Comparing Manny Ramirez to Andrew Jones Contract Talks.

A few years back, while Andrew Jones was with the Atlanta Braves, Jones agreed to restructure his contract and accept less money overall so the Braves could re-sign Chipper Jones. At that time I basically worshipped the concept that a player would take less so his team would have more to spend to make the team better overall.

Manny Ramirez appeared to be more about the money, and as a fan that likes the idea of every team having one player that plays their entire career with the same team, it was a disappointment to see Manny go to Boston from Cleveland for not that much more money. Especially when one factors in that Boston and Cleveland got into a bidding war to drive Manny's price up.

Funny how things work out. The passivity that Jones showed regarding his own contract a few years back seems to have translated onto his play on the field, which has steadily declined over the past few years. Meanwhile, Manny Ramirez continues to play to a high enough standard to be considered one of best hitters in the league.

The question I have is, do ballplayers possibly notch down their own expectations if they have given the club trying to re-sign them a "home town discount"? In the case of Andrew Jones, it sure seems that way as Andrew Jones has once again "restructured" 18 million dollars the Dodgers owe him for the coming year. Yes, the Dodgers are waiving Andrew Jones and in exchange Andrew Jones has agreed to have the 18 million dollars spread out over the next 6 years. So, both times Andrew Jones restructured his contract to help a team, it directly correlated to declining performance, yikes.

Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation’s 6th Annual “In the Spirit of the Game” Sports and Entertainment Extravanganza.

Century City Los Angeles was the home of the Sixth Annual Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation’s “In the Spirit of the Game” Sports and Entertainment Extravaganza. This wonderful event supports and honors the scouting profession along with baseball veteran players and coaches.
A ginormous selection of auction memorabilia was on display as well in what is known as a "silent auction". The silent auction gives the PBSF an opportunity to raise funds for scouts who may not have the entire range of health and pension benefits enjoyed by baseball players they helped discover.

The PBSF was held at the Century Plaza Hotel in Century City and tickets started at 300 dollars and went up from there. Ticket Purchases help to ensure funds are raised and appropriated to baseball scouts in need while giving those who attended a chance to see many well known ballplayers and the scouts who discovered them, up close and personal.

Los Angeles Angels and Chicago White Sox headed for a deal?

The California Angeles seem to covet certain Chicago White Sox players such as Paul Konerko and Jermaine Dye. The Chicago White Sox covet Chone Figgins. Konerko almost signed with the Angels a couple of years back but instead re-signed with the Chicago White Sox. Would either team do a straight up deal, Figgins for either Dye or Konerko?

If Kendry Morales is going to play first base for the Angels, would they really want to put Konerko at DH and bottle up Vlad from taking a break in the outfield by DH'ing? Vlad prefers to play the outfield but the Angels benefited last year by using the DH to both "rest and play" their older vets.

Angel players such as Garret Anderson, Vlad Guerrero, Tori Hunter, Gary Matthews jr., all benefited by DH'ing when their nagging injuries didn't justify playing them in the field. If Konerko becomes the Angels DH, that DH carousel option is taken away from the Angels, plus they lose the versatility of a Chone Figgins as well.

Ozzie Guillen probably sees Chone Figgins as the ideal replacement to Scott Posednik, who helped the White Sox the year they won the World Series. It will be interesting to see if these two teams do more than talk, and what the final trade becomes.

Preston Gomez passes at 86

I never met Preston Gomez (on the right). When I saw this picture in the Los Angeles Daily News taken in 2008, I just thought the expression on Mr. Gomez's face was one of the most genuine moments I have ever seen. Mr. Gomez seemed to love being on a baseball field. If not for being hit by a car a year ago and the resulting injuries from which he never fully recovered, Mr. Gomez might have lived several more years. I bet he had a lot of great baseball stories in him. I hope some of them have been memorialized. I love that picture, that expression on his face, he looks so genuine. Preston Gomez La Times Tribute.

Ricky Henderson and Jim Rice elected to the Hall of Fame, Ricky's exit from baseball seems to have been forgotten.

One thing about Ricky Henderson that was not revisited prior to the 2009 Hall of Fame voting was the allegation that Ricky went to the Mets clubhouse during a playoff game to play cards with a teammate. It may have been Ricky's final year in the league, but it sure seemed to leave a sour taste for news writers and fans alike. Apparently Ricky had been used as a pinch hitter or pinch runner and once his participation had ended, rather than stay on the bench and observe and support his teammates, Rickey went to the clubhouse and played cards. Kind of a weird thing for a vet to do, actually.

But I think we can see what fives year of just laying low can bring, nothing but accolades and even curiosity over the 28 voters who did not vote for Ricky Henderson. Maybe those 28 remembered Ricky's not so classy exit from the game and just wanted to make sure he didn't get in via a unanimous vote. Obviously, what Ricky Henderson did in his final few games in the playoffs can't undo a lifetime of baseball achievement that included the record for lead off home runs and the ability to steal a base well into his forties. Neither can anyone forget Ricky repeatedly coming back to get just one more shot in the majors even when it meant starting out in the minors or lower to get back!

Congrats, Ricky Henderson. Jim Rice made it in his final chance before having to be voted in by the veteran hall of fame committee. Jim Rice was just dominant enough for just long enough to make squeeze in. Once a Hall of Famer, always a Hall of Famer. Congrats Jim Rice.

"I'm not Ozzie Blogspot" reporting Bartolo Colon to sign with the White Sox, why aren't the Cleveland Indians in the Hunt?

"I'm not Ozzie" Blogspot Reports that Bartolo Colon will sign a one year deal with the Chicago White Sox. Sigh, the real feel good story of 2009 would have been for Bartolo Colon to come back to Cleveland and be a teammate to the two All Stars Grady Sizemore and Cliff Lee, who were mere minor league prospects several years ago when Montreal traded them for Bartolo Colon.

Mark Shapiro should have tried to sign Bartolo and put him on a fitness training program for a month or two, even if it meant Bartolo would not be available until May or June. Why don't ballplayers ever see the silver lining, the " if we build it they will come" moment in their careers? For Bartolo Colon, coming back to Cleveland right after CC Sabathia left, and being along side the progeny that his trade from Cleveland had created, would have been the right place at the right time in the right year.

Boston Red Sox continue picking up Quality Vets at "Bargain" prices.

This offseason is unlike any in recent memory when it comes to comparing the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees signings. One can argue that the Yankees had "no choice" when it came to signing CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and AJ Burnett who collectively will cost the yankees almost 60 million in yearly payroll.

Meanwhile the Red Sox have been able to add Rocco Baldelli, Takashi Saito, Josh Bard, Brad Penny and John Smoltz, with Mark Kotsay soon to follow. The departure of Manny Ramirez has freed the Boston Red Sox to do what I suggested they could have done all along, field a much overall deeper team by finding the 5-8 million dollar veterans that can be difference makers, even if they are bench players or relievers.

I think the Yankees did what they had to do, but the Red Sox should be the deeper team in the 2009 season, and they may have Manny Ramirez's departure to thank for it.

Contrasting the Yankees and Red Sox, it seems like the Red Sox have more stars.

It seems like whomever the Red Sox continue to pursue, even if it is for their bench, the ballplayers tend to be good solid players. Their latest pursuit includes Rocco Baldelli and John Smoltz, It appears that trading Manny Ramirez has helped the Red Sox acquire more overall talent spread around the field, even when it comes to the bench.

As for the Yankees, after signing AROD, CC, and AJ Burnett, who combined will cost the Yankees over 65 million a year, it appears that they don't quite have the payroll flexibility to just sign solid players, especially for the bench. Certainly not as good as Rocco Baldelli or even a healthy Mike Lowell. Heck, the Red Sox are allegedly trying to acquire Hanley Ramirez! Perhaps besides losing Manny's contract, what has helped the Red Sox is the emergence of many fine young prospects from their own minor leagues, including young relievers that don't cost much money.

If a team has a payroll of 150 million or higher, that suddenly works out to 6 million per player, so if a team with a super high payroll avoids putting a large chunk of it into two or three players, they suddenly can put really good positions players all over the place, especially when that team also has players making the league minimum because they came up in their own farm system.

Carl Pavano signs with the Cleveland Indians, wow!

This is a shocker, Carl Pavano signs with the Cleveland Indians. What would be really amazing is if Pavano actually lasted until Jake Westbrook returned. What I'm saying is even if Carl can't make it a year without some sort of injury, imagine if he lasted just long enough until a proven vet like Jake Westbrook returned. Then anything after that would be a bonus.

I still wish the Indians and Bartolo could both come to terms, with Bartolo really working his tail off to get into shape. Pavano's signing is surely a typical Shapiro surprise, nobody quite expected it, and we won't know if it was solid or not until the end of the season. So be it.

Bartolo Colon, aka Java the Hut, sits back and waits for his next juicy victim.

I followed Bartolo Colon's career. Year after year he would get slightly fatter, and apparently stronger in the legs. It became the "excuse" for Bartolo's annually expanding girth, "He has strong legs". I guess for several years Bartolo was able to move his mass forward under the direction of his powerful legs, the excuse even being that his strong legs actually made his pitches go faster and that sometimes in the late innings his pitches got even faster.

Then Bartolo's injuries started, and yes, Bartolo's weight played a part in those injuries. Yet Bartolo shouldered on, never once really going on any kind of a noticeable diet. So here we are in 2009, and Bartolo Colon could actually resurrect his career, if only he would lose some weight.

Instead, Bartolo, it appears, will play the role of Java the Hut, welcoming those who would venture into his den and overpay for an overweight "athlete" who appears capable of insulating himself from what would make him better, being in better shape. The Indians did right by Bartolo Colon, even when they traded Bartolo to Montreal.

Because Montreal was a team in desperate need of a starter and his presence there was appreciated by the Montreal fans. Bartolo's effectiveness in Montreal helped land him a four year deal from the Angels, of which at the most he earned 2 years of. Bartolo spent more and more time on the DL during his four years in California.

More rehab followed, and now, instead of having started a physical fitness regimen to show he is serious about the game, apparently Bartolo Colon is content to sit back and wait for his reputation and past success to wrest another one year contract from a desperate team. If only Bartolo could embrace the adventure of going back to Cleveland, especially after the departure of CC Sabathia, and actually being the pitcher the Indians needed to bring them over the hump in 2009. But I guess that is asking too much of a pitcher, to actually visualize their own success when all that really matters is a fat contract.

Cleveland Indians should try and get Hanley Ramirez from the Florida Marlins before the Red Sox do...

Now is the time for Mark Shapiro to step to the plate and finally solidify his team by trading for Hanley Ramirez. Why Hanley Ramirez when the Indians have Jhonny Peralta? Because the Indians seem stuck between third and short when it comes to Jhonny Peralta and they could probably give Florida an interesting mix of players, and as an added bonus, they prevent Boston from getting even better than they already are.

How about Hanley Ramirez for Jhonny Peralta, Josh Barfield, Matt LaPorta, Edward Mujica, Tony Sipp, and perhaps some cash if necessary. The Marlins would instantly gain the best offensive shortstop from the A.L.. Jhonny Peralta's 2008 numbers are BETTER than Derek Jeter's 2008 numbers and he should have won the silver slugger award for A.L. Shortstops. Matt LaPorta is really a potential superstar who will probably be ready for the majors by the beginning of August. Mujica and Sipp will contribute in the pen, and Josh Barfield goes back to the National League where he previously flourished with the San Diego Padres.

The Indians FINALLY get a blend of speed and power from both the outfield AND infield positions, something they have been lacking for quite some time. This is the kind of trade that thins the Indians out for the long haul, but instantly elevates the Indians offense on par with anybody else's offense, and also keeps the Red Sox from getting Hanley Ramirez as well. The Indians are still short one starter but having a solid infield and outfield defense may add a few extra innings to the starters totals, which would help the bullpen get by on the days when the back end of the starting rotation is having a tough day.

It would be a daring trade for both clubs, and both clubs could end up benefiting from this trade as well.

Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants pursue Manny Ramirez, mirroring what the Yankees and Red Sox did in pursuit Teixeira.

The Los Angeles Dodgers face a scary situation. The biggest problem with losing a prized player to someone who plays in the same division is the head to head competition. If the Dodgers lose Manny Ramirez to the San Francisco Giants, the swing in productivity could favor the Giants 10-15 games while losing the Dodgers 10-15 games.

If Manny Ramirez can swing three of the eighteen games to the Giants that would have gone to the Dodgers, the net gain is SIX games, not three, because the three games are head to head competition. In the course of 18 games, yes I could see Manny Ramirez being a difference maker at least 3 games, resulting in a six game swing between the Dodgers and Giants. Then factor in what happens in the other 144 games each team plays. If Manny is a difference maker for the Giants 10 more times, and not having Manny causes the Dodgers grief ten extra times, the Dodgers could lose a total of 16 games to the Giants in the upcoming season.

If the Giants also pick up a Joe Crede, and he is healthy and performs, the Dodgers could be in a situation where suddenly the Giants are breathing down their necks the entire season, and the Dodgers may not even be in the playoff hunt. Would the Dodgers really want to face San Francisco late in the season with their playoff hopes on the line and Manny Ramirez coming up to bat?

Now lets talk attendance. The presence of Manny Ramirez could result in an average of 5,000 more fans per game, because Manny's presence almost guarantees that the Dodger games in September will still mean something. When Eric Gagne was cruising to the record for consecutive saves, Dodgers fans actually looked forward to staying for a Gagne appearance. How many fans will stay an extra inning or two just to watch Manny's final at bat of the night, that sure helps the stadium's concession coffers fill up.

What the Dodgers are going through is the agony the Yankees were going through. The Yankees simply could not afford to lose a player of Teixeira's ability to a division rival, and the Dodgers similarly cannot afford to lose Manny to a division rival. About the only difference is the Red Sox already had a better line-up than the yankees, whereas the Dodgers will fall back while the Giants gain massively.

I recall hearing a rumor that the McCourts plunked a really big wad of money into their Malibu diggs. Wouldn't it be ironic if the McCourts splurged one year too early on their own real estate desires and as a result could not sign the ONE player that would probably have helped pay off their huge Malibu investment?

Have the McCourts really done enough to earn the right to have such an opulent home when it could actually cause them to not have enough left in their operating budget to invest in the ONE player who would probably ensure the type of success worthy of the home they are already creating?

It would not surprise me if Boras creates a 10 million dollar gap between the two teams. Whatever the Giants offer Manny, the Dodgers will have to beat it by 10 million. It looks like Manny will get a four year deal, worth anywhere from 90 million to a 110 million. Wow.

Creating a 26th man on the roster for older baseball players.

There are many 35 and over vets that actually have some game left, but just can't be justified for the 25 man roster. I think it could spice the game of baseball up a bit if a 26th spot could be kept open for ball players that are 35 years of age or older.

In 2006, (Todd Hollandsworth's final year in the majors) Todd Hollandsworth made a spectacular ninth inning throw that nailed a runner trying to tag up and score the tying run from third. The ball blew in all the way on a fly and the runner, who by all accounts should have been safe, was out as Vic Martinez caught the ball just before the runner arrived. Any sort of bounce at all and the runner would probably have easily been safe. It remains a memory for me because the throw was so expertly and forcefully delivered from a pretty good distance away.

Todd Hollandsworth is the kind of vet who could probably come into certain late inning defensive situations and perhaps make another magical throw home. Other than his prolific arm, Hollandsworth might not get much playing time. As it stands now, Mr. Hollandsworth's Major League career ended after the 2006 season, even though Todd still has something to give to the game of baseball.

Trot Nixon is another example of a player who can still hit, but just can't really be justified taking up a precious roster spot on a 25 man team. I love to see Trot handle the bat even at his "advanced" age. Fouling off pitch after pitch, maybe just to work the pitcher for a walk, or a seeing eye single. Watching any Trot Nixon at bat sure beats watching a rookie get behind in the count and then meekly swing at strike three because they had no idea what pitch was coming next.

Fred McGriff, who nobody would ever mistake as a steroid user, fell just short of 500 home runs (493). It sure would have been neat to see the crime dog get number 500 without having to take up one of the coveted 25 regular roster positions.

Curtis Pride is another ballplayer who spent 95% of his career in the minors. Born almost completely deaf, Curtis would have been an ideal 26th guy and it would have been a great reward for a ballplayer who languished so long in the minors because he loved the game.

Look at the way it ended for Kenny Lofton. 90 feet away from being the tying run in the 7th game of the Red Sox / Indians 2007 championship game. Kenny was probably erroneously held up on what should have been a game tying single. Was that really the last we will ever see of Kenny Lofton. Kenny still looked good even at age 40 and still had base running speed as well. Kenny Lofton would make an ideal second half player for a team headed towards the playoffs, but once again, probably not on a 25 man squad, but most likely on a 26 man squad.

Every baseball city, every team, has a story of a veteran player who still had something to give his team, but was put out to pasture because the 25 man roster could not accommodate him. It might sure add some humility to the rest of the roster to see what it's like to be older and talented and willing to take a very part time job just for the love of the game.

Major League Baseball Network Premieres in 50 million homes Today.

If you would like to contribute what channel you found Major League Baseball on in your area, please do so in the comments section. Time Warner in the Los Angeles area had it on channel 276.