Centerfield

Not that everyone else hasn't had it with the Red Sox, but here goes, briefly.

The idea that Manny will get shipped is hotter than ever, possibly by this weekend. The rumors include to the Orioles for Tejada, to the Padres for Peavy or for Linebrink and prospects, or to the Dodgers for several good bat prospects. heating up the cred on those rumors are concurrent ones that the Red Sox are quite close to signing 31 year old JD Drew for an unfathomable 14 million per, just one year after refusing to budge off of 10 million for Johnny Damon. Everyone seem to expect that we'll sign Julio Lugo to play shortstop, too. I'd love to see us get Peavey, and am tired of the Manny show, but it's hard to imagine us having a starting rotation as good as Schilling-Beckett-Matsuzake-Peavey-Papelbon.

I'm amazed by how the prices for MLB free agents have suddenly spiked after a period of relative sanity. Folks round here balked at the Sox inking Beckett to an extension at 10 million per year becuase he had an up and down year, but that's looking like a swell bargain now, with Adam Eaton getting 8 million and journeymen like Jeff Suppan, Gil Meche, and Ted Lilly looking for 10 mil. Beckett may not turn out to be reliably ace-caliber, but he's much better than a borderline 3-4 starter like those guys.

Bobby, what do you think the chances are the Dodgers will splurge for Manny? You guys could sure use a big bat. Nomar is your only "power" guy, and he's more of a line drive doubles power guy who can get you 20-25 homers than he is a true longball threat.

Twins 2006: Division championship, Cy Young winner, batting champ, MVP. Even though I'm disappointed that Liriano will be out in 2007 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, I am very much looking forward to spring.

It was 60 degrees in Minneapolis on Monday. It was 6 degrees this morning. Another reason that I'm already looking forward to spring.

Still adjusting to the D'Backs change in uniform color. What is this obsession the league has with red?

Yeah, I was disappointed by that. There are plenty of teams whose colors are red. The D-backs old colors were more appropriate both to the team mascot and to the motifs of the region. The original design is ballsy. The new unis smack of hokey me-tooism.

The teams that need uniform redesigns are the ones with unfortunate mascots, like say the Padres and the Browns.

This youtube Tom Brady clip is hysterical. Hat tip sports guy.

More funny QB stuff, this is Drew Bledsoe's blog.

I like Dallas and San Diego to go the Super Bowl with New England, Seattle and New Orleans as other safe picks. Chicago can't make it until they figure out the potion to keep Evil Rex from popping up at inopportune times. Indy is fatally flawed.

I think I work at the company Scott Adams based Dilbert on.

It's blogbreak time for me. The election wore me out somehow. I'm feeling tired about posting, and I can see the quality of I do get out getting worse.

I'll start posting again sometime around New Year's Day.

Until then, I'll limit my pestering to commenting.

BTW, Drew Bledsoe's Mom lost an election last month here in Austin - she claimed her son was supporting her without actually asking him first, and he publically came out against her.

Nothing like a little time away, Jon. I disappeared for several months after Hurricane Katrina when I just couldn't stand the immediate politicization of a terrible natural disaster. I was much better for it.

I'll keep an eye out for your comments (and hey, make some over at Stubborn Facts sometime, will you?), and I look forward to seeing you back next month.

"This message illustrating the path may be the disfavored's last clue"

[I have deleted the remainder of this 3300+ word mindless potted meatoid product. It's already been spread around the 'net more than enough. Google what remains if you care to read it, it's out there. The originating IP has been banned from further posting. If the jokester wants privileges back, email an admin.--Tully]

Brian,

I actually think there's a strong possibility that the Dodgers will trade for Manny. The Dodgers had virtually no homerun power last year, and it was generally considered their biggest liability. They're losing Drew to free agency, so that's not going to help on that front, and it's pretty obvious they're going to chase a big-time power-hitting corner outfielder (Juan Pierre, whom they overpaid ridiculously, will only be replacing Lofton in center). There isn't that kind of a hitter left on the free agent market, so I think the Dodgers will have to look to a trade.

What appears to be the real show-stopper is who the Red Sox get back in the tade. The Dodgers top young position players-- Loney, DeWitt, LaRoche, Kemp, and Ethier-- as well as young pitchers Billingsley, Kuo, Elbert-- along with a large group of next-wave emerging prospects whom they could make available in a trade. But I think the front office would only be willing to lose a couple of their top prospects to take on Manny's $38M (and perhaps less so if they have to take his options). Given the market, the deal really isn't the worst, but his defense is what seems to scare Dodger fans.

Bobby,

Manny's defense isn't really that bad when viewed on a day-to-day basis. He only makes the national broadcasts for his brain farts.

Plus, the size, shape, and lighting conditions of RF in Fenway Park are what forced Boston to put him in LF. Given a semi-normal RF situation, he could be easily hidden back in RF. And FWIW, Manny's defensive miscues rarely if ever cost us a game. I'm sure it has happened once or twice, but I watch almost every game, and I can't remember one.

His effort is sporadic, but he makes virtually all the routine plays, most of the moderate ones, and gets a pretty good break on many gappers as well. To give you a comparison, I would be no more concerned about Manny's defense than I would be about Gary Sheffield's, based on how Sheffield has played in RF during his time with the Yankees. Disinterested, but not incompetent. We got to see Canseco play some RF here in Boston. He was MUCH worse. I'm more worried about Wily Mo Pena's defense than Manny's...

and Oh, the homers! The guy is baseball's rain man, there's no other way to put it. The reason he is so truly dangerous is that he hits good pitching so well. He's definitely not one of those guys who fattens his stats by eating up stiffs, and then disappears against good pitching, like, say, Frank Thomas in his later years.

Yeah, I've heard the same thing from Cleveland fans as well: that Manny gets a bum rap for his defense, and that he's really not as bad as his reputation. (They actually used to tell me the same thing about Dave Justice, for that matter).

If the Dodgers got Manny, they would probably move Ethier to right field and play Ramirez in left, but I'm not sure-- I personally thought they might try and convert Nomar to left field, and move Ethier regardless. But it's hard to say.

The thing about the Dodgers is that losing Drew took $11M off the books this year, and they were already coming in with a fairly low payroll because they've got no less than 8 pre-arbitration players on the 25-man roster: C Martin, 1B Loney, 3B Betemit, OF Ethier, OF Kemp, SP Billingsley, SP/RP Kuo, RP Broxton. That puts them in a position where they can afford to overspend on short-term (read: 2-3 year) contracts, since those guys won't start making big money until about that point. It means they could essentially pick up Manny's option years, too, though I'm sure if they have to do that, they're going to go back and tell Boston to take back Brad Penny or that they'll only get one or two instead of two or three prospects.

It will be interesting to see what happens, but given the outrageous nature of the current salary explosion, I don't necessarily think Manny's contract is a bad deal.

Reports now say the Manny deals are all but dead. IMO it still makes sense for a team like the Dodgers to acquire a guy like Ramirez. I'm glad if he stays here, because then I get to keep watching him hit.

Such dealings are a real schooling to watch. On the one hand, the Red Sox, by simply offering up a such a stunning talent, are conceding that he has qualities which make him undesirable. Yet they insist on "fair value." On the other hand, the other teams know by the past results that despite his warts, he makes your team WAY better offenasive, and so must be worth close to full value. Yet they balk at paying 90-something cents on the dollar.

IMO, any team that thinks it's a top bat away from being a genuine championship contender over the next couple of years should pay the price in the ballpark of two top prospects and a decent contributing regular player. Frankly, I'd rather have Manny than some other teams yet-to-be-fulfilled hopes plus another lunchbucket guy.

When I am old and gray on the stoop still talking baseball, I'm far more likely to treasure a couple extra Manny stories to add to the saga...