Dodgers4Life

Mark Cuban might be interested in the Dodgers

2009-11-10T23:28:00.000-08:00

It was pretty well publicized last season in the MLB that controversial Dallas Mavericks owner billionaire Mark Cuban was interested in buying the Chicago Cubs.

Despite Cuban's interest in owning another professional sports franchise in the US the deal never went through, but now talks of Mark Cuban's interest in purchasing the Los Angeles Dodgers even though they are not for sale.

Since the Dodgers lost in the NLCS to the Philadelphia Phillies recently, Frank McCourt, owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers went through a messy divorce with his wife Jamie. This divorce became so nasty that Frank basically banned his wife from anything involving the Dodgers as she has been a major part of the franchise.

I am not sure why Cuban all the sudden has interest in the Los Angeles Dodgers considering they have not been mentioned as being for sale, but when asked about purchasing the storied Los Angeles franchise Cuban was quoted as saying:

"if it's a perfect deal" he would be interested.

"It's just one more business opportunity," said Cuban. "If it's the right deal, I'm going to do it. And if not, I'm not."

If Cuban does purchase the Dodgers you can guarantee some drastic changes to the franchise much the way he did the Dallas Mavericks. Los Angeles has a high payroll as it is, but with Cuban in the mix you can expect high priced free agents, changes in sports betting odds for the Dodgers that rival football gambling.

The Dodgers are arguably one of the most promising MLB franchises right now as they have one of the best young up and coming lineups in all of baseball led by Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp. So purchasing the team would be a good buy right now for anyone that could afford what will most likely be a huge price tag.

Manny Stays with Dodgers for One more Year

2009-11-10T22:16:00.000-08:00

Manny Ramirez was arguably the reason for the Los Angeles Dodgers drastic turn around last season and their first playoff series win in a long time. That being said the Dodgers desperately wanted to get Manny back in Dodgers blue for at least a couple more seasons, but they had trouble locking up Ramirez for even one more season in the previous offseason because the future hall of fame slugger believed he was one of the more desirable free agents on the market.

Fortunately for the Dodgers no other team was willing to accept Manny's demands of a long term deal and for the amount of money that his was looking for and he was forced to sign a two year $45 million dollar deal. This deal was deal for Manny regardless of the length of the contract because he was going to make $25 million in the first year and had the option for $20 million in the next.

After Manny's suspension for performance enhancing drugs and a decline in his offensive production this past season there was no way any team in the MLB was going to offer anything near $20 million dollars for a single season. That being said Manny would have been a fool to not accept the one year option the Dodgers gave him and that he did.

Anabolic steroids in baseball

2009-05-20T20:01:00.000-07:00

Nothing is affecting major league baseball these days more then steroids, but few can down play the obvious positive affects in production on the field when players have used performance enhancing drugs like Anabolic Steroids.

Is it moral? Is it the way to go if you are trying to improve your game or to recooperate from an ailing injury to buy steroids? Who knows, most people say no, but the fact is that big time hall of fame type players keep using and they are ones with the big contracts and the huge numbers.

So if you are interested in learning more about how to Buy Steroids or are just curious about how they work check the links in this post for more info.

Manny Ramirez Gets Suspended for 50 Games for Using Performance Enchancing Drugs

2009-05-07T09:36:00.001-07:00

Well, to be honest, I can't say I am really surprised. I saw this coming, not saying I knew what Manny was taking, but I had a feeling with so much added attention after getting traded from the Boston Red Sox that Manny would have something like this happen to him in the near future.

Supposedly, this is not a steroid that Manny Ramirez took so he isn't exactly on the level of a Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens just yet, but you never know what else can surface in the coming weeks.

“Recently I saw a physician for a personal health issue. He gave me a medication, not a steroid, which he thought was OK to give me,” Ramirez said in a statement.

It does seem like a simple mistake by Manny, but a mistake nonetheless with will cost him 50 game and 1/3 or his $25 million salary this season. Ouch!

Although the Los Angeles Dodgers aren't in the thick of playoff hunt or in mid season, without Manny Ramirez for 50 games the Dodgers may start to struggle and see they hitting suffer more than anything.

One thing I can say that is admirable about the situation is that Manny did not deny anything and has accepted his fate without really causing anymore problems. Here is what he said in form of an apology:

"I want to apologize to Frank McCourt, Mrs. McCourt, Torre, my teammates, the Dodger organization, and to the Dodger fans. LA is a special place to me and I know everybody is disappointed. So am I. I'm sorry about this whole situation."

Buy Los Angeles Dodgers Tickets for Under $5!

2009-05-05T22:32:00.000-07:00

It is true, you can get Dodgers tickets for less than $5 bucks and there is no better time to watch the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodgers Stadium than right now as they seem unbeatable at home and are making MLB history with every game they win in Los Angeles!

Watch the new bash brothers in Manny Ramirez and Andre Either who are hitting homers almost nightly, the ace pitching from Chad Billingsley who is aiming at a Cy Young award and just the Los Angeles Dodgers in general who are playing as good as any team in the National League right now!

There is no hotter ticket in baseball right now then watching the Los Angeles Dodgers live at the famous Dodgers Stadium!

Los Angeles Dodgers Tickets under $5! Ends 7/31

Win Four Tickets to a Dodgers Game!!

2009-05-02T13:07:00.000-07:00

CURRENT OPEN DRAWING:

WIN 4 TICKETS TO THE DODGERS v PADRES GAME

Sunday 5/3/09 @ Dodger Stadium

Andre Ethier Kids BP Jersey

First 15,000 children, 14 & under
Presented by Cacique

WHO: You and all your friends can enter to win 4 tickets to a Dodgers Padres Game.

WHAT: Win a 4-pack of tickets to the Dodgers Padres. Promotion day: Andre Ethier Kids BP Jersey

WHERE: Dodger Stadium, in the Loge level

WHEN: Sunday, May 3, 2009 @ 1:10pm

Details: A 4-pack of tickets to the Dodgers-Padres game on Sunday, May 3 located in Loge section 161 will be awarded to the winner of our drawing that will be conducted on Friday, May 1 @ 8:00am. There will be only one winner and the winner will be chosen at random.

RULES OF THE DRAWING:

1. Entry must be complete, including Full Name and valid email address!

2. Entry must include phone number!
3. Message must include the phrase "GO BIG BLUE".

4. All entries must be submitted by email through this page and received at LA-Sportsfan@pacbell.net by 11:59pm pdt on April, 30, 2009

There is no purchase necessary to enter this drawing and is limited to one entry per person. Incomplete and duplicate entries will be void, including the original entry and ineligible to win.

The winner will be contacted Friday morning, May 1, 2009 @ 9:00am and arrangements for ticket delivery will be made at that time.

Win your Dodgers Tickets Today: Click Here to Enter

Dodgertown Gets a Zipcode

2009-04-30T20:28:00.000-07:00

You read the blog post title right, Dodgertown is what it is being called and it will officially have it's own zipcode.

So Dodger stadium and any property associated with it will have the zipcode 90090 starting on June 6th. When you really think about it not really a big deal, but I still thought it was pretty cool!

The official unveiling will take place when the Los Angeles Dodgers take on the defending World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies on national television. The property was designated as "Dodgertown" back in October of last year by the LA City Council. That was what the name of the Los Angeles Dodgers spring training in Florida.

Jeff Weaver is a Dodger Once Again!

2009-04-30T19:53:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since Jeff Weaver pitched in Dodger blue, but it has become a reality once again as the Los Angeles Dodgers have decided to bring him back up from Triple A ball in Albuquerque.

Weaver hasn't played with the Dodgers since 2005 when he spent two seasons with LA. In his time with the Dodgers Weaver record was 27-24 in 68 starts with an ERA of 4.11.

Not only is Weaver very familiar with the Dodgers organization, but he also has history with Dodgers manager Joe Torre when he played with the New York Yankees back in the 2002 and 2003 season.

"I'm happy to have him back because, in my mind, he certainly pitched well enough in the spring to be considered for a spot on our squad," said Torre. "He knows how to pitch. And I think with the knowledge and the ability of having been a starter, you can being him out of the bullpen and not worry about the lefty-righty matchup as much."

Torre wasn't only one very happy about Weaver coming back to LA, the pitcher himself also had something to say about rejoining the Dodgers.

"Those were two of my most fulfilling and satisfying seasons being in the rotation throughout the whole season in '04 and helping a team get to the postseason that hadn't been there for a while," said Weaver. "I'm just happy to be back with the Dodgers, and I'm excited. I'm very comfortable with this team."

Although Weaver isn't really considered the ace he was in the past he is definitely welcome addition to the Dodgers pitching staff.

Orlando Hudson Goes for the Cycle in Dodgers Home Opener

2009-04-14T10:21:00.000-07:00

This season is looking good thus far! Manny Ramirez may not be homers every other day like he did at the tail end of last season, but the team is starting to come together with players like Andre Either and Orlando Hudson stepping up big!

With the addition of Manny Ramirez every other free agent signing for the Dodgers kind of went unnoticed. Besides Manny the biggest addition to the Dodgers lineup in my opinion was second baseman Orlando Hudson. He is no Jeff Kent in the power department, but this kid gets the job done and he definitely proved that against the hated San Francisco Giants in the Dodgers home opener in LA.

As if the 11-1 victory over the rival Giants wasn't enough to cheer about on opening day for Dodgers fan, Hudson went for the cycle in his first appearance as a Dodger at home. It didn't stop there as Andre Either also had his way on Monday with a pair of homers and four RBIs on the day.

Not since 1970 by Wes Parker have the Los Angeles Dodgers had a player hit for the cycle. With Hudson putting on a hitting display it ended the biggest drought in baseball for a team that had at least one player hit for the cycle in its history.

Not only was Hudson performance impression and a first in 39 seasons, but the Dodgers also ended Giants pitcher Randy Johnson's undefeated record a Dodger Stadium. Before Monday Johnson had a perfect 7-0 record against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.

Needless to say, it was a great day for Dodgers baseball! Hopefully this is a sign of things to come this season!

Manny Alternatives: Orlando Hudson and Adam Dunn

2009-02-03T12:51:00.000-08:00

With Manny Ramirez's future in Dodger blue looking pretty bleak at this point, especially after rejecting the latest $25 million dollar offer, the Dodgers will probably start looking elsewhere for left fielder with a big bat.

The one name that constantly comes up after Manny is Adam Dunn. Although Ramirez is the first choice of the two with Spring training getting very close the Dodgers might just settle on Dunn at left fielder.

Adam Dunn may not be the huge threat in the batter's box that Manny is, but he isn't far off as he has hit 40 homers in five consecutive seasons which is pretty damn impressive. Not only would getting Dunn help replace Manny's bat, but with the money left over the Dodgers would be able to go after another one of the Arizona Diamondbacks top players in second baseman Orlando Hudson.

After the retirement of Jeff Kent, the second baseman position goes to Blake DeWitt, but Hudson would be a considerable upgrade at the position.

Although no player available can replace the star power of Manny, the Dodgers would get very talented players in both Dunn and Hudson and it would be ultimately cheaper than just signing Ramirez.

The downside on not signing Manny will be felt in attendance, merchandise and all around interest that the Los Angeles Dodgers received with the future hall of famer brought to the franchise. That might be a small price to pay if the Dodgers can bring a World Series title back to Los Angeles.

Manny Ramirez Rejects Dodgers $25 Million Dollar Offer

2009-02-03T08:55:00.001-08:00

That was quick!

Just when Manny Ramirez could have become the second highest paid player in the MLB next season with a $25 million dollar deal for one season from the Los Angeles Dodgers, the slugger rejects the deal as quickly as it came.

Although Manny is a high priced talent that will make any team that he plays on better and is arguably worth ARod type money, teams aren't exactly throwing money at the future hall of famer like his agent Scott Boras anticipated.

In a way the one year $25 million dollar offer made a lot of sense for both Ramirez and the Los Angeles Dodgers. With the economy the way it is the New York Yankees are the only team willing to dish out the dough, but they have already paid out close all the money they are going to spend this off season after signing three of the top free agents in pitchers CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett and slugger Mark Teixeira. Since the economy is in the dumps and $25 million is the best offer Manny will get for one year's salary he can only benefit going back into free agent talks a year down the road when the will have most likely improved and there will be more of a market for Manny.

Every other team in the MLB can't really afford to take on a big contract like Ramirez desires besides the Dodgers. So unless Scott Boras and Manny Ramirez come to their senses, there is no better deal than to take the Dodgers offer, but if they don't act quick with either re negotiations or accepting the deal the Dodgers will go elsewhere by signing either Adam Dunn or possibly Bobby Abreu.

The way things are going and Spring training just around the corner the Dodgers will be looking to get a deal done as soon as possible regardless if it is with Manny or not.

Dodgers Offer Manny Ramirez $25 Million for One Year

2009-02-02T22:23:00.000-08:00

Well, Manny Ramirez has finally gotten another offer, but not from another team.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are tired of the waiting game and want to sign Manny Ramirez right now, but will not offering anything longer the one year for $25 million.

In the beginning of the off season Manny was looking for a deal that would keep him in Dodger blue for the next six years or so, but that wasn't going to happen in Los Angeles or anywhere for that matter.

No other team besides the Dodgers has reached out to Manny with a deal in any form. There have been talks of teams interested like the San Francisco Giants, New York Yankees, New York Mets and just recently the St. Louis Cardinals only because fellow Dominican Albert Pujols thinks Manny would be a good fit, but no team has made any offers to the future hall of fame slugger.

Even though these teams have seemed to be interested they have not been willing to start a bidding war with the Dodgers which has resulted in Los Angeles being Manny's only possible destination unless another team wants to pay more than $25 million for a single season.

At $25 million for one year, Manny would be the second highest paid player in the MLB next season just under the New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez.

Even though I think Manny is worth his weight in gold, in my opinion, with what he did for the Dodgers and their fan base last season, the Dodgers probably made a smart decision here.

Whether or not Manny agrees to the one year deal is another story altogether.

Dodgers Second Baseman Jeff Kent to Retire from Baseball

2009-01-21T14:52:00.000-08:00

Usually when a player gets to a certain age their production goes way down the clock starts ticking on the retirement clock.

Although Jeff Kent is 40 years old and his not as quick on the ball at second base, his production hasn't really suffered (.280 batting average, 12 homers, 59 RBIs), but the Los Angeles Dodgers have decided to go with a youth movement.

Kent got off to a slow start in the 2008 season with a .253 batting average, but by August the second baseman was back to form with a batting average of .353. Unfortunately that didn't last long when Kent went down with a knee injury which required surgery and kept him out until the post season.

Once he was healthy enough to make it back on the field in the playoffs, he had been replaced by a much young Blake DeWitt.

Kent's most successful years were with Barry Bonds and the San Francisco Giants where he won an MVP award and went to a World Series, but he definitely left a lasting impression with the Los Angeles Dodgers where he has finished his career.

It would be hard to argue that Jeff Kent isn't the best hitting second baseman of all-time with his 351 homeruns, which is 74 more than the Chicago Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg. With a career batting average of .290, an NL MVP award in 2000 with the San Francisco Giants, five all star appearances and a four time Silver Slugger awards Kent may have paved his way straight to Cooperstown.

Russell Martin and Jonathan Broxton Sign 1 Year Deals with Dodgers

2009-01-21T14:33:00.001-08:00

After a few successful seasons and a couple All Star appearances catcher Russell Martin is finally gets paid what is he deserves by signing a one year deal for $3.9 million.

Signing this deal was a way of avoiding salary arbitration with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Relief pitcher Jonathan Broxton also signed a similar one year deal to avoid arbitration as well. With last year's closer Takashi Saito signing a deal with the Boston Red Sox, Broxton will take over the closing duties for the Dodgers. The one year deal wasn't close to $4 million like Martin, but it was a huge salary increase from his $454,000 he made last season. With $1,825,000 for a single season, Broxton is a happy man in the Dodgers bullpen.

Both Martin and Broxton also have an incentive for games finished. The two will get a $50,000 bump in pay for 40, 45, 55 and 60 games finished. Not bad huh? Could you imagine get 50 grand for coming to work more?

Trevor Hoffman Gets Offer from Dodgers

2009-01-07T20:03:00.000-08:00

It looks like the all-time saves leader and ex-Padres closer Trevor Hoffman might be closing out games for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The details of the offer to the future hall of fame pitcher haven't been released just yet, but reportedly the offer is more than $4 million which was withdrawn from the NL West division rival San Diego Padres. Hoffman had a bad break up with his former team when the Padres chose to yank the $4 million dollar deal off the table because they wanted to go into a different direction. Hoffman spent 16 years in San Diego with the Padres.

There would be no better revenge for the pitcher than to wear Dodger blue have been bitter rivals of the Dodgers for quite some time, not as bad as the San Francisco Giants rivalry, but there is definitely no love lost between these two teams.

Trevor Hoffman would be an awesome addition to the Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen. With a closer like Hoffman the Dodgers would have great confidence holding leads late in big games. Los Angeles can't go wrong with the all-time saves leader coming out to close the deal.

Andruw Jones' Contract to be Retooled to Pay Manny Ramirez

2009-01-02T18:31:00.000-08:00

This I believe is a no brainer and a great way to get some much needed money to better the team. Andruw Jones was nothing but dead wait last season and really doesn't deserve even a roster spot on the Los Angeles Dodgers next season with his pitiful performance. By retooling Jones contract the money will be there to make serious negotiations with Manny Ramirez to keep in Los Angeles.

Reportedly, by doing this it gives the Dodgers an extra $12 million dollars to work with in their efforts to sign the future hall of famer slugger. They will probably use the extra money to extend the length of the deal pitched to Ramirez.

Talks of the hated NL West rival San Francisco Giants getting involved and trying their luck at signing Manny Ramirez may have had something to do with the drastic change of heart by Dodgers management.

Even though the Giants may have forced the Dodgers hand in the Manny mania, ultimately this should turn out in the Dodgers favor as hopefully Manny will prefer to come back to Los Angeles to play for a contender instead of going to San Francisco to team in rebuilding mode.

San Francisco Giants Going After Manny Ramirez

2009-01-01T20:57:00.001-08:00

Even with the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Angels out of the running for Manny Ramirez because they are satisfied about what they have the Los Angeles Dodgers still haven't really made a move to make sure no one else gets Ramirez.

It seems like the San Francisco Giants are going to try and add Manny to the mix and they should have the funds to make a legitimate offer for the slugger.

It looks like the hated Giants want to get their team back into contention in the NL West and there is no better way to do than take the Dodgers biggest bat away and add it to their lineup. Not only do the Giants have interest in Manny, but they have been busy of late trying to build a contender. They haven't been signing players like the Yankees of course, but they are doing their best with what is available by signing both shortstop Edgar Renteria and veteran pitcher Randy Johnson.

Although I don't think Manny will sign with the Giants, this might actually get things going by creating a market for Manny since no team is really throwing him any deals.

Derek Lowe Gets Three Year Offer from New York Mets

2008-12-31T16:30:00.000-08:00

It is pretty obvious by now that Derek Lowe will not be coming back to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Both sides have expressed absolutely no interest in making a deal with other, so Lowe and the Dodgers have been looking elsewhere.

At first it seemed as though Derek Lowe would be going back to the Boston Red Sox to play with the team he won a World Series ring with back in 2004, but after what happen today, Lowe looks like he might be playing in New York instead of Boston.

He won't be putting on a New York Yankees jersey, like every other big money free agent like CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett and Mark Teixeira, but he might be playing not far from there. The New York Mets have reached out to Lowe and offered him a three year deal for about $36 million which works out to be about $12 million a year.

I very much doubt the Dodgers matching this deal like they did with the Rafael Furcal pulling him away from his old team the Atlanta Braves just recently.

Personally, if I were Lowe I would take that deal in a heartbeat instead of waiting on the Dodgers to counter offer which they probably won't do. The Los Angeles Dodgers have not shown any indication of their intentions this off season.

Lowe might not go for the offer though because he is supposedly looking to sign a five year deal for $12 million a year instead of just three years.

In my opinion I thought it would have been no brainer to sign all their free agents, but with reports of the Dodgers going after Adam Dunn and now Bobby Abreu while pitching deals for last season's free agent dud Andrew Jones, who knows what the Dodgers are planning to do. They did get Furcal back, which is good news, but they are let Brad Penny go to the Red Sox and if the Mets have their way they will lose Lowe too.

Adam Dunn on Dodgers Radar, Not Manny

2008-12-29T12:20:00.000-08:00

After the New York Yankees signed Mark Teixeira and the Los Angeles Angels saying they were going to pass on the left fielder, Manny Ramirez seemed to destine to return to the Dodgers, but with the MLB free agency being as unpredictable as it has been this off season anything can and will happen.

It appears that the Los Angeles Dodgers aren't going to be sitting around and waiting for Manny to get serious about signing with them this off season. Reportedly the Dodgers have reached out to hard hitting left fielder Adam Dunn in an attempt to sign the slugger.

The Dodgers aren't the only team with interest in Dunn, so he isn't an easy sign by any means. The Baltimore Orioles, Washington Nationals, Seattle Mariners and Chicago Cubs are the other teams in the running for Dunn with the Cubs looking to be the favorite to sign the slugger.

Obviously, Manny Ramirez would be the first on the Dodgers list to sign with the team. Manny brings fans, homers and a whole lot of money and interest to the Dodgers, but he also brings a lot of drama and baggage. With Adam Dunn on the other hand you have probably the closest player to Ramirez in terms of numbers and homeruns, but no where near the media attention and buzz that Manny brings to a team.

Personally, the Dodgers have to sign Manny Ramirez. He brings so much to the team and almost single handedly got the Dodgers into the playoffs. I have never been more excited to watch the Dodgers than I was when Manny came to town, it was like watching Barry Bonds or Mark McGwire on the way to homerun greatness. I tried to never miss an at bat, never miss a game. Manny turned somewhat baseball fans into fanatics, he just seemed to be bigger than the game at times and turned the Dodgers into hot ticket once again.

If for some reason the Dodgers can't wrap up Manny for the next couple of seasons, Adam Dunn is the next best thing. He won't put butts in the seats of Dodgers Stadium like Manny, but he definitely gives the another bat and keeps the Dodgers contenders in the NL.

Brad Penny Signs with Boston Red Sox

2008-12-29T00:02:00.000-08:00

Although the Los Angeles Dodgers didn't let their free agent shortstop Rafael Furcal slip away, the same can't be said for free agent pitcher Brad Penny.

Obviously Penny isn't going to go for big money and a long term deal like CC Sabathia or AJ Burnett did, but I would have thought he was worth a little more than what he signed for. It seems that the right handler was only able to get a one year deal worth about $5 million with the incentive of another $3 million if he can stay healthy for 160 innings in the Boston Red Sox rotation.

Not saying that Brad Penny is an ace or even worth retaining, but I would have thought that the Dodgers would have countered with an offer to keep Penny from signing with the AL power house Boston Red Sox, especially with Derek Lowe looking to go anywhere, but back with the Dodgers.

Angels Not Interested in Manny Ramirez

2008-12-23T15:57:00.000-08:00

The logical move for the Angels after losing Mark Teixeira to the New York Yankees would be to go after a big bat to replace a slugger like Teixeira, so it would be safe to assume that they would try and sign Manny Ramirez, but that isn't the case.

Manny would probably be a good fit with the Angels even if it is just as the DH, but the Angels have have said they have other plans and will not be pursuing the future hall of famer. If this is true, then this could be very good news for the Dodgers.

"Manny will not be an Angel," said Angels GM Tony Reagins

Not only are the Yankees probably done pursuing anymore big money free agents, but with the Angels out of the running and the Red Sox obviously not interested in bringing back Ramirez the Dodgers would be Manny's best chance playing for a World Series contender.

So far the off season MLB free agent signings have been pretty unpredictable and absolutely dominated by the New York Yankees, but from what we have seen anything can happen and after Teixeira's signing the Dodgers might be the front runners for signing their left fielder that almost single handedly got them their first post season win in 20 years.

Mark Teixeira Signs With Yankees for 8 Years and $180M

2008-12-23T15:29:00.000-08:00

I don't know how they do it or afford it for that matter, but the New York Yankees always seem to get there hands on the best players in the MLB.

When Mark Teixeira was asked when he was going to make a decision on which team he was going to sign with he said that he wanted to wake up on Christmas morning and know where he was going to play baseball next season. Well, now he knows and he has made a team filled with superstars like Deter Jeter and Alex Rodriguez that much better.

Just yesterday all the press and baseball fans thought that Teixeira was heading to one of two destinations either with the Washington Nationals or the Boston Red Sox which just seemed to make sense for the first baseman. Of course, right when the press thinks they know exactly what is about to go down, the player goes and does something completely unpredictable.

With the second biggest free agent off the market all eyes will be turning to the next big bat in line, left fielder Manny Ramirez. We all know that there is no way he is going back to Boston with everything that has been said about the bad blood between the team and the future hall of famer, so that leaves the all the other teams that were in the running for Teixeira front runners to sign Manny.

Colin Cowherd: Show Manny the Money!

2008-12-22T19:14:00.000-08:00

Espn radio host of the The Herd came up with the best reason I have heard so far about why the Dodgers need to sign Manny Ramirez regardless of how much they have to pay:

SHOW MANNY THE MONEY!!

Mark Teixeira Sweepstakes Over for Angels

2008-12-22T18:24:00.000-08:00

One of the most disireable MLB free agents this off season is hard hitting first baseman Mark Teixeira. Not only is Teixeira on every team's wishlist, but his signing might also determine where another big time free agent Manny Ramirez will end up this off season.

It seems any team with the money is trying to throw Teixeira's way, but the first baseman has not given any team any indication that they are in the running. Some of the teams that have said to be interested in Teixeira are the Boston Red Sox, Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Angels and of course the New York Yankees.

Obviously, after the CC Sabathia deal worth $161 million and the AJ Burnett deal worth almost $83 million that money is no problem for the Yankees. With that being said, I am sure they will make an offer for the slugger even if it is to keep the Red Sox out of the running.

As for Boston, the Red Sox have flip flopped back and forth saying they are out of contention for Teixeira and the next day saying they are right back in it. After the big signings by the Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays officially a big threat after their World Series apperance, the Red Sox will be looking to improve their team.

The Angels, who at first looked like a no brainer for Teixeira to sign with, but they have officially dropped out of the Mark Teixeira sweepstakes. It seems as though the Angels are just tired of waiting for Teixeira to make a decision and have chosen to move on and pursue other free agents.

Like I said earlier, not only does Teixeira's fate affect the MLB next season, but it will also affect Manny's decision on where to sign as the teams that lose out on Teixeira will have a lot of money to offer Manny as a second option.

Hopefully, the Dodgers will be able to compete with teams that make offers to their biggest asset. In my opinion, Manny is a must sign for the Dodgers. Not only is he the best player to wear Dodger blue in quite some time, maybe the best ever, but he puts butts in the seats and makes every Dodger fan want to never miss a game.

The Furcal Fiasco

2008-12-22T17:50:00.000-08:00

If you are a Los Angeles Dodgers fan then you know by now that the Dodgers won the battle against the Atlanta Braves to sign free agent shortstop Rafael Furcal. It was about time that the Dodgers took some interest in their free agents to need to be resigned.

Personally, I think signing Furcal was a huge plus for the Dodgers. I know the guy has been hurt for the majority of the last two seasons, but it is hard to argue that he isn't worth his weight in gold when he actually is able to get in the lineup. He is a gold glove caliber shortstop and can also hold his own with the bat.

Although signing Furcal was great for the Dodgers, it did not come without some controversy and some bad blood. The Braves are reportedly bitter about the whole ordeal claiming they got dissed by Furcal after already agreeing to a deal with his old team.

"We never gave the nod to the Braves" Furcal said Sunday.

Who knows how these things work, I am sure it can be extremely complicated at times, but if Furcal and his agent made a deal with the Atlanta Braves there must be some kind of signed agreement.

"They offered $32 million for four years and later raised it to $35 million and told us to take it or leave it," says Furcal.

Although the deal with the Dodgers is considerably lower than any other team has offered Furcal, he still ultimately decided to stay in LA playing in Dodger blue. Furcal will still be making $10 million a year after signing a three year deal for $30 million, but other team like the Oakland Athletics and the Atlanta Braves were willing to sign him for longer and for more money.

Dodgers Closer Takashi Saito Now a Free Agent

2008-12-15T16:38:00.000-08:00

It is hard to argue that Dodgers closer Takashi Saito isn't one of the best closers in the National League, but the Dodgers don't feel that he is good enough to sign the closer for next season.

It seems more and more obvious that either the Dodgers and or the MLB is being effected by the economy woes or the Dodgers just don't intend on keeping the team that got further in the MLB playoffs than any Dodgers team in the last 20 years fully intact.

First off, the future of Manny Ramirez in Dodger blue is in serious question. Secondly, there are plenty of important Dodgers free agents are looking to go elsewhere like pitcher Derek Lowe and shortstop Rafael Furcal, but the Dodgers don't seem all that worried about losing their starters.

I am not sure what the Dodgers are doing in terms of signing their free agents, but one thing is for certain, they are in no hurry to wrap up their best players.

As for Saito, he will officially be a free agent on Friday because the Dodgers failed to offer him a contract for next season. Ned Colletti has said they still might sign him, but with Jonathan Broxton possibly being able to fill the void, the Dodgers might not mind letting him sign somewhere else.

Oakland A's Offer Rafael Furcal $40M Contract

2008-12-15T16:18:00.000-08:00

With some much talk about Manny Ramirez's future in Los Angeles these days all the other Dodgers free agents have seem to be overlooked.

One of the Dodgers most sot after free agents, besides Manny, is shortstop Rafael Furcal. It is no secret that Furcal is a big part of the Dodgers success when he is healthy, but that fact is, he hasn't been healthy over the last couple of seasons missing 150 games.

With his health in question, many teams hold back from signing big deals. The Dodgers have been perhaps the worst at that by signing big time player free agents like pitcher Jason Schmidt, Juan Pierre and Andrew Jones.

As most Dodgers know already, Jason Schmidt has been a huge disappointment, not because he hasn't been force on the mound, but because he hasn't even made it to the mound. Andrew Jones was a flop because he showed up out of shape and almost like a completely different player going from a hard hitter centerfielder to a player struggling to stay in the majors.

All and all, the Dodgers have seemed to learn their lesson by not taking chances on players that tend to be on the injured list all the time. So with that being said, Furcal is pretty much on his way out and the team with the most interest looks to be the Oakland A's.

The problem that Furcal and his agent are facing are that nobody looks to be willing to pay Furcal what he thinks he is worth. Although it probably isn't what Furcal wants to sign for, it looks like he just doesn't have a choice as the $40 million dollar offer from the A's is the best he is going to get.

The Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals also expressed interest in the shortstop, but the A's will probably be where he will end up after this offer.

Too bad. I liked Furcal, when he was healthy, he was a solid lead off man and an excellent shortstop that seemed to fit in this system, but unfortunately the Dodgers don't seem to mind losing him to the A's or any team for that matter.

Chad Billingsley Breaks His Leg After Slipping on Ice

2008-11-24T22:45:00.000-08:00

Bad news for the Los Angeles Dodgers, up and coming pitching ace Chad Billingsley has broken his left leg after slipping on some ice just outside his home in Pennsylvania.

Supposedly, Billingsley slipped and fell because of some ice that was just in front of his home in Reading, Pennsylvania. Reportedly, Billingsley had surgery on his left leg because of a spiral fracture of the fibula bone last week.

Slipped on ice? Yeah right!

Although I think that this could happen, I do believe that athletes who are worth enormous amounts of money with their health and fitness being their number one concern, this would not happen.

We have seen these kind of senseless injuries a lot lately, like Los Angeles Lakers forward Vladimir Radmanovic suffering a shoulder injury in 2007 because of snowboarding accident, which he first said was because he slipped on some ice (sound familiar?).

More recently, Golden State Warriors guard Monte Ellis was injured while riding a moped and injured his left ankle, not only is that an embarrassing way to get injured, but he was also suspended for 30 NBA games which will put a big dent in his wallet as well.

Not saying that Billingsley didn't slip on ice, but I definitely wouldn't be surprised that he was really hurt skiing, snowboarding or something like it.

During the surgery, doctors put in a plate and will require the 24 year old Billingsley to be in a cast for at least two weeks. Well, the surgery has seemed to go as planned and the Dodgers pitcher should be ready to go by spring training.

Is Nomar Garciaparra Going to Retire?

2008-11-19T21:14:00.000-08:00

One of the biggest questions of the offseason for Los Angeles Dodgers fans and management will be whether or not Nomar Garciaparra will call it quits before the 2009 MLB season begins.

Nomar has only been in Dodger Blue for a short time, but his impact on Dodgers fans will last a long time.

Who can forget the back to back to back to back homeruns with Nomar hitting the final homer? For that matter who can forget any of the clutch homeruns by Garciaparra since he has been with the Dodgers. He won't be remembered like Kirk Gibson will be for his amazing World Series homerun, but Nomar has left a lasting impression for coming through when the Dodgers needed it.

Although Nomar hasn't made the decision to call it a career yet, it has been said that he is weighing his options. Garciaparra has said that he would accept coming off the bench for the Dodgers. He loves playing in Los Angeles where is family lives. The biggest problem for Nomar though is his health. He just can't stay healthy and that really makes it hard for teams to commit to an almost guaranteed injury.

Regardless of the injury problems, and I hope I speak for all Dodgers fans, it would be great to see Nomar Garciaparra in a Dodgers uniform once again!

Albert Pujols Wins NL MVP

2008-11-19T21:00:00.000-08:00

I know all the Los Angeles Dodgers fans were hoping that show how, some way Manny Ramirez would sneak in there and snatch the NL MVP award away from Albert Pujols, but of course that didn't happen as the St. Louis Cardinals sluggers wins his second NL MVP award of his career.

It is hard to argue that Pujols isn't the NL MVP this season with the absolutely ridiculous numbers he put up this year for a team that just couldn't keep up with him. Here are Pujols stats for the 2008 MLB season:

.317 Batting Average

37 Homeruns

116 RBIs

As everyone knows, the MVP voting is for the regular season so whatever happens in the post season don't mean squat!

Some people will say that Ryan Howard should have won the NL MVP and maybe he should with the awesome numbers he put up (48 homers, 146 RBIs), but the MLB went with the later.

Albert Pujols received 18 first place votes compared to 12 first place votes for Ryan Howard. The Dodgers Manny Ramirez and Brewers CC Sabathia also got some consideration, but received no first place votes.

ALBERT PUJOLS TALKS ABOUT WINNING HIS SECOND NL MVP

Manny Ramirez Contract Offer Withdrawn By Dodgers

2008-11-15T14:52:00.000-08:00

The Dodgers have officially withdrawn their huge contract offer to Manny Ramirez to begin negotiate some new numbers for the superstar left fielder.

Initially the Los Angeles Dodgers made an offer of $45 million over two years with an option for a third year, but like we have all heard, Manny is looking for a long term deal which he will get if he goes elsewhere. With that being said the Dodgers do not want to lose their meal ticket and will go back into negotiations with the future hall of famer and his agent Scott Boras.

"We still have an interest in him," Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said. "This doesn't mean we won't continue discussions. They just can't accept that offer flat-out. It's like any other free-agent negotiation now. We'll have conversations and sometimes you're able to sign the player and sometimes you're not.

"Our exclusivity ended yesterday and now they'll have a chance to hear what other clubs are willing to pay and for how long."

So there is still a very good possiblity that Manny Ramirez will be in Dodger blue for the forseable future, but both the Dodgers, Manny and Scott Boras have to come to terms.

Manny Ramirez Gets a Big Offer from the Dodgers

2008-11-07T01:05:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles Dodgers fans have been waiting to hear about Manny Ramirez future with the club ever since the last game of the NLCS against the now World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies.

Originally Manny and his agent Scott Boras said that Ramirez was seeking a lengthy deal for ARod-type money, but the problem for Frank McCourt and Ned Colletti was the length of the deal since Manny wanted a 7 contract.

At 36 Manny Ramirez is definitely getting up there in age, but as we all witness after the trade from the Boston Red Sox and the first playoff series win in twenty years, Ramirez is showing no signs of age.

As any Dodgers fan would tell you, Manny is worth every penny and is a must sign regardless of what the Dodgers have to do to get it done and I agree.

Reportedly, the contract that the Dodgers have offered the slugger is the second highest average salary just behind Alex Rodriguez who makes $27.5 million a year in a 10 year deal ,which is a ridiculous amount of money for a guy that can't get it done in the post season like Manny can, and above the New York Mets pitching ace Johan Santana who makes $22.9 a year.

"If you saw the bid, it's nothing that we're embarrassed by," Colletti said. "Manny was close to that number, anyway -- closer to that area than the last place he's been."

The deal is said to be for only two years for an option for a third year in which the left fielder would make $25 million in every year. It is still early, so who knows if the Manny will go for the deal, but chances are that eventually he will agree to terms with the Dodgers. Since he has gotten an offer though, you can be sure that Scott Boras will test the market to see if he can get a better deal.

Is Mike Lowell Going to be Wearing Dodger Blue in 2009?

2008-10-27T17:00:00.001-07:00

With talk of the Boston Red Sox going after Angels first baseman Mark Texeira, the Sox will no longer need 2007 World Series MVP Mike Lowell who was instrumental in the Red Sox World Series victory in 2007.

Although Lowell plays third base, with Mark Texeira at first base, 2008 MVP candidate Kevin Youkilis will make the move to third base making Lowell expendable.

Having said that, there are only a handful of teams in need of a solid third baseman like Mike Lowell. Those teams are the Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Indians and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Ned Colletti and Frank McCourt already have some huge decisions to make on the free agent front, especially with Manny Ramirez future with the Dodgers in limbo, but Mike Lowell would definitely be a great addition to an already great Dodgers lineup and infield.

Dodgers Keep Coaching Staff Intact

2008-10-27T16:46:00.000-07:00

It was pretty obvious that Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and general manager Ned Colletti were going to make sure the Dodgers coaching staff was going to be taken care off, especially after the best season in 20 years in Los Angeles, but the way professional sports are these days, nothing is a guarantee.

So with that being said, Joe Torre's coaching staff will be back for 2009. Torre's coaching staff includes of course hitting coach Don Mattingly, bench coach Bob Schaefer, pitching coach Rick Honeycutt, bullpen coach Ken Howell, third base coach Larry Bowa and first base coach Mariano Duncan who will all be in Dodger Blue next season.

With all these great coaches back for another season and the Los Angeles Dodgers finally starting to come together, Dodgers fans might be in for a bright future in Los Angeles for years to come. Now lets go get Manny Ramirez signed and CC Sabathia as the next pitching ace in the Dodger Blue!!

Dodgers Willing to Put Up the Money for Manny

2008-10-23T16:35:00.000-07:00

It is looking like Manny Ramirez might be wearing Dodger blue for at least a couple more seasons if the Dodgers have their way.

The Dodgers are willing to offer the future hall of fame slugger ARod-type of money ($27+ million a year), but the there is a catch, it will only be for a couple of seasons opposed to the six years that Manny wants.

"We don't have too many six-year deals,'' Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said

In fact the Dodgers have nobody under contract for six years in their lineup right now, but this will cause a problem as Manny has already said publicly that he wants a long term deal. He also said this:

"I want to see who is the highest bidder. Gas is up and so am I."

Frank McCourt and Ned Colletti haven't officially talked to Manny, his agent Scott Boras or any Dodgers free agents for that matter after being knocked out of contention by the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLCS.

So who knows what will go down, but a positive for Dodgers fans is that they are at least willing to fork up the big bucks for a free agent that will actually pay off unlike the Andruw Jones and Jason Schmidts of the past.

Will Angel Berroa be Let Go by the Dodgers?

2008-10-22T14:52:00.000-07:00

It was just recently reported that Dodgers backup shortstop Angel Berroa, had his $5.5 million dollar option declined.

As Dodgers fans know, Berroa played pretty well in place of Rafael Furcal at shortstop, but it looks like it wasn't good enough.

The only positive coming from the loss of Berroa would be that the Dodgers do not want to spend money on anyone but the big dogs. Hopefully this is what Frank McCourt is thinking, maybe making room for Manny Ramirez, CC Sabathia or Derek Lowe.

There are just too many free agent decisions the Dodgers front office has to make this off season that a little fish like Angel Berroa gets forgotten and given the boot.

Derek Lowe is Leaning Towards Heading Back to the Boston Red Sox

2008-10-20T19:04:00.000-07:00

The Los Angeles Dodgers are already having trouble keeping their team together as the beginning of free agency is just around the corner.

It is being reported that Derek Lowe wasn't all that happy with the Dodgers front office throughout the regular season and as a result, the Dodgers may not be his first choice destination.

It seems that if the Dodgers ace has his choice on where he is going to land next season, it would be to go back to the Boston Red Sox where he won a World Series title back in 2004.

Lowe is getting up there in age at 35, but as we have seen recently with pitchers like Jamie Moyer (45), Greg Maddux (42) and Randy Johnson (45) that age doesn't affect great pitchers like other positions in baseball.

Obviously losing Derek Lowe to free agency is not good, but on a positive note, if the Dodgers don't have to spend the money on Lowe's contract they can use that money on in an attempt to lock up Manny Ramirez and or CC Sabathia.

Where Will Manny Ramirez End Up in 2009?

2008-10-18T16:32:00.000-07:00

The topic on the minds of all Dodgers fans after seeing the Phillies advance to the World Series is will LA put up the money to keep Manny Ramirez in Dodger blue?

After Manny's widely publicized success as the Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder, all MLB franchises that are in need of a big bat and a much needed boost in attendance will make a run at the future hall of famer this offseason.

It will be a tough offseason for Dodgers owner Frank McCourt who will ultimately make the decision on whether or not #99 will be in Los Angeles long term plans.

Every die hard Dodger fan will tell you that signing Manny Ramirez is a no brainer and something that must happen, but after all the free agent miss fires over the past few seasons (Andruw Jones, Jason Schmidt and Juan Pierre), McCourt will definitely weigh his options before jumping head first into another huge contract.

Hopefully, Manny ends up in Dodger blue again, but one possible destination for the slugger is with the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs payroll is one of the highest in the MLB right now, but if they make some moves in the offseason they might be able to pay Manny the money his infamous agent Scott Boras will be going after.

Jake Peavy Could be in a Dodger's Uniform Next Season

2008-10-17T18:28:00.000-07:00

It seems as though the San Diego Padres are finally tired of losing. As an attempt to turn around their troubled franchise and try to compete with both the revamped Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West, they are will to give up their Cy Young ace Jake Peavy as trade bait.

Although adding Peavy to the pitching staff would be great, the Dodgers future is up in the air right now. The boys in blue have some big time decisions to make this offseason. It is no secret that the addition of Manny Ramirez has been the best thing to happen in LA since winning the 1988 World Series, but in order to keep Manny they are going to have to throw the big money his way and on his terms, which means he wants a long term deal.

When the Padres made the decision to move Peavy, they said the only willing to work with five teams: Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers

Good news for the Dodgers, but so far, they haven't really shown much interest in Peavy possibly because they might go after the Milwaukee Brewers pitching ace CC Sabathia who is a hometown boy.

I think signing CC would be the best move for the Dodgers, if they can lock up Ramirez as well, but if they can't compete with other teams in the race to sign Sabathia, Peavy wouldn't be a bad second option for LA.