.

There had been some rumors swirling around that the Dodgers were interested in Manny. Boston seemed like they were intent on trading the disgruntled slugger to the point they were willing to pay the remaining estimated $7 million left on his current guaranteed contract. But there were contradictory reports that suggested the Dodgers weren't interest, and I would guess because Boston would have wanted Matt Kemp in return. What we didn't know until after the deal was that the Dodgers had in fact talked to Boston in recent weeks and days leading up to last Thursday, but Manny's name never came up until that day around mid-morning.

Eventually, when Boston found difficulties in trying to make a deal straight up for Manny, they started hunting for a third team to get involved, and found one in Pittsburgh. Boston and Pittsburgh basically laid the groundwork to move Jason Bay to Boston, and Craig Hansen and Brandon Moss to Pittsburgh. All they needed was a third team to take Manny and send two prospects to Pittsburgh. When they found that team in Florida, the Marlins refused to part with one of the players Pittsburgh wanted, and Boston called the Dodgers. When it was agreed that the Dodgers would send only Andy LaRoche and A-ball prospect Bryan Morris, a deal had been struck. Manny had already waived his 10-5 no-trade rights to go to either Florida or L.A. And, as part of the deal, the Dodgers agreed to void the two option years of his contract, thus making Manny a true free agent after this season, and Manny agreed to refuse arbitration after the season.

In the end, the Dodgers landed a much needed power bat in the middle of the lineup. And has it ever shown!

Manny-mania!

Manny's impact is already being felt. He felt right at home in his pre-game press conference on Friday afternoon, when he was introduced to the L.A. media, donning a number familiar to many in L.A., #99. Just Manny being Manny! Everywhere you went in L.A., after word trickled out early Thursday afternoon that Manny was headed to L.A., it was all you heard people talk about. All of the local sports talk radio shows were talking about Manny heading to L.A. There was a three-hour special on AM 790 KABC, the Dodgers flagship radio station, before Friday night's game. The Dodgers sold a record 11,000 tickets for Friday night's game from Thursday afternoon up until the game sold out on Friday afternoon from walk-up sales alone. An estimate 30,000 tickets had been sold for the weekend series against Arizona, all from walk-up sales after the trade.

On Friday night, in his Dodger debut, Manny went 2 for 4 in a 2-1 loss to Arizona. The game's key moment involving Manny came in the 9th inning when Russell Martin led off the inning with a base hit. Manny came up representing the winning run, and with the crowd roaring and on its feet, Manny disappointed when he grounded into a double play.

With everything that had gone on from Thursday until before game time Saturday, Manny blew everyone away when he told the media he wanted to finish his career in L.A. donning Dodger blue. Manny Being Manny, I guess, right?!

Then Manny made the Dodgers and their fans happy. In his first at bat Saturday night, Manny launched a booming two-run home run to left field for his first as a Dodger, his 21st of the season overall, and the 511th of his long career. He came out for a curtain call after the home run. Manny would add another hit and finish the night 2 for 4 yet again, this time, a 4-2 Dodger victory that pulled them back to within two games of Arizona.

Manny didn't disappoint again today. He went 4 for 5 with another booming home run, this time a solo shot leading off the 5th inning, and added an RBI single in the first, an RBI double in the 2nd, and an 8th inning infield single while scoring two runs.

His three game total? Eight hits in 13 at bats with two home runs and five RBI. Not a bad start, huh?!

Manny-mania has definitely arrived in Los Angeles, and hopefully it'll last longer than two or three months!

BREAKING NEWS

UPDATE (12:03PM CT): Dodgers are set to send just the two players mentioned below.

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Dodgers are on the verge of acquiring third baseman Casey Blake from the Indians. According to MLBtraderumors.com, ESPN's Jayson Stark is reporting multiple sources saying the Indians will get three players in return, possibley minor league catcher Carlos Santana and minor league pitcher Jon Meloan.

Also, Ken Gurnick says in MLBlogs.com that Dodger sources refuted an earlier report that they were on the verge of trading Andy Laroche to Oakland for Huston Street. However, I think the Blake deal might change things.

Stay tuned...

Interesting Read...

This column by SI's John Heyman pretty much sums up what's going on with the Dodgers. Apparently, in a nutshell, there's a LOT of disagreements in the front office when it comes to possible trades. Unfortunately, this shouldn't come as a surprise, and ultimately it could be the reason they could be unable to pull off any kind of minor deal, let alone a big one that could impact the face of the division.

One other note, Dodgers are still trying to get a SS, perhaps Orlando Cabrera or Jack Wilson. However, the rumored deal involving Derek Lowe and Matt Kemp for Robinson Cano is pretty much just that... a rumor. It's likely not happening. However, Derek Lowe is apparently being shopped as he could probably get the most value in return, but why Lowe? All this is going to do give them a bigger hole in the rotation with all the injuries and inconsistencies.

Stay tuned... trade deadline is next Thursday!

Road Trip; Trade Rumors

Well the road trip wasn't a complete bust, but it could have been better. They took 2 of 3 in Arizona then lost 2 of 3 in Denver. But i Just wanted to touch on the Sunday and Monday games because I was convinced the one in Arizona on Sunday was a turning point for the Dodgers. They trailed that game 4-1 in the 9th inning after Brandon Webb shut them down for 7 innings. Enter Brandon Lyon. The night before, he came in the game in the 9th with a 3-0 lead, and barely got out of it when the Dodgers scored twice and left the tying run at third. But it was a different turn of even this on this day. The Dodgers scored 5 runs off Lyon and held on for a big 6-5 win that got them even atop the division standings with Arizona. The following night, they scored 16 runs in Denver (8 in the first inning) en route to a 16-10 win. Obviously 16 runs in Coors Field is nothing new, but for this team, it's a big deal because of their struggles to score runs all season. So to finish up the trip in Colorado having scored just 4 runs combined the last two games, was a bit disappointing.

So that said, it's obvious the Dodgers need more bats, and maybe a tad more pitching depth. While they do own the best team ERA in the National League, they are decimated by injuries and inconsistencies, primarily among the starters. And it's no secret this team needs to find ways to score more runs. With the July 31st non-waiver trade deadline approaching, a ton of rumors have surrounded the Dodgers, and I thought I'd mention a few names being thrown around out there. For in-depth rumor analysis, check out mlbtraderumors.com.

• Hank Blalock, 3B, Texas - Blalock could provide some offense from 3B; the Rangers want a young pitcher in return for him.
• Casey Blake, 3B, Cleveland - He was supposed to be part of a CC Sabathia trade to the Dodgers that never happened.
• Robinson Cano, 2B, Yankees - Cano is red-hot right now, and it's almost impossible to fathom the Dodgers trading Matt Kemp; the Dodgers are looking for offense from the left side of the infield, not second base.
• Jack Wilson, SS, Pittsburgh - The Pirates asking price for Wilson, and others, is asinine, thus turning the Dodgers, and many other teams, away from Pittsburgh.
• Orlando Cabrera, SS, White Sox - If the White Sox can deal Juan Uribe to Boston to clear salary to rekindle Brian Roberts trade talks with Baltimore, they could ship Cabrera to the Dodgers and move Alexei Ramirez to SS.
• Adrian Beltre, 3B, Seattle - Beltre has a no-trade clause to the Dodgers, so this one isn't happening.
• Huston Street, RP, Oakland - The Dodgers could use him to add bullpen depth with Takashi Saito shelved; there are conflicting reports about the Dodgers interest in him.
  
• Bobby Crosby, SS, Oakland - He could be a throw-in to a Street deal, but he doesn't come across as the "bat" the Dodgers covet for that side of the infield.
• AJ Burnett, SP, Toronto - Dodgers could use some rotation depth with Brad Penny's status still unclear and the inconsistencies of the rest of the rotation.
• Roy Halladay, SP, Toronto - Word out of Toronto is Halladay is unhappy there, and the Jays are quietly looking at teams outside the American League who could be potential fits.
• George Sherrill, RP, Baltimore - Like Oakland's Street, Sherrill could fill a void in the pen left behind by Saito's injury; Street appears to be a better fit, however.
• Mark Teixeira, 1B, Atlanta - The Braves have initiated talks with several teams to see if there might a fit; the Dodgers really don't have much of a need for a 1B.
• Greg Maddux, SP, San Diego - Maddux has said he'd be willing to accept a trade only to a west coast contender, and the Dodgers would appear to be the only fit as they could add more depth in the rotation.
• Dallas McPherson, 3B, Marlins - McPherson is in AAA putting up big numbers (.287/.400/.650 with 32 homeruns in 312 ABs); at 28, he could be a cheap alternative.

All-Star Game and Home Run Derby

Wow! That was quite a game last night. Great pitching. Great defense (sans Dan Uggla). Terrible timely hitting. Extra innings. Drama. Controversy. The game had it all. Only thing missing was the game ending in another tie. And as the game got further along into extra innings, I'm sure there was growing concern among some people that we were headed for that. Fortunately, one of the teams found a way to squeak in a run just when it was needed most. Final score: American League 4, National League 3, 15 innings.

Among the solid pitching performances were starters Ben Sheets and Cliff Lee, Carlos Zambrano and Dan Haren of the National League, who all pitched two scoreless innings, and Aaron Cook and George Sherrill, who pitched three and two and a third scoreless innings in extra innings, respectively. And it was Cook's three that was most impressive in light of having to work himself out of two nasty jams, one being a bases loaded, no-out fiasco in the 11th inning.

The defense was stellar all night, but Russell Martin and Miguel Tejada stole the show with two great plays each in the 11th inning, sharing one of the plays when Martin threw out Ian Kinsler trying to steal second base being covered by Tejada. Nate McLouth also threw out a runner at home plate in that 11th inning. Dan Uggla, however, had a rough night, committing three errors in the game, two on back-to-back grounders late in the game that almost gave the American League the game.

There were plenty of hits throughout the game, but as far as getting the runners across home plate? Forget it. Twenty-eight runners were stranded combined, with the American League leaving 17 of them. J.D. Drew might have had the biggest at-bat of the night, when he connected off Cincinnati pitcher Edison Volquez for a game-tying, two-run homerun in the 7th inning. Each team would get a run in the 8th inning, and the National League came close in the 9th off Mariano Rivera. Even though they didn't score in the inning, Russell Martin had the best at-bat of the night, when he battled Rivera by fouling off a handful of pitches, taking the count to 3-2, then singling to right field with one out.

The game had all sorts of drama and controversy, as well. But in the end, the American League won for the sixth straight time, and are unbeaten in twelve straight, including the laughable tie in 2002. The game tied the longest game in All-Star history, lasting 15 innings, but it was the longest game as far as the time goes. The game officially lasted four hours and 50 minutes, ending at nearly 2am ET.

The best part of the night had to have been the pre-game festivities, when 40 Hall of Fame All-Stars were introduced before the game by position. As the All-Star legends were introduced by position, the starters were introduced with them, in a new twist to announcing the starters for the game. But to see last night's starters stand next to legends at their own positions, such as Yogi Berra, Mike Schmidt, Gaylord Perry, Whitey Ford, Willie McCovey, Willy Mays, Cal Ripken, Jr., Ernie Banks and Tommy Lasorda, was pretty darn cool. Only in New York could hey have pulled it off, and only in the very last All-Star Game in the very last season in "The House That Ruth Built" could they have pulled it off.

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Now, the night before was another night to remember, but it expemplified why the Home Run Derby is farce. The rules of the Derby are each of the starting eight hitters get 10 outs in each of the rounds. The top four totals in the first round move on to the second, and the top two move into the finals from the second round. But the first round totals are carried over into the second round, and then the totals are wiped out in the final round when they start over. This is where it needs to be changed.

Josh Hamilton put on a display at Yankee Stadium on Monday night that I don't think anyone will ever forget. He finished the first round with an astounding 28 homeruns, four more than any other player has ever hit in any round. And it wasn't just the number of homeruns he hit, it was the distance of these bombs. Hamilton hit one that landed 518' away from home plate, hitting the back wall in the right-center field bleachers. He hit two or three more that landed over 500' away. And at one point, he hit 13 in a row. By the time he was done in the first round, and the next best three finished their second rounds, Hamilton still had more than any of the others., even before he started his second round, which he eventually did not finish. When all was said and done, Hamilton and Justin Morneau moved on to the finals. And here's were it gets mirky.

Morneau hit a total of five homeruns in the last round. Add that to what he hit in the first two rounds, he wouldn't have come close to beating Hamilton. But because you start over at 0 in the final round, Hamilton, who only hit three homeruns in the final round, would lose the derby to Morneau.

To me it's a shame because he had the entire stadium on their feet in the first round cheering him on, applauding him like he were one of the Yankees. And really, in my eyes, he won the derby. No one will ever forget the display he put on, and those who were there will remember his incredible display in the first round more than Morneau winning 5-3 in the final round. Josh Hamilton is my Home Run Derby Champion.

And because of what I witnessed on television on Monday night, I now have a legitimate reason, besides the fact the Rangers are 50-46 and playing some solid baseball, to go to at least one Rangers game before this season ends.

Saito Injury; Billingsley Dominates; Martin in the AS Game

So we'll start with the oldest news first.

Last Saturday, Takashi Saito came out of the game with what is now diagnosed as a sprained elbow ligament. He will undergo six weeks of treatment and therapy (no surgery is needed) and then be re-evaluated. What this means is he will be out until at least September and Jonathan Broxton takes over the closer's role in the bullpen.

I dunno about anyone else, but this scares the living daylights out of me right now. While Saito is 38, and who knows how much longer he can go beyond this season, Broxton has yet to prove to me he can handle the closer's role. He's got the stuff to be an effective closer, but I', still not convinced he's mentally ready for it. We've already seen him cough up a couple of leads this year in which he has inherited runners. One thing I will give him is when he comes in to start an inning, in almost every situation, he's gotten the job done. It's when he comes in and inherits runners in a close game that I worry about him.

So with Broxton likely to close the rest of the season, at the very least through August, I think Ned Colletti has to shift some of his focus approaching the trade deadline to finding some more pen depth. Remember, Scott Proctor is on the DL, although this might be a blessing in disguise! In any case, the strength of the team took a big hit.

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Meanwhile Chad Billingsley pitched a game for the ages on Sunday, striking out 13 Marlins while giving up just one hit over seven innings on Sunday. The 13 strikeouts were a career high for Billngsley, who now has 125 on the season, good for third in the NL. Billingsley also improved to 9-8 and lowered his ERA to a very solid 3.25. There is no question he has become the ace of the staff.

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And how about Russell Martin's performance last night in the All-Star Game? That was something special to see, wasn't it?

Martin came in the game in the 5th inning as a defensive replacement for starter Geovany Soto, and wound up playing through the 14th inning, a total of 10 innings. With the bat, Martin was 1-3 with a 9th inning single off Yankee closer Mariano Rivera. Martin single-handedly almost gave the NL the lead back in the 9th inning. With the score tied 3-3, Martin battled Rivera before singling to right field with one out. Astros shortstop Miguel Tejada followed with a base hit up the middle with Martin running on the pitch, and Martin wound up at third. But Florida's Dan Uggla (who also committed an All-Star Game record three errors, two on back-to-back plays) hit into an inning-ending double play to end the threat, and the game went into extra innings.

In extra innings, Martin was involved in two controversial but stellar plays that really had nothing to do with him rather than just two missed calls by the umpires. In the 11th inning, after Texas' Ian Kinsler singled, Martin threw him out trying to steal second base. The throw by Martin, and tag by Tejada combined for a great play even though Tejada actually never tagged Kinsler out. Later in the inning, after a walk by Tampa Bay catcher Dioner Navarro and a single by Boston's J.D. Drew, who would eventually earn the MVP honors in the game after hitting a game-tying two-run homerun in the seventh inning and getting on base four times in the game, Texas second baseman Michael Young singled to center. With Navarro coming around third trying to score from second, Pittsburgh's Nate McLouth through a one-hopper on target to Martin at the plate, who blocked Navarro and tagged him out to keep the game alive. However, again, replays showed Navarro got his foot on the plate before Martin could tag him. Still, two very good plays by Martin. And for the next couple of innings, Martin was praised for his defensive abilities by Joe Buck and Tim McCarver, who was a major league catcher in his days as a player.

In any case, it was great to see Martin play very well and play long enough for people to really get a good look at what a special player he really is for the Dodgers. What might have topped it all off is if he played third base for an inning!

Mattingly Set To Return To Full-Time Roll

Well it's about time. Because this team can't seem to hit when it matters. And so the revolving door at the hitting coach's position continues.

Don Mattingly, who was hired to be the original hitting coach when Joe Torre brought him with him to L.A. in the off-season but decided to back out at the last minute due to family concerns and remained on as a special instructor, will become the team's eighth hitting coach in 10 years. Mattingly is slated to replace Mike Easler, who will be reassigned in the organization, after the All-Star Game next week. Last season, Bill Mueller replaced Eddie Murray as hitting coach at mid-season.

Very Cool Blog Post

Dodgers PR head man Josh Rawitch posted this cool blog today on Inside the Dodgers. Take note of two things: one, the free ice cream at the stadium for the staff, keeping with tradition that began when Walter O'Malley brought the team to L.A., and two, the interesting stat involving Dodger Stadium and shutouts. Tonight's lineup (same as last night) is also posted.

BREAKING NEWS: Cubs Counter Brewers Move

The National League Central just got very interesting to say the least. Just two days after the Brewers pulled off a deal for C.C. Sabathia (who makes his Milwaukee debut tonight), the Cubs countered with a blockbuster of their own. Just announced within the hour, the Cubs have traded four players, including Sean Gallagher and Matt Murton, to Oakland for Rich Hardin and Chad Gaudin.

All I can say about this is "Wow!" No one saw this one coming really. But this certainly tips the scales back in Chicago's favor after a two-day tilt towards Milwaukee. The Brewers on Sunday added reigning A.L. Cy Young champion C.C. Sabathia to a rotation that already includes Ben Sheets, Jeff Suppan and up-and-coming Manny Parra. With these four, and a line-up that includes Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder, Corey Hart and a rejuvenated Bill Hall and J.J. Hardy, the Brewers, with their bullpen, pushed the scales in their favor. But the Cubs, knowing they had to counter and leading the Central by just 3.5 games over St. Louis and 4 games over the Brewers, were already in talks for Rich Harden, and stepped up their efforts over the last 48 hours to get Harden. Harden joins a rotation that already features Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster and Ted Lilly. With their offense and bullpen anchored by closer Kerry Wood and set-up man Carlos Marmol, the Cubs have regained the edge in the division. It won't be easy fending off St. Louis or Milwaukee, but they are clearly the cream of the crop in the N.L. now.

Kuroda Nearly Perfect!

One pitch. That was the difference between a perfect game and a one-hitter. What a pitching performance tonight by Hiroki Kuroda. Atlanta's Mark Teixeira broke up Kuroda's perfect game leading off the 8th inning with a double that would turn out to be the only hit Kuroda would allow. With a little help from Blake DeWitt and Angel Berroa defensively, and Nomar Garciaparra's bat, the Dodgers helped Kuroda come close to the perfecto and earn the win that pulled the Dodgers even in the standings at 44-45 atop the NL West with Arizona.

Kuroda was masterful tonight, striking out six in the one-hit, complete-game shutout for the win. He kept the Atlanta hitters off-balanced all night, mixing his pitches very well, and getting some help by the Braves who were consistently swinging at first pitches all night. Final score: Dodgers 3, Braves 0.

I've seen a lot of great pitching performances in my lifetime but this one ranks up there with Nomo's no-no in Coors Field in 1996 and Fernando's no-no in 1990, even though Kuroda fell short of the perfect game. This is the second time this season Kuroda has taken a no-hitter into at least the seventh inning. The other time ended up in a loss in May against the Astros in a game the Astros would score eight runs over the final three innings against the bullpen to complete a three-game sweep of the Dodgers.

Mid-Season Awards

Before the season began, I went out on a limb and made some bold predictions on this year's regular season award winners. Now that we've reached the half-way point (in terms of games played), it's time to look back, and forward.

MVP

In the National League, I thought Matt Holliday would be a clear-cut obvious choice based on his history and what he did last season with the Rockies. But the Rockies are off to a horrid start, and despite hitting .337 up to now, his over-all numbers are well below where he would normally be at this point, in large part of the rest of the team's struggles. The nod up to this point goes to Atlanta's Chipper Jones. All he's done is hit .393, and is chasing a mark no one has touched since Ted Williams lsat did way back in 1941: hit .400 in a season. Can it be done? Sure. Will he do it? That remains to be seen. Staying healthy and avoiding any long slumps will help.

In the American League, the pre-season choice will always be Alex Rodriguez. There's really never much of an argument here. But having spent part of the season on the DL, he's fallen behind a bit and is playing catch-up. The Rangers' Josh Hamilton is having an insane season, already with 80 RBI. He's tied for the league lead in home runs with 19, and he's on a ridiculous RBI pace that could get him close to 160. he probably won't keep that up, but it will be fun to watch him from here on out.

CY YOUNG

Brandon Webb was my pre-season choice, and you could make a strong argument for him up to this point. Webb leads the league with 12 wins, and his ERA is a very respectable 3.21. He was 10-0 before the chairs were warm, but he's struggled of late, going just 2-2 in June with an ERA near 5. That has slowed him down and allowed someone else to enter the picture. Enter Ben Sheets. Sheets only has 9 wins by comparison, but he's been more consistent and has kept his ERA down (2.83). His team has also been more consistent as well, and he has a better chance of getting to 20 wins at this point for that reason. This one is a toss-up, but because of the team factor, I'm leaning slightly towards Sheets now.

In the American League, Eric Bedard was my pick going into the season, simply because of what he's done in the past, and the fact he would be pitching in a premier pitcher's park in Seattle. But he has struggled some and spent much of April on the DL and is playing catch-up, as well. Plus the Mariners are off to the worst record in the American League, and that makes it hard to get wins. That said, with 11 wins and an ERA of 2.26 despite pitching on a decent-at-times last-place team, Cleveland's Cliff Lee gets the award to this point.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

I figured Florida's Cameron Maybin would get enough playing time to be considered in the NL, but he's been down in AAA most of the season. But the Cubs' Geovany Soto, someone I overlooked before the season started, has emerged as the ROY winner to this point. All Soto has done is hit .284 with 13 home runs and an .886 OPS while playing a very tough position behind the plate. And this will earn him a starting nod in the All-Star game next week, as well. In the American League, I went with Evan Longoria before the season started, and despite Tampa Bay stunning everyone and starting him in AAA, he got his call and hasn't disappoint. Longoria is hitting .268 with 15 home runs and a .864 OPS for the league's best team. Soto and Longoria get the nods.

MANAGER OF THE YEAR

Of the two managers I thought would win the award in each league in pre-season, one is already gone: Seattle fired John McLaren two weeks ago. The other, Atlanta's Bobby Cox, has seen his team hover around .500 most of the season and currently sits at 40-44, but, just five games back of first place. That said, the two Florida managers have done what many thought couldn't be done through the first-half of the season: one has the league's best record, and the other spent a good chunk of the first-half in first place and are currently just one game back in their division. That said, kudos to Tampa Bay's Joe Maddon and Florida's Fredi Gonzalez for a job well done so far!

Injury Updates

Without getting too much into details since there are plenty of places to get the information, i.e. the Dodgers website, here's what we know as of today:

• Hiroki Kuroda will be activated from the DL in time to start tonight's game in Houston.
• Nomar Garciaparra is on track to possibly join the team and come off the DL for Friday night's game in San Francisco; he will likely take over at short stop.
• Brad Penny is on schedule to be activated from the DL in time to start Saturday's game in San Francisco.
• Andruw Jones is reporting no problems after his first two days of rehab, and is on target for a return right after the All-Star break.
• Rafael Furcal woke up yesterday with more lower back stiffness after beginning his rehab Monday night. He has since returned to L.A. for more tests and whatnot. My gut feeling tells me his season could be over.