So Manny being Manny included Manny being on the Juice.

Now it’s Manny being suspended.

So what? I mean if we aren’t going to demand that accountability for this fall at the feet of someone that can do something about this than what does it matter?

So let me start with us, the fans. In all honesty, we have so far been complacent in the destruction of the records and numbers that mean something in our game. That’s right, I said it: our game.

I’ve written about wanting to pass along the game of baseball to another generation in the condition we found it. Instead of looking for changes to the game that benefit us, as well as others, we have looked to it to be bigger, faster and stronger. We marveled at 500-foot home runs.

We turned our eyes blindly to the chase of Maris. Why? Because it allowed children to talk about McGwire, father’s about Maris and grandfather’s about Ruth. It was a single strand, a lineage that connected generations.

From the Model T to the Bentley, from the Prop plane to the Lear Jet, from the AM Radio to the HI-DEF plasma, we spanned generations. From an era when 60 and then 61 seemed untouchable to one where 70 was quickly replaced by 73 we didn’t ask any questions.

We simply lived in the naïve bubble where men were super human and that was fine. We then acted out-raged and indignant when we found out that the numbers being produced by chemically enhanced athletes.

Really were we that mad? I don’t think so. If we were, we would have demanded more than the half hearted effort by the house competition committee and later Senator George Mitchell that did little to expose the depth of the problem, and less to address and correct the issue.

Let me address that for a minute. George Mitchell spent month upon months compiling names, digging into the deepest cracks and darkest corners of baseball. What did he come up with Gregg with three G’s Zaun, Chuck Knoblauch and Ron Villone? Are you kidding me?

Sure he came up with Roger Clemens, but he managed to whiff on Arod and Manny Ramirez. As fans we waited 20 months and let baseball spend in the neighbor of twenty million dollars to compile the results and Senator George Mitchell managed to miss out of on two guys that have launched over 1000…that’s right, 1000 home runs combined.

So what are our options? Your option is to be a better fan. Don’t fall in love. If you never fall in love, you never get hurt. Love your wife, love your parents, love your kids, and your pets. Like your team but be a smarter fan, a better consumer. Your other option is to fall in love with baseball, not the home run, but baseball.

Debate the designated hitter, marvel at a player taking an extra base, get excited about a steal of home, a well executed bunt or a flawlessly turned double play. Learn to enjoy the finer points of the game, like a pitcher that can get a much needed ground ball or a relay to the plate that gets the runner by a step.

As a fan is a fan of the entire game and not the long ball, quit trying to break down baseball into the simple act of the home run, and make it about what it is, and that is so much more.

THE PLAYERs’ ASSOCIATION

Lets talk players association for a minute. The group that, for its part, allowed a generation of players to take, inject and ingest whatever it took to raise the pay checks of baseball players everywhere.

The players association through the pure greed was allowed to distort the priorities of players across baseball. As the steroid scandal reached a fever pitch, the players association did nothing but bury their head in the sand and deny that the problem existed.

No one person is responsible for the issues of baseball, but for certain the players association are one of two groups of people that have the power to impose real change on the game and they have opted to ignore the issues in favor of fat pay checks.

They don’t act remotely embarrassed when their largest stars are outted. They simply don’t care and refuse to do anything about the problem, so what is a fan to do?

It is clear to me that 50 percent of the power in this debate lay in their hands and they don’t recognize there is any problem. I am starting to believe there is right, we will continue to follow the game as they see fit.

THE OWNERS

Just as culpable in all of this are the owners. When Mark McGwire blew up to the size of an NFL Linebacker nobody brought it up. When Barry Bonds allowed his head to expand from Melon to Basketball size, their only concern was how many could he hit into McCovey’s cove.

That number translated into butts into seats and “saved” the game of baseball. The owners would promote this juiced up behemoths on posters, magazines and cereal boxes.

Instead of wondering why, the owners blindly dolled out the fattest paychecks to the worst offenders and now in some sense of bonus self-righteousness are acting like the guardians of the game.

MANNY RAMIREZ

Where does Manny fall in all of this? Well I have said before Arod doing steroids was like your girlfriend cheating on you and then you taking her back. You have given up the right to be shocked by any level of disrespectful behavior she displays from that point on.

So save me your anger because it makes you look stupid. Manny Ramirez is responsible for what he took, and his 533 home runs certainly are tainted in my eyes. I will say this as some who has defended Manny I am at worst disappointed.

But who do we believe is clean? Pujols, I’ll believe it because there is no evidence to the contrary. But I certainly won’t be “blinded sided” or “flabbergasted” if that is not the case.

Manny’s job is to perform at the highest level and if steroids are part of that performance I can honestly say I am not bent out of shape about it. Did he break the rules? Yes. Did he know he broke the rules? Yes. (He may say he didn’t, but his withdrawal of his appeal tells me something very different.) As it says in the rules Manny will now serve 50 games.

SO WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN?

Well I go back to the fans perspective through our jaded view of the world, lets look at some of the guys that may have gotten forgotten and marvel at just how good they are. I am not talking about Willie Mays or Roberto Clemente we know how good they were.

But how about…

Will Clark…

Fred McGriff…

Don Mattingly…

Larry Walker…

Robin Yount…

George Brett…

Ichiro Suzuki…

Brooks Robinson…

Some of them already all time greats, and hall of famers, some of them become more and more deserving of our admiration and respect as it becomes obvious that they must be compared to their peers and not a generation of athletes with clearly inflated ego’s and pay checks.

For a generation we lost our grip on reality, fans once celebrated Tony Gywnn, and Cal Ripken Jr. with as much zeal as George Bell and Kirk Gibson. I am not interested in the Manny story because it holds zero new information for me. It once again shows that we haven’t learned our lesson.

In the end, ratings were up, gates were up, profits were up. Not just chicks were digging the long ball.

Leave you with this and maybe it helps you to reframe what is important as a fan:

“I believe in the soul. The c***, the p****, the small of a woman’s back, the hanging curveball, high-fiver, good Scotch, that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, overrated crap, I believe that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, I believe there oughta be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter. I believe in the sweet spot, soft-core pornography, opening your presents Christmas morning rather than Christmas Eve, and I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days. Good night.” – Crash Davis Bull Durham

It’s time again to be a kid, to throw your hands over your ears and scream NA NA NA NA NA, I’m not listening, maybe it’s time to BELIEVE.

Not in Manny or Arod, but in baseball.

Joe Torre gave Manny the day off after he seemed to be a little “behind” during Saturday night’s game in which he went 0-5 with 3 strikeouts. Torre felt Manny may have been fatigued because his swings were starting too soon.

Ramirez felt he could use a day off and responded with, “It’s such a long season, it doesn’t matter,” Ramirez said. “Everybody needs a day off. What do you think I am, Cal Ripken?”

So where could you find Manny on during Sunday’s game? Who knows. Not sure if he was even in the dugout, but he sure got to stick another signature punchline on the sarcasm wall.

Torre also decided to rest infielders Casey Blake and Rafael Furcal in hopes to get a good jump on the upcoming series with the Giants which begins on Monday.

It was reported by ESPN today that the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) filed a grievance against the clubs because of the Dodgers new “Ramirez” provision which calls for a charitable donation in all contracts from now on.

Manny Ramirez accepted a 2 year $45 million deal on March 4th. At the same time he made a $1million dollar donation to the Dodgers Dream Foundation at the request of the Dodgers owner Frank McCourt. Now it is not known if McCourt asked for that much or if Manny generously offered up the million after being asked for just a donation. But McCourt vowed that he would require all contracts from the Dodgers to have a “Ramirez” provision.

This provision is a blank line for the player to write in an amount that they want to donate to charity. So it does not require a certain amount, as long as it’s something. It could be a dollar or a million. But the player that donates more will certainly benefit from the positive image it creates for them in their new team’s city.

Back to the grievance. The MLBPA’s lawyer feels that its fine for players to make donations whenever THEY want to, but that forcing players to make a donation was not allowed under the current agreement.

The Executive VP of Labor Relations, Rob Manfred, says that it’s totally fine and that teams have been doing it for years. He says that as long as it is a club policy and is adhered to then clubs are free to bargain with players and make special pacts.
“Article II of baseball’s labor agreement states contracts can include special covenants which actually or potentially provide additional benefits to the player. We’re at a loss to understand how the MLBPA could possibly take the position that making a charitable donation does not provide a benefit to the player,” says Manfred.

Frank McCourt was surprised by the news when asked about it today but I feel that he put it best in his statements below.
“I have not seen the grievance, but I find it odd that in these challenging times, that we encounter a complaint against the idea of players giving back to the communities that support them,” he said in a statement. “We believe there are qualities that represent the Dodger way. The player’s contributions to the team, appreciation of the fans, and impact on such a supportive community all combine to help our organization live up to our core values. We seek players who embrace these values. The Ramirez provision is a blank line to be filled in with whatever number a player chooses.”

Way to go Frank! The MLBPA needs to pull their heads out and open up THEIR pocket books, along with the players and continue to give back to their communities and help those less fortunate than them.

The grievance was filed Friday and if it’s not settled it will go to arbitrator Shyam Das for a decision.

According to the Dodgers’ official website, a meeting was held this morning in Los Angeles that was attended by Ramirez, his agent Scott Boras, Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, general manager Ned Colletti, and manager Joe Torre. Sources close to the Dodgers have told the media that an agreement was reached during the meeting pending a Ramirez physical.

The deal has been labeled as a two-year, $45MM contract that may or may not contain an opt-out clause after the first year’s pay.

On July 31, 2008, Manny was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-way deal, in which he was almost traded to the Florida Marlins. The Boston Red Sox acquired outfielder Jason Bay and minor league infielder Josh Wilson, and the Pittsburgh Pirates got infielder Andy LaRoche, and pitching prospect Bryan Morris from the Dodgers, and outfielder Brandon Moss and pitcher Craig Hansen from the Red Sox.

Ramirez hit his first home run with the Dodgers on August 2, 2008, in a game against the Diamondbacks. He currently sits in 16th place among baseball’s all-time home run leaders with 527.

More to follow….

Sources; MLB.com and Wikipedia

Jon Heyman reports that Manny is asking for a two year contract worth $43.5 million while Manny’s previous request was for two years at $45 million. The information comes from an email allegedly sent to the media by  Scott Boras.

Dodgers owner Frank McCourt recently announced that all deals were off the table and that the two sides needed to start from scratch.

Boras has been known to conduct similar acts of trickery before, but hopefully this time it is not just another act of “confusing the media”.

More updates to follow….

The previews will include; Key Additions, Key Subtractions, and in-depth looks at the lineup and pitching rotations.  We will also be including a season outlook along with predictions of what we expect from each organization.

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Atlanta Braves Season Preview

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Oakland A’s Season Preview

The latest offer made on Wednesday was said to be a two-year, $45 million contract, with a salary of $25 million during the first year and  $20 million during the second. The second year even included a player option in 2010. Good enough? Apparently not!

At 8:30 p.m. pacific time Thursday evening, the Los Angeles Dodgers released a statement that confirmed Manny Ramirez and agent Scott Boras rejected the fourth and most recent offer made by the club. Dodgers Owner Frank McCourt has expressed serious frustration with the pair, but still feels like a deal will be reached.

Boras and Manny Ramirez have been persistent with their interest in negotiating a long-term deal. I think the key phrase here is “long-term”.

Even though the last offer made by the Dodgers was appealing, the time frame of only two years might just be the “kick in the bucket”.

If the Dodgers offer Manny a deal for 3 years and possibly a dollar figure of something close to $60MM, you might see the slugger back in Dodger blue accepting a fifth offer. However, if the Dodgers can not add an extension to Manny’s contract length, a deal may never happen.

Whatever the case, we do know that the Dodgers need Manny and Manny needs the Dodgers. I see a deal very soon, however, this time the length will be 3 years snagging Manny back to LA.

The offer is believed to be a two-year, $45 million contract, with a salary of $25 million during the first year and  $20 million during the second. The second year is supposedly a player option so Manny could leave for another team if he desires.

The Dodgers have now made a total of 3 offers to the slugger this offseason. The last offer was a similar dollar amount, but the current offer is now structured to Manny’s favor including the player option.

Miguel Salcido reported earlier this week that Adding Manny also makes Pierre somewhat expendable. That and a logjam at certain positions internally put the Dodgers in a great spot to trade for some pitching as the season unfolds if necessary. I feel that the Dodgers are prepared to run their kids out there this year and see what they can do. And of course there are a slew of veterans trying to resurrect their careers as well. People like Vargas, Schmidt, Estes, Weaver, and Milton are all seasoned vets that could turn things around.

“Third times the charm?” I guess we’ll see!

The third year option is said to be heavily laden with incentives. This is exactly what people expected, and third or fourth year with massive incentives. Of course I would also expect a J.D. Drewesque out clause negotiated in there by Scott Boras, Manny’s agent. It appears that the Dodgers strategy this off season has really paid off big time! Getting Manny on two years with a third year option is a great deal for them. Of course the numbers have not yet been announced; let’s just hope that they are near or below the earlier offer of two years at $45 million.

This is great news for Dodgers fans as it automatically catapults the team into the top echelon of the National League. Their only perceived weakness so far seems to be pitching because of the lack of experience on the staff. But the team is laden with young talented arms that are both ready for this season and many that are still marinating in the minors. I expect the Dodgers to have some exceptional homegrown pitching talent come of age this year and the coming years as well.

Adding Manny also makes Pierre somewhat expendable. That and a logjam at certain positions internally put the Dodgers in a great spot to trade for some pitching as the season unfolds if necessary. I feel that the Dodgers are prepared to run their kids out there this year and see what they can do. And of course there are a slew of veterans trying to resurrect their carrers as well. People like Vargas, Schmidt, Estes, Weaver, and Milton are all seasoned vets that could turn things around.

All said, the Dodgers lineup is looking mighty scary at this point and I am sure that Dodgers fans around the world are looking forward to the coming season!

What a great pickup for the Dodgers. Hudson hit .305 with eight homers, 41 RBIs and a .367 on-base percentage in 107 games with the Diamondbacks in 2008.

He adds a versatile switch hitting and speedy duo at the top of the Dodgers lineup. This really improves the team as a whole, espcially on the defensive side. I look forward to many dazzling plays and double plays between Furcal and Hudson this season! Here would be the projected batting order.

1.    Furcal
2.    Hudson
3.    Ethier
4.    Kemp
5.    Loney
6.    Blake
7.    Martin
8.    Pierre

Of course it could look alot better like this:

1.    Furcal
2.    Hudson
3.    Ethier
4.    Ramirez
5.    Kemp
6.    Loney
7.    Blake
8.    Martin

Sorry, I had to do it.

Now the Dodgers lose their first-round Draft pick in June, No. 17 overall but Los Angeles will receive an additional sandwich pick between the first and second rounds, as well as the Atlanta Braves’ second-round pick as compensation for the signing of Derek Lowe. And IF Manny Ramirez decides to sign with another team the Dodgers would be in line for another draft pick as compensation.

So the way I see it this was masterful because whether or not the Dodgers sing Manny they win. Its a win-win situation!