Canseco Calls Out Manny on Steroid Use

Jose Canseco is still at it. After achieving the ultimate "I told you so” moment on baseball in the wake of Alex Rodriguez’s admitted steroid use, Canseco is back to naming names. This time it is Dodger slugger Manny Ramirez who Canceso is grouping among the growing list of performance enhancers. Speaking at the Brovard Auditorium on the USC campus recently Canseco stated he was “ 90% sure “ Manny’s name was also on the list of 104. While Canseco admitted he had no real proof to back up his claim he cited the owners reluctance to sign him this winter as evidence to his allegations. When Manny Ramirez was asked about Canseco’s accusations he just laughed, saying “ I got no comment, nothing to say about that. What can I say? I don’t even know the guy.”

If you played in the MLB over the last 10 + years you are guilty by association of steroid use. Regardless if you are a career minor leaguer or a future Hall of Famer there is a cloud of suspicion over everyone’s head. Up to this point the master outer Jose Canseco has proven to be pretty accurate on the names he’s linked to steroid use. This time though I think he’s just trying to create a buzz for himself. We all know his current money troubles and this is a perfect way for him to get a few public appearance paychecks. He admittedly has no proof but there’s no better way to drum up attention for himself than to call out one of the biggest names in the game today. At this point I’m just tired of Jose. Yes he did blow open the door on steroid use, job well done Jose. I don’t need to hear him name a new name every month just so he can get some attention. Jose should be working on his celebrity boxing career and let the game of baseball try to move on.

Manny and Dodgers Finally Agree...

The Dodgers have reached a 2-year $45 million contract with Manny Ramirez. The deal includes an opt-out for Ramirez after the first year along with a full no trade clause. Manny finally knows where he will play this year. All is well with the world! Now, we can finally get on with our lives!

Manny to Dodgers: 'No Deal Again'

This is just getting absolutely ridiculous. It has been reported late Thursday that Manny Ramirez has once again turned down the Dodgers most recent contract offer. The latest contract called for a 25 million dollar deal in 2009 with a player option of 20 million for 2010. This has been the 4th offer rejected by Ramirez and agent Scott Boras. This latest offer has also been the best Ramirez has received, giving him full control over his 2010 status. The original offer from LA, while the same in dollar amounts, called for a club option on the 2010 season.

Frankly this just makes me angry. I don’t know who I’m more annoyed with, Manny or the Dodgers. I just want to scream at Manny, telling him to stop turning down a potential 45 million dollars to play 2 seasons of baseball, when there’s people all across this country who are losing their jobs and homes. Manny needs to stop being so goddamned greedy. He’s made more money in his career than most people can imagine, as has Scott Boras I’m sure. The two of them need to wake up and realize the economy isn’t improving and maybe they should be a little sensitive to that. In a time when people can’t get jobs they need to stop turning one down that pays 25-45 million dollars.

As for the Dodgers organization the first thing they need to realize is that they can win the NL West without Manny. Of course with Manny they would probably coast to the division title but they don’t necessarily need him to get to the top. They did lose their best pitcher Derek Lowe to free agency but they’ve made a number of nice moves to improve the club. They’ve replaced Lowe with left hander Randy Wolf who is coming off a strong season splitting time between Houston and San Diego. Also 21 year old phenom Clayton Kershaw should be greatly improved following his debut season in ‘08.On the offensive side they have brought in second baseman Orlando Hudson and super utility man Mark Loretta. Adding Hudson, allows them to move Blake Dewitt to a utility role. Combining with Loretta the two provide solid bats and both are capable of playing every infield position, giving LA an extremely deep and versatile bench.

If the Dodgers do continue to negotiate and finally relent to Manny’s demands, it basically makes Manny the god of LA. The worst part is, he’ll know it. Secondly it will make the Dodgers essentially powerless in any future negotiations with clients of Scott Boras. I really wish the Dodgers would walk away from Ramirez and Boras and just let them go to that ‘mystery team’ Boras keeps hinting at and see if they can find a better offer. My guess is there is no other team with serious interest and I know they won’t find a better offer out there. Manny would have it all in LA. He'd be on a serious playoff contender, he'd be the lone superstar on the team grabbing all the love from the Dodger faithful and most importantly he'd get his money. The Dodgers offers have been well beyond market value and well beyond generous. I implore Dodger owner Frank McCourt and GM Ned Colletti to make one final take-it or leave-it offer and remind Manny that he needs the Dodgers more than the Dodgers need him.

-Robb Lennahan

Hudson chooses LA for '09

The Los Angeles Dodgers are reportedly on the verge of finalizing a one year contract with free agent 2nd baseman Orlando Hudson. The deal calls for a 3.38 million dollar base salary with a additional 4.6 million in possible incentives. Signing Hudson also means the Dodgers will have to give the Diamondbacks a 1st Round draft pick in the June draft, due to Hudson’s Type A free agent status.

This is an extremely good move for Los Angeles. A move that could put them atop the weak NL West even if they don’t resign Manny Ramirez. On the field adding Hudson gives the Dodgers a Gold Glove 2nd baseman and combining with SS Rafael Furcal should give them one of the best double play combos in the league. The signing also allows them to move Blake Dewitt to more of a utility role. Combining Dewitt with free agent acquisition Mark Loretta gives the Dodgers two quality super-subs. Both Dewitt and Loretta not only provide quality bats off the bench but both are capable of playing every infield position.

Offensively Hudson seems to be the ideal player to pencil into the #2 spot in the order. Hudson, a excellent contact hitter with gap-to-gap power should combine with the speed of Furcal to give opposing pitchers fits and provide plenty of RBI opportunities for the 3-4-5 hitters in the lineup. Hudson and Furcal will also give the Dodgers two switch hitters at the top of their lineup, something that will give opposing teams a variety of matchup problems late in games.

With the recent signing of pitcher Randy Wolf and now Orlando Hudson the Dodgers are poised to repeat as NL West champs. While there is still questions about their pitching staff, especially after the loss of Derek Lowe, their offense should put them over the top. The signing of Hudson gives LA one of the deepest and most versatile squads in the league. If LA does manage to bring back Manny Ramirez, watch out because the Dodgers will be a force to be reckoned with come October.

-Robb Lennahan

The Manny Problem

Two Years for 45 million dollars. One year for 25 million dollars. These are the two reported contracts Manny Ramirez has turned down from the Los Angeles Dodgers. We all know Manny’s resume. A .396 batting average through 53 games to lead the Dodgers to the playoffs. World Series Championships in 2004 and 2007 with the Red Sox. A future 1st Ballot Hall of Famer, who will likely eclipse 600 home runs and come near 3000 hits all without the steriod cloud hanging over him.

We also know the negative side of Manny. Tanking his final season in Boston to force a trade to Los Angeles, the fake injuries, the clubhouse disputes, and the icing on the cake shoving Red Sox traveling secretary Jack McCormick to the ground because he couldn’t accommodate Manny’s request of 16 tickets for a Red Sox-Astros game. By the Way Mr. McCormick is 64 years old.

Taking all this into account however and what you have is still one heck of a ballplayer (when he wants to be) and a ballplayer who will be paid a great deal of money. Now I understand a player's competitive nature doesn’t end on the field. Whether its baseball, basketball, or video games; I'm sure these guys want to be the best in everything they do. The same goes for their contracts. I’m sure Manny Ramirez feels that he should be one of the highest paid players in the game, because that’s part of his competitive nature. Being the best also means getting paid the most. Turn back the clock 3 years and this would be true and Manny would almost certainly be signed right now to whatever contract he wanted, lets say 4 years and 100 million dollars.

Unfortunately for Manny and many other Americans, it is 2009, and the country is in a serious economic recession. The word recession probably means very little to Manny Ramirez. He’s made well over 100 million dollars in his career, he’ll probably have more than enough money to take care of himself and his family for the next 50 years so this next contract shouldn’t really matter. But it does. It actually matters more than he realizes, I think. Lets take a look at his most likely employer for 2009 the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers play in the state of California. A state which is in serious economic trouble. California has 145 Billion dollars in expenditures through 2010. The expected revenue through that time is only 100 Billion. Meaning a 45 Billion Dollar deficit for the state in the next 2 years. Combine that with the taxpayers, who are losing jobs at an alarmingly high rate, and that spells trouble. People who are struggling to find employment or pay their mortgage or put food on the table certainly wont be going to any Dodgers games anytime soon.

But that’s not the issue, the Dodgers will sell tickets. The issue is how do the Dodgers justify to their state, and their fan base, bringing back a player who’s turned down such a large sum of money. Especially in light of their states economic problems. Can the fans really cheer for someone who turned down 20 Million dollars when the unemployment rate in California is at its highest in 15 years. When in December alone more than 78,000 people lost their jobs. How does Manny Ramirez justify turning down a 20 Million dollar contract. More so how can the Dodgers justify bringing him back at this point?

Looking at the Dodgers, like all teams, they have holes but unlike most teams they have some money to spend. For the 25 million they offered Manny they could most likely sign Adam Dunn, Juan Cruz, and either Randy Wolf or Ben Sheets. Now granted, none of those 3 players have the marketability of a Manny Ramirez but with those 3 players you have filled 3 glaring needs on your club. In a very weak National League West those signings barring injury should win you the division. Dodgers owner Frank McCourt needs to let his fan base know that he is willing to spend the money to put a winning team on the field but that he can't justify Manny’s demands in this economy.

I think letting Manny walk will actually make the Dodgers look better in the court of public opinion rather than signing him to 20+ million. The game is for the fans, and if I'm a Dodgers fan, I can't justify spending my hard earned money to go to a game to watch a player who cried all winter over only being offered a 25 million dollar contract. Mr. McCourt please take a stand and let this clown walk away and get his money from someone else, trust me you’ll be better off.

-Robb Lennahan