Manny in Blue?

Lately, there has been alot of talk about bringing Manny Ramirez to Los Angeles. Afterall, the Dodgers are one of a few teams that have the prospects that can appease the Red Sox. On the otherhand, do we really want to trade our Blue chip players?

Anyway, Protrade ask its researchers about the possibility of Manny being moved. Check it out here.

My favorite comment is in haiku form from Ryan Wilkins:

Sands through hourglass
Like balls through Manny's feet, glove
Worth the effort, stress?

Hat Tip: Baseball Musings:

2 Dodgers Named to the 48th Annual Topps Major League Rookie All-Star Team

Topps recently announced their 48th Annual Rookie All Star Team members. Both outfielder Andre Ethier and catcher Russell Martin are included. Below is a complete list of the winners.

1B Prince Fielder, Milwaukee (157 games, 28 HR, 81 RBI, .271)
2B Dan Uggla, Florida (154, 27, 90, .282)
3B Ryan Zimmerman, Washington (157, 20, 110, .287)
SS Hanley Ramirez, Florida (158, 17, 59, .292)
OF Melky Cabrera, New York (A.L.) (130, 7, 50, .280)
OF Andre Ethier, Los Angeles (N.L) (126, 11, 55, .308)
OF Nick Markakis, Baltimore (147, 16, 62, .291)
C Russell Martin, Los Angeles (N.L.) (121, 10, 65, .282)
RHP Justin Verlander, Detroit (186 IP, 17-9, 3.63, 124 K, 60 BB)
LHP Francisco Liriano, Minnesota (121 IP, 12-3, 2.16, 144k, 32BB)

I'm hoping this is the start of something beautiful. Remember when the Dodgers had a rookie contending for Rookie of the Year honors every year? Hopefully, this time around, we can celebrate a championship along with our stellar rookies.

Topps 2007 Baseball Card Design

Topps just released the design for their 2007 flagship Baseball card product. It is a black bordered set that is reminiscent of the 1971 Topps Set (see below).
One of the nice things I like about black bordered sets is that they naturally frame the players photos in an attractive way. Kind of like how mating a photo with a darker shade can make a picture look a hundred times better. On the negative side, oftentimes any amount of handling will cause the border to fade or scrape off. Of course, most of today's' cards are laminated and significantly more rigid than cards of old. So, I doubt this is a real problem nowadays.

The new Topps cards hit the stores in February 2007. It comes just in time for spring training, but weeks too late for Christmas.

Photo & Story Link: Topps:

Hey Birthday Boy

How could I have missed this. Happy Birthday Vin!

Busy Week

Wow. Just when I thought I should take a breather during the holiday week the Dodgers get busy and get down to business.

Juan Pierre- Welcome to the Blue. Randy Wolf- Welcome home!

I don't really have anything negative to say about Juan Pierre. Considering how tight the free agent market is and the lack of high-powered outfielders available I am quite happy with his addition to the team. I think this creates a formidable 1,2 punch at the top of the order. I hope that Furcal continues as the lead-off man with Pierre and his high contact/ball in play abilities batting second.

Randy Wolf is local player who has decided to take less to play in front of his home crowd. His one year contract will probably be considered the best bargain this winter.

I'm starting to love Colletti's approach. Sign players who want to play in Los Angeles.

We now have the following players on the team who have professed their childhood love of the Dodgers:

Jeff Kent
Nomar Garciaparra
Randy Wolf

Is Mike Lieberthal next?

Welcome Home Nomar!

Nomar will be roaming the field in Dodger Blue the next two years. Who knows where he will play. Who knows how many games he will participate in. All I know is that he bleeds Blue.

Furthermore, I can't help but compare Nomar with former Dodger JD Drew. Both players are offensive contributors. They hit for average. They can hit the long ball. They both get on base at healthy clips. On the other hand, they couldn't be more different players.

In this day and age of rising salaries and free agents it's easy to see why loyalty and honor become secondary considerations. JD Drew is no exception. He came out West for a change of scenery. His family apparently enjoys it out here and Pasadena has provided a good home. He made numerous statements indicating that he would opt to honor his contract and stay in Blue. Afterall, we probably didn't get our full moneys worth due to injuries that sidelined him early on in his Dodger career. Unfortunately, the thin market and dollars floating across his eyes became too enticing.

Then, we have an LA native whose family roots for the Dodgers. He is a player who has never been accused of being soft. Nomar plays through injuries. By all accounts, he negotiated in good faith and implied that he had only one choice for future employment. Nomar has been a man of his word. Not only that, his bond with the team goes further than just his salary. Like I wrote previously, his parents root for the Dodgers. His cousins root for the Dodgers. His entire family roots for the Dodgers.

Coletti made a statement recently about only signing players who want to be a Dodger. I think Nomar is the perfect embodiment of that message. Welcome Home Nomar! I'm glad you decided to stay.

As for JD. Well... I got some choice words for you.

Generator Link: Warholizer:

Update: We find out from the LA Times that Nomar and Mia are expecting twins. Congratulations! I can't wait to see them jumping around on the field.