Think Manny's Any Good?

Back at .500. Derek Lowe looked like s**t last night. I’ve never seen him look so bad. It was the worst game I’ve seen a Dodger pitch against St. Louis since Chan Ho Park gave up 2 grand slams to Fernando Tatis in the same inning – the first inning – in 1999. (Davey Johnson should never have given him Chan Ho the opportunity. He should’ve pulled him the 2nd time Tatis walked up to the dish with the bases juiced. Park was never the same after that.) Nice outing, Derek. So, that’s what we’re gonna get from you against the good times down the stretch?

Have I mentioned Manny Ramirez is great?

Why did Joe Torre have to make that big stink with the umps in the 8th inning about Sweeney and Kent? The rules states that, whether the umpire declares a player is in the game or not, if he steps into the batter’s box, he’s officially in the game and Mark Sweeney clearly stepped into the box. The 20 minute argument helped kill the momentum the Dodgers had established early in the inning and may have contributed to killing their rally. Torre played the remainder of the game under protest, hoping the game will restart on some assigned date from that point in the game where Sweeney came in to pinch hit. Fat chance that protest will be upheld. What a waste of time. Still, didn’t matter. Derek Lowe gave them no chance to win.

Great game today for Clayton Kershaw. This wasn’t the Washington Nationals he shut down, it was the mighty Cardinals in St. Louis. Another big dong for Manny. His 4th in 6 games since joining the team! And a slumping, confused Russell Martin sat down today, giving Danny Ardoin a turn behind the dish, but more importantly, giving someone who knows what they’re doing a shot at hitting in the 3 hole in front of Manny. Jeff Kent got a couple of hits and was on base when Manny homered. He also scored in the first on Loney’s hit.

Have I mentioned Manny Ramirez is great?

Boy, that 3-4 in the Redbirds lineup of Pujols and Ludwick sure is scary and it really brings to light just how little the Dodgers had going for them offensively before the arrival of Manny and how they still need that other frightening bat. Almost makes me want to see just how much of an effect Manny has had on “The Stink.” Can you imagine if The Stink transformed back into Andruw Jones and Furcal came back, what the Dodger lineup would look like? Allow me to indulge assuming this were to occur after the Sept 1st expansion to 40 man rosters.

1) Furcal SS
2) Martin C
3) Kemp RF
4) Manny LF
5) Jones CF
6) Loney 1B
7) Kent 2B
8) Blake 3B

On the bench, Nomar, Pierre, Ethier, DeWitt, Young, Sweeney, Ardoin, Berroa, Ozuna, Hu, Repko. What a bench. One of the best lineups in baseball. All possible only if Furcal can make a miraculous recovery and if The Stink no longer stunk and did what he was supposed to do.

Some thoughts around the league:

They say that the Orioles are shopping their 30 save closer, George Sherrill. I don’t get it. The non-waiver deadline is over. He’s too good. I’m not sure I really understand the August 31st waiver trading deadline. Unlike the non-waiver trading period in which clubs can just trade pretty much whomever they want for whomever they want, with the waiver deadline, if you want to trade a guy, you can only complete the trade by putting him on waivers and hoping no one claims him off the wire. So, how can a guy like Sherrill, with so many teams looking for bullpen help, possibly make it through the waiver wire without someone grabbing him up?

Evidently my look-alike, Brian Giles, has been put on waivers and picked up by Boston. With hat or helmet on, he looks like my twin, except he’s a little thicker than I am and slightly younger. As much as I despise them, I’d look good in a Boston uniform.

Joba Chamberlain on the DL. The Yanks have their work cut out for them. I wouldn’t count them out, however. Detroit, on the other hand, has got to win the Underachievers of the Year Award in professional sports. With the acquisitions they made in the off season and the lineup and pitching staff they assembled, how could they possibly be under .500 and 81/2 games out in August?? I had ‘em winning it all. Shows how much I know about this game.

The Dodgers lost a chance to gain a game and a half in a 2 day period after the Snakes nearly had a perfecto thrown at them by rookie hurler Jeff Karstens, acquired from the Yanks in the Nady deal a couple of weeks ago. They got the half game back today, but still trail the DBacks by 2. They need a sweep in the City by the Bay. I’ll take 2 out of 3, but they really need a sweep.

Have I mentioned Manny Ramirez is great?