» Manny Ramirez

I Saw this and had to include it.

So the obvious thing that happened this week was Manny Ramirez being suspended for 50 games for using a woman’s fertility drug. Everyone on this site has been all over this story, so I really don’t have much to say. But if you’ve been living under a rock for the last 24 hours you can check out the original breaking new article from the LA Times here. For the Dodgers, it could not have come at a worse time. They were riding a 13 game home winning streak and firing on all cylinders. The best move to make here is to go pick up Juan Pierre. Pierre guarantee you cheap source of steals, as well as a high avg and on base percentage. Go get him in all formats, he will help your team and might even be trade worthy in deeper leagues.

In the last 7 days we have had a Matt LaPorta sighting among the leagues. And he has barely cracked a line up with a 2-13 showing with 2 runs, a HR, and 2 RBI. Don’t panic yet Fantasy owners you should expect big things from LaPorta this season. In deeper leagues where LaPorta has been snatched up, you might want to think about grabbing Mat Gamel (Mil-3B). If you weren’t paying attention you can read my notes about Gamel here.

Overrated Prized prospect of the last couple of seasons Jarrod Saltalamacchia (Or the Sultan of Sodium as others refer to him) has started to show why he was an A+ prospect. In his last 3 games he’s got 4 hits, 1 HR, and 5 RBI’s. His season line is just an Ok, .276/.313/.447 with 10R/21H/3HR/13RBI, I think he deserves your attention in deeper leagues. Especially leagues where you drafted Soto, Doumit, or McCann early to bolster the C position. I believe he posses the ability to hit 20HRs this year, but I don’t know if we’ll see that .300 avg we all hoped for.

Can someone please tell Carlos Pena to come back down to earth? The man has been crushing the ball as of late. Over the last seven days Pena is batting .304 with 4HR’s, 6RBI’s, and slugging an other worldly .913. Pena is a definite threat to hit 40HR’s and 100+ RBI’s, but expect the K’s to creep back up on his line and he should finish the year hitting about .255. Its a great time to sell high on Pena owners if you are in a keeper leagues and buy low on someone who is underperforming or injured (Jose Reyes, Russell Martin, Cole Hamels, Brandon Webb).

There will be lots more to talk about this weekend. And if something good happens check back here and I’ll have written a post about it (I promise  hope).

After reading the news of Man Ram I wasn’t sure if I was having one crazy dream or if it was some big hoax. I’ll admit I was pretty ecstatic when I read the headlines because I absolutely hate the Dodgers. When anything bad (minus death) happens to them, deep down I’m filled with glee. But tonight, karma came back and bit me in the face with a little more serious news than I would have liked to have seen: Bob Melvin to be Dismissed as Manager.

Bob Melvin is a great manager and I feel as if the DBacks failure is not his alone. The front office should do a shakeup of the coaching staff altogether. Go ahead, cut off Rick Schu (hitting coach) and Glenn Sherlock (bullpen coach). Then again, the DBacks were hesitant to land a few big bats during the off-season. Sure, we signed John Garland and Felipe Lopez, but those two alone do not compensate for the poor play for the rest of the team (minus Haren).

R.I.P., Bob Melvin: DBacks Fire Melvin.

On the flip side, if firing only Bob Melvin is what the front office believes to be the best way to win more games, I support it 100%. However, if they are going into rebuilding mode I will rant and rave for all you to read on regular basis until something is done. This blog is big enough (with the ESPN appearance and all) to generate enough public outcry for the DBacks to appease the masses. I will not support a team that stoops to the level of the Pirates (in years past).

To the Diamondbacks front office: Get us a GOOD Manager and let’s win the WEST (please?!?!)!

So is this Manny Being Manny? Manny Ramirez is yet another PED user in the long line of “greats” to be caught up in this on going and depressing scandal…It’s not the news of it happening now that angers me, its knowing that this is definitely not the first time he has used these substances….much like the others being targetted, it is quite clear that this is more than likely not the first time they used PED’s…unless by some strange impulse they opted to try it at this stage of the game…even after all of the accusations taking place around baseball…

So the Dodgers will certainly have to step it up in his absence as well, he is not at all an easy bat to replace in the lineup. Who’s next? I hope against all hope each day that the name Albert Pujols is never, ever mentioned in these talks…that would be a tough pill to swallow…pun intended..

Well, let Manny be Manny off the field for a few months.

The LA Times has broken the story. Manny Ramirez will be suspended for PED’s for 50 games effective today. This looks to be true as the Dodgers have already made a move to promote outfielder Xaiver Paul from the minors. Manny would be set to return around July 4th from this suspension.

The obvious effect of this will be how will the Dodgers make up Manny’s production? He is batting .348 with a .492 on base percentage and  slugging .641. Manny is  a once in a generation type hitter, so there is no one way to make this up. Juan Pierre looks to benefit from this the most, as he will start everyday in left field for the Dodgers.

The losing way that is.

After wining their home opener on Friday 3 to 10 against the Phillies the Rox dropped the 2 weekend games 8 to 4 on sat & 7 to 5; then they traveled to the Windy City of Chicago and was welcomed by the rain, wind and Ted Lilly, the Cubs won the first game shutting out the boys 0 to 4 and almost came close to a no-hitter as well but Garrett Atkins broke that up in the 7th inning. The Rox did win Wed’s game 5 to 2 then flew to LA where Manny Ramirez & the Dodgers cleaned the Rox’ clocks clean by sweeping them in the 3-game set: 3 to 4 Fri, 5 to 9 Sat & 14 to 2 on Sun.

Monday the Rox are in Phoenix taking on the 4th place Diamondbacks of Arizona for 3 games, let’s hope Jason Marquis can work his magic on the D’backs by shutting them out — although I’ve heard Jon Garland is pretty good pitcher — either way the Rox need to get a winning streak started.

Everyone knows the story of  how Boston’s left field took a drastic change in 2008. So instead, let’s just break down how the position is looking for 2009.

Jason Bay will be playing for a contract extension in 2009.

Jason Bay is one of the headliners of Canada’s World Baseball Classic roster, but in Boston’s powerful lineup he is just seen as another cog. But no matter how you look at him, he will contribute.

Bay proved he could contribute in the pressure of Boston and the pressure of Boston in the postseason. Him and the rest of the returning 2008 team (or to better put it, every major player) are using the disappointing Game 7 loss to Tampa as motivation for 2009.

Rocco Baldelli and Jacoby Ellsbury will most likely split time in left when Bay needs a rest, and Mark Kotsay may even see a little time there if the Sox need him late in a game.

While he is no Manny, what Bay brings to the Sox is far more valuable than what Manny brings. Bay is a good fielder, a great baserunner despite not having blazing speed, and he comes without the baggage of Manny.

So, there really hasn’t been any real news to talk of as of late, so may as well talk a little about the biggest question most Dodger fans have about this offseason, what’s going to happen with Manny.

As reported on dodgers.com, Colletti has been talking with Manny more frequently and for longer durations as of late.  There’s still no word as to if we’re getting any closer to signing him, though I really think we’ll be signing him soon.

As most probably know, Manny has already been offered 2 deals, 2 years $45 mil and 1 year $25 mil and he rejected both.  He reportedly wants a 4 year deal in the range of A-Roid money, like $27 mil a year.  The problem with giving him that kind of money is his age.  As great of a player as Manny may be, its unlikely he’ll be playing at this level in 4 years, and no team really wants to give him $30+ million during a season he’s not still at an elite level.

Manny seemed to be counting on interest from other teams, like the Yankees, to cause a bidding war for his services, but that never happened.  At this point, I think Manny knows he isn’t going to get his 4 year deal.  At the moment its almost like a game of chicken, who’s more desperate, Colletti to get Manny back or Manny to get a contract so he isn’t sitting out one of the few productive years he has left.  I think Manny has more to lose than the Dodgers do, so I think he’ll soon cave and take the deal.  Manny has never been known as a workhorse, and, in my opinion, he’s using these contract discussions to get out of the harder spring workouts, and will sign in time for spring training games to start.