Let the baseball spending begin
Manny Ramirez is 36 years old. He has a history of erratic behavior.
But he also crushed baseballs during his late-season run with the Dodgers, transforming that team into a postseason threat. So that franchise has stepped up with a big offer.
The Los Angeles Times reported that ManRam could get $50 million over two years or $75 million for three years. Agent Scott Boras must weigh those offers against the opportunity to seek a longer-term deal on the open market, starting on Nov. 14.
“I want to see who is the highest bidder,” Ramirez said during the summer. “Gas is up and so am I.”
Now gas is down, below $2 a gallon in St. Louis.
“I believe that was a prognostication that was of a 24-hour period,” Boras joked Wednesday. “Manny’s stock career was short-lived.”
Boras is running the marketplace, again, because he also represents slugger Mark Teixeira. The much-coveted first baseman could command a six-year, $120 million deal as several big-market teams bid on him.
With Yankees executive Hank Steinbrenner vowing to spend crazy money this winter, look for top free agents to get insane money.
And look for the Cardinals to remain a safe distance from that over-spending.
MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE
Questions to ponder while the Blues try to pull themselves together:
- Now that the Dodgers turned out Brad Penny, should the Cardinals take a long look at him? Could Dave Duncan revive his career?
- Would the Braves trade shortstop Yunel Escobar to the Cardinals for Ryan Ludwick?
- Will Kansas State rally around ousted coach Ron Prince Saturday? Did this game suddenly become more dangerous for Mizzou?
BUY THIS GUY A BRADY QUINN JERSEY
He is a Browns fan, circa 2007. Don’t you love it when guys like this sit in your section?
JOEY PORTER AS A POINT
The noisy Dolphins linebacker was at it again Wednesday, wondering why Jaguars receiver Matt Jones is still playing football.
Jones was busted on cocaine possession charges in July. He has entered a drug treatment program, hoping to avert a felony conviction.
He appealed his subsequent three-game NFL suspension and played on. Porter, meanwhile, had to pay a $20,000 for criticizing referee Ed Hochuli after a loss to Houston.
“If I knew the answers, I’d still have 20 more thousand dollars,” Porter said. “But I’m still trying to figure out how a guy gets caught with cocaine in his car and still plays the game and nothing happens.
“He got caught with cocaine and Matt Jones is still playing football. How does he get away with that? And then you fine people $20,000 for making comments to the media about the refs. The guy got caught with cocaine.”
QUIPS ‘R US
Here is what some of America’s leading sports pundits have been writing:
Dan Daly, Washington Times: “Well, Charles Barkley, the erstwhile Round Mound of Rebound, is once again talking about running for governor of Alabama. I have my doubts, though - not about the “governor of Alabama” part, but about the “running” part. With Charles, I suspect, it’ll be more like a slow jog, perhaps even a leisurely stroll.”
Bill Simmons, ESPN.com, on Portland center Greg Oden: “I can’t remember a more fascinating big guy. Shaq was contrived. Robinson was a saint. Ewing was forced. Hakeem was bland. Kareem was a ninny. Wilt was self-absorbed. Russell was angry and defiant. Oden presents the first chance for us to connect with a big guy on a semispiritual level. He’s the lovable goofball who could have been your college roommate or next-door neighbor, the kid who went big time and took us with him. I want him to make it for the simple fact that I love basketball and we need more players like him. We just do. Unfortunately, he has rarely seemed like a franchise center in anything more than hype.”
Jerry Greene, Orlando Sentinel: “Don Doane, 62, bowled a perfect game (300), high-fived his teammates — and died from an apparent heart attack. Said a teammate: ‘It was like a book, a final chapter. He died with a smile on his face.’”
Steve Rosenbloom, ChicagoTribune.com: “Speaking of Kosuke Fukudome, the Cubs fired his interpreter. True fact. They want someone who jells better with the Cubs outfielder, says my colleague Paul Sullivan. No lie. That was the excuse. Seeing as how Fukudome hit about .200 over the last three months, I expect the Cubs to fire the left-handed batter’s box next, and the pine tar is certainly on notice.”
MEGAPHONE
“It reminded me of, obviously, when Martin Luther King spoke and the messages that he spoke about. As a man, if you teared up, it was acceptable because it was that deep. For the first time, I had the opportunity to vote and I can say that I was a part of it.”
Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb, on Barack Obama’s victory.
drink the koolaid mcnabb, and all will be all right
Hey Ken-
Check out newspapers around the globe and you’ll see the whole world is “drinking the cool-aid.”
Because they, like the MAJORITY of voters, believe OBAMA can affect change.
If Obama’s administration doesn’t get it done, I will be the first in line to vote him out in 4 years. Until then I am going to do what I can to support and act on this special moment in history.
I’ll take it over the crap I had to swallow for the last 8 years.
God, Yahweh, Allah, the Great Spirit, and all other deities BLESS AMERICA.
Go Blues!
How can this be Donavan’s first opportunity to vote?
Did he join the Eagles at 12?
Donovan, you have been eligible to vote since November 25, 1994. Are you seriously telling us that your first opportunity to vote was two days ago?
I imagine all of the black men who were killed or beaten prior to passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965 are really proud of you.
On a non-political topic, I found myself agreeing with Joey Porter for perhaps the first time ever. Shouldn’t cocaine possession make the personal conduct policy kick in?
American Dad apparently wants to ignore the last couple hundred years of politics in this country and expects anything to get done. Your a real gem dude…
Well the Blues have certainly turned this season around for the worse. It doesn’t help that are goaltenders keep getting hurt.
sorry american dad, i have never been much of a lemming….good luck to you though
Great point Tim, someone hasn’t been paying too much attention with what takes place in the real world.
No matter what happens the rest of the year, the Rams are much better off now that Dante Hall and Drew Bennett (hopefully) will never wear the uniform again. Is it out of line for the Rams to ask for a refund, especially from Bennett?
For the Cardinals to improve, more than likely either Ankiel or Ludwick will have to be traded. The guess is that Ludwick has more value, since he is coming off a great year and has three years before free agency kicks in.
Hopefully the Blues can stay healthy and start playing with more consistency.
I dare any of you to tell me how we are better off after the last 8 years. Because the policies of BUSH helped get us to this point.
But, yes, I do expect things to get done–everything? No. But myself, and the MAJORITY OF THE US VOTERS believe we have a better chance of bi-partisan work now more than ever for two reasons.
The first is because who we have elected as President.
The second is the old model didn’t work. 8 years of exclusivity by the executive branch has put us violently in debt, in a made up war we shouldn’t be in, thousands of our troops dead, an economic crisis comparable ONLY to the Depression, our weakening relationship with our allies,.
But I guess you all are going to win the lottery. So being against taxing the top 5% will really come in handy.
Duh.
LOL If you think no one under $250,000 will get taxed then it’s time for the padded room for you. By the way, this recession is in no way comparable to the Great Depression. And don’t take my word for it, go read the articles on it at MSNBC.com, or CNN.com, or any of the economic web sites. Let the educated economics explain your folly to you…
I guess what it comes down to on Ludwick is this: Was this a one and done thing last year, or can he still produce now that the league has seen him and he is a known commodity? I don’t think he has many holes in his swing, and he doesn’t take a lot of wild cuts, so I hold out more hope for him. But if we can get a good pitcher for him I’d be hard pressed to vote against that deal.