Frank McCourt finally has his chance! The chance he’s claimed he wanted all along!
(Frankie: Don’t hate the player, hate the game!)
A Manny Ramirez sign elevates the Dodgers to back where they belong, among the elite in MLB. Since he bought the team early this decade McCourt has been saying that’s where the Dodgers should be. Well Frankie baby, it’s all teed up for you.
The Dodgers, playing in the #2 market in front of FOUR MILLION DAMN FANS annually are operated like the Colorado Rockies. I wish I could say that McCourt has operated the team like an elite MLB franchise. Or at least like the Detroit Tigers (market #11) or maybe even the Red Sox (market #10). But I can’t.
The Dodgers’ payroll is only 8th-highest in MLB and the club features a laughingstock of a general manager in Ned Colletti. So how did the McCourt-led Dodgers win a playoff series and reinvigorate interest in the team in SoCal?
Uh, they didn’t. The Red Sox did.
The Red Sox handed Ramirez to the Dodgers, who then enjoyed their finest hour since ‘88. So after being gifted Ramirez, McCourt can now consumate his commitment to running the team as he promised when he took over the franchise.
Predictably, both sides are embarrassing themselves with petty posturing. Ramirez has backed off his enthusiasm for SoCal after raving about L.A. when he first arrived. He told T.J. Simers of the LOS ANGELES TIMES yesterday, “I want to see who is the highest bidder. Gas is up and so am I.”
McCourt is trying to pin the responsibility of the situation on Ramirez, in a futile attempt (Scott Boras, HELLO?) to keep the price down. But in the end, the Owner has no choice. If he wants a bonafide World Series contender, and he wants to make sure that local L.A. sports bars will think twice before banning Dodgers gear(!), the deal will get done.
Yeah, we’ve heard all about Ramirez’s act. How he’ll shut it down once he gets his money. Problem is, Curt Schilling admitted when the Bosox dealt the slugger that Ramirez was a dog all through the Red Sox’s World Series-winning years, and that the team would’ve voted him off the island during any of those seasons - going back to 2002.
Ramirez costs. But, if McCourt is truly the man he claims to be, having the Dodgers once again completely off the sports radar in SoCal is costlier*.
* See tar and feathers
8:27 pm on October 16th, 2008
Don't forget that the McCourts are still living off of the goodwill of taking over from the lousy ownership group in LA sports history*, Fox.
*Yes, worse than Donald T. Sterling.
8:28 pm on October 16th, 2008
If they keep Manny but let Lowe and Furcal walk, they're still just an 80-85 win team. Of course, that'll win that division by five games again next year. If Ned had more of a clue, they could dominate the NL.
8:29 pm on October 16th, 2008
It's not fair to compare the Dodgers with the Phillies. At least the Rockies have made it to the World Series in the past decade.
8:31 pm on October 16th, 2008
Think Arte Moreno is casting his eye up the 5?
8:33 pm on October 16th, 2008
The old guy sitting in the lower left with his hands out - is that Tommy Lasorda? Or John McCain?
8:35 pm on October 16th, 2008
Dodgers will win 80 games with Manny? Really?
It's a lot easier to find replacements for Lowe and Furcal. Without Manny, it's the same old story. With Manny, it's World Series or bust, which is the way it should be in this town.
8:37 pm on October 16th, 2008
With the kind of money Manny & Boras will be demanding, I can only see him ending up with either the Yankees, Mets or Angels.
8:39 pm on October 16th, 2008
And the Yankees, Mets or Angels can have him.
Jeez, Dice-K, nice job of rolling snake eyes in the 1st.
8:43 pm on October 16th, 2008
McCourt better find a way to keep Manny. The guy's an instant fan favorite of Angelenos. It'll be the smartest thing Frank's done since…well…um, I can't think of anything else.
8:45 pm on October 16th, 2008
McCourt? Sounds like some kind of drive-thru law service.
8:47 pm on October 16th, 2008
And another thing, if the Dodgers sign Manny for 5 years, he goes into Cooperstown as a Dodgers.
Like the deal Ryan did with the Rangers.
8:49 pm on October 16th, 2008
Curt Schilling's mad because Manny once swiped one of his Baconators without asking.
8:52 pm on October 16th, 2008
Curt should be grateful to Manny for saving his life. Those Baconators can kill you with cholesterol!
8:54 pm on October 16th, 2008
Better question, did his Caesar hcut get mussed by the ball?
8:58 pm on October 16th, 2008
If they don't sign Manny, the Dodgers can go back to being an afterthought on the L.A. sports landscape.
9:09 pm on October 16th, 2008
The Dodgers will always be an afterthought in L.A. until they win a couple of World Series again. The Lakers are popular because they keep winning. But if Kobe & crew get off to a rough start this season, you can bet a lot of Lakers flags will be coming of a lot of SUV's.
9:12 pm on October 16th, 2008
Looks like the Red Sox could have really used Manny this week. You'd think the boys in Boston could have tolerated Ramirez for a few more days in October just to get that third ring in 5 years.
9:15 pm on October 16th, 2008
Doesn't Frank McCourt know you're supposed to catch foul balls with your hands, not with your forehead?
9:18 pm on October 16th, 2008
Frank's trying out for the L.A. Galaxy, but he wanted to start small.
9:20 pm on October 16th, 2008
McCourt's being distracted by Serena's big butt.
As am I.
9:23 pm on October 16th, 2008
Wait - Manny's got gas?
No wonder nobody sits by him in the dugout.
9:46 pm on October 16th, 2008
If Manny stays in L.A., Dodger fans better enjoy their $50 bleacher seats.
10:02 pm on October 16th, 2008
McCourt & the Dodgers need to buy a better backstop screen.
11:04 pm on October 16th, 2008
Wow, you think Manny is enjoying the slow death of the Red Sox tonight?
2:02 am on October 17th, 2008
Actually, prob not. Hehe.