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Moments ahead of the MLB trade deadline, the Los Angeles Dodgers finally picked up a big bat.
Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez will call Chavez Ravine home after a rocky end to his career in Boston. The slugger begged to be traded anywhere, saying he would play in Iraq and joking that he should be traded to the Green Bay Packers for Brett Favre. Recently, he was seen chatting on a cell phone during a game.
As part of the three-team deal, Boston will get outfielder Jason Bay from Pittsburgh. Reports are saying the Dodgers will send the Pirates two minor leaguers, third baseman Andy LaRoche and pitcher Bryan Harris. Boston will also send a pair of prospects to Pittsburgh.
An offseason trade for Andruw Jones failed to give the Dodgers the pop they were looking for in the lineup, but this move will immediately make the team a playoff threat. The team is just a game above .500, but only a game out of first in the NL West. With a very weak division, the Blue Crew could clean up heading into the post-season. The only trick for manager Joe Torre will be maintaining peace in the locker room.
This trade comes on the heels of the Angels picking up Mark Teixeira to bolster a roster that already owns the best record in baseball -- giving some Southern California baseball fans dreams of an October freeway series.
Ramirez will become a free agent after this season.
AP Photo by Charles Krupa, improved by Andy Sternberg.
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think torre will put up with his mumbo jumbo?
A cranky player who has already peaked? This sucks. Another desperate move by a desperate GM. This will make the clubhouse even more fractured and disorganized. One great hitter isn't going to save this team; we need several hungry, hard-working players to turn things around. It takes a team.
Seven Words that go along great.
Kemp
Ethier
Martin
Ramirez
Kent
Loney
Blake (seems to be enjoying his first few days out west)
SS (Hopefully Furcal by September but Hu appears to have fixed his hitting issue via his eye, and should come back to the Minor League Player of the Year form from 2007)
Pitcher's Spot.
And how in the world can you call this move desperate when all we gave up were two minor league potentials and $0 to go along with the guarantee increase in revenue the Dodgers (and most importantly Frank McCourt) will get in order to bring in a quality pitcher (think CC Sabathia who's got a home being built in the OC) and middle infielder for 2009. Losing the contracts of Kent, Lowe, Garciaparra (roughly 30 million) and the increase in ticket sales will hopefully bring back the spender in McCourt.
Althought I am not proud to say we (hopefully) will have a bench of $80.2 in gauranteed salaries). But, its not my cash so im okay with it.
Desperation would have actually let go of Ethier, Kemp or Loney for Texiera, etc and completely ruined the core talent that we are paying under $450K per player.
I've watched Manny destroy balls and Angels fan's World Series hopes over the years. The Dodgers are getting a consistent hitter with great power and decent defensive skills in left. His attitude will change with the environment, and Torre will be able to tame him to a point just enough to get the job done. Success in the playoffs, though, depends on your pitching. The staff will have to put up the kind of numbers they've been doing lately against tougher opponents. More shut outs than let downs.
Hahaha, nice photoshop job.
Yes, we didn't have to give up much, but the Dodgers have consistently picked up players who were approaching the downside of their careers (Pierre, Schmidt, Jones). That's a desperate move. I gladly would have given up Kemp AND Ethier for Teixera straight up; he's a proven, young commodity who seems like a team player and still hasn't hit his peak. Playing the wall in Fenway is not the same as a normal corner infield spot; there's much more running at a normal park like ours.
No-brainer deal for us since we give up very little. Coletti's track record for trades is horrible though. Maybe this is the exception that proves the rule?
Awesome trade, bring on the DBACKS!
someone must of been a Laroche fan?
Joe Torre will straighten Manny up only if he wants to be straightened up.
how is this desperate? they got rid of LaRoche and some dude we've never heard of before, and WE got Manny Ramirez! we would be hunting down Frank McCourt if he passed up that one.
what number is he going to wear?
manny can still rake. he's going to tear through the crappy NL pitching like a vegas buffet.