The Trade Deadline...

[Guest AG/DC]

Of course I recognize that those are only 29 at-bats. They just suggest more reason hope than 29 at-bats of failure would.

Super important = modestly interesting.

[metirish]

Manny should be super motivated now that he will be a FA come the end of the season , Boras is the agent and I read that if he leaves LA then they will get a first round draft pick and a sandwich pick as compensation.

Not bad.

[Guest Vince Coleman Firecracker]

My friend's a Dodgers fan and he's jazzed about the trade, but I don't think a few weeks of Manny Ramirez and compensatory picks are worth LaRoche's career. Then again, maybe the Dodgers win it all this year and DeWitt winds up being a better third baseman than LaRoche.

[metirish]

Davidoff rates the winners and losers. Why not I suppose , everyone else is.

Winners and Loosers

[smg58]

It's more like predicting the winners and losers, at this point. We'll be able to rate the buyers in October. The sellers will take longer, unless LaRoche starts mashing right away.

[Guest holychicken]

It is good for the Dodgers that they got manny. . . but freeway world series? I know that he didn't outright predict it, but the Dodgers have been struggling to get above 500. . . I have hard time believing that putting Manny in that lineup really makes them look better than any of the big dogs in the central.

[Guest AG/DC]

Well, they got Manny and Casey Blake. And we're looking at them possibly (if Torre goes all batsmiths all the time) replacing of Juan Pierre and Andruw Jones.

[Guest holychicken]

But still . . . from 500 to WS? Seems like quite a jump. I wouldn't even be surprised if they still don't make the playoffs.

[Benjamin Grimm]

You don't have to be much above .500 to win the World Series. (See the 2006 Cardinals.)

In fact, one of these days we'll see a sub-.500 team make the playoffs and perhaps win the whole thing.

All the Dodgers need to do is finish ahead of Arizona and have a hot run in October. And Manny can (not necessarily will, but can) help them do that.

[Guest holychicken]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: You don't have to be much above .500 to win the World Series. (See the 2006 Cardinals.) In fact, one of these days we'll see a sub-.500 team make the playoffs and perhaps win the whole thing. All the Dodgers need to do is finish ahead of Arizona and have a hot run in October. And Manny can (not necessarily will, but can) help them do that.

I am not saying that they have no chance and that there is no scenario in which it can happen.

All I am saying is that I don't think they have really put themselves into the top teams in the league with these moves which is the way he made it sound, IMO.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: You don't have to be much above .500 to win the World Series. (See the 2006 Cardinals.) In fact, one of these days we'll see a sub-.500 team make the playoffs and perhaps win the whole thing.

I've been hoping for this ever since '94 just to show up Selig. I don't like Wild Cards, Expanded Playoffs and the illogical Expansion plan that left MLB with a 14 team league and a 16 team league; a four team division and a six team division.

Don't get me started on Interleague Play.

[stevejrogers]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: ="Benjamin Grimm"]You don't have to be much above .500 to win the World Series. (See the 2006 Cardinals.) In fact, one of these days we'll see a sub-.500 team make the playoffs and perhaps win the whole thing. I've been hoping for this ever since '94 just to show up Selig. I don't like Wild Cards, Expanded Playoffs and the illogical Expansion plan that left MLB with a 14 team league and a 16 team league; a four team division and a six team division. Don't get me started on Interleague Play.

Did you enjoy the 2000 National League Champions?

Did you enjoy the 2003 and 2004 World Champs who beat the hated Yankees?

FWIW the 2006 Cardinals DID win the Central that year. So like the 1973 Mets, they do represent the teams with the least amount of wins to win a non-strike division.

[Guest AG/DC]

I think a mature person is capable of disliking a system even when it serves his interests.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I suspect that concept is beyond Steve's grasp.

[batmagadanleadoff]

AG/DC wrote: I think a mature person is capable of disliking a system even when it serves his interests.

Exactly.

[batmagadanleadoff]

SteveJRogers wrote: Did you enjoy the 2000 National League Champions? Did you enjoy the 2003 and 2004 World Champs who beat the hated Yankees? FWIW the 2006 Cardinals DID win the Central that year. So like the 1973 Mets, they do represent the teams with the least amount of wins to win a non-strike division.

I'm only addressing one point here -- or rather, one aspect of one of your points to be exact -- but your argument cuts both ways. The Mets were the best team in the National League in 2006, if not all of baseball. Under the previous playoff system, their chances of getting to the WS are deservedly better. Under the system before that one, the Mets are your 2006 NL pennant winners and the 2006 WS is another Subway Series. It makes no sense to assess the current system solely through the narrow prism of NY baseball.

[Elster88]

I wonder if Kaz Matsui would pass waivers.

[stevejrogers]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I suspect that concept is beyond Steve's grasp.

No, I understand just fine. Just that I see that argument used in other places, so I'd figure I'd say it here and see bml's response.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Once again, we have no interest in you bringing us dumb arguments from other places. You contribute more than enough of your own.

[Guest AG/DC]

The Rogers Bait and Switch is so 2006.