Memo to Costas: I'd Rather Watch Manny Than Listen to You posted by Greg Archuleta

I used to like Bob Costas.

When he first broke into broadcasting, he was one of the best in the business. His knowledge of any sport he covered and style of delivery had eloquence without pomposity.

As he became more well-known and famous, his opinions started to matter. I didn't always agree with them, but they were thought out and well-expressed, so I gave him a pass. He was still Bob Costas, one of the best broadcasters in sports.

Then came the movie appearances and the moving away from sporting events to host talk shows. Costas, while still eloquent, wasn't always as funny as he thought. But that was OK, because he was Bob Costas.

But his latest salvo at an entire community during Los Angeles Dodger Manny Ramirez's minor-league assignment as he prepares for his return tonight from a 50-game suspension for using a banned substance shows that Costas now has become pompous and overbearing and self-righteous.

Costas was a guest on the final Tirico and Van Pelt Show on ESPN Radio earlier this week and bashed Albuquerque for turning Ramirez's two-game appearance into a "celebration." Costas said he didn't have a problem with Ramirez having the opportunity to tune up at the minor league level as he gets ready to return from his suspension.

"What I do have a problem with," Costas told co-hosts Mike Tirico and Scott Van Pelt, "is the ideal that when he shows up in Albuquerque, he's treated like a returning hero. It was tasteless to have Manny Ramirez promotions around there.

"I understand the possible political aspect of it, but Bill Richardson shows up, the governor of New Mexico and the mayor of Albuquerque show up as if they're greeting Lindbergh coming back after his transatlantic flight. What the heck is that?"

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Are Joe Torre's Dodgers looking like Torre's 1998 Yankees? posted by Cesar Valverde

It's starting to look like Joe Torre is running away with a 14th consecutive trip to the playoffs as a manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They've been straight up dominating the opposition in the NL West. Some might say, "Oh, the NL West has the worst teams in baseball. It's the easiest division." Regardless, the Dodgers are where they're at 79 games into the season. All this and they're doing it without Manny Ramirez. They're hasn't been a superstar in the lineup. Everybody on the team is pitching in. Over the past 14 years, Torres had a knack of making things happen with the players given to him yet still make the playoffs.This team is starting to remind me of Torre’s 1998 Yankees. How’s does this Dodger team compare? Let’s take a look.

These are the 1998 Standings for that record-setting Yankee championship team 79 games into the season:

AL East Division
Tm W L W-L% GB RS RA pythW-L%
NYY 59 20 .747 -- 479 324 .672
BOS 51 32 .614 10.0 453 365 .598
TOR 44 42 .512 18.5 409 429 .478
BAL 38 48 .442 24.5 420 453 .465
TBD 34 50 .405 27.5 307 391 .391

Source: http://www.baseball-reference.com/games/standings.cgi?date=1998-07-03

Here are the current standing for Torre’s 2009 Dodgers as of July 1, 2009 after 79 games:

West W L PCT GB
  Los Angeles 50 29 .633 -
  San Francisco 42 34 .553 6.5
  Colorado 41 37 .526 8.5
  San Diego 34 42 .447 14.5
  Arizona 31 46 .403 18.0

Source: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/standings/

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Don't Blame Manny; The Grass Was Wet posted by Greg Archuleta

Those awaiting a statement from Manny Ramirez about his alleged performance-enhancing drug use when he returns to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night after serving a 50-game suspension probably should be tested themselves.

Manny was the artful dodger when questions of his suspension arose during his "rehab" stints at Triple-A Albuquerque and Class A Inland Empire. Heck, the Dodgers also sent a plethora of organizational personnel on his little league tour, ensuring his protection from the big, bad media.

That comes as no surprise, seeing how the Dodgers also saw fit to protect Manny from the wet grass at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque and the sunlight over Arrowhead Credit Union Park in San Bernadino.

Ramirez skipped his final scheduled appearance for the Isotopes because rain earlier in the day left the outfield grass wet, and the Dodgers didn't want him to ... get a grass stain? Perhaps they feared that Major League Baseball officials would mistake the stain for another type of grass and slap him with a 100-game suspension for a second offense.

The baggy-clothed crusader also was allowed to opt out of his final scheduled appearance because it was a day game that came after -- gasp -- a night game!

The two absences leads to the question: Is Manny radioactive waste or an elite professional athlete whose physical conditioning should be able to handle wet grass or two games in 16 hours without fear of major injury?

Granted, either answer is correct.

But when professional sports organizations pampers their athletes in such a manner, how else would you expect a $25 million player to act? This is not an indictment on the Dodgers; most baseball franchises -- except perhaps the Boston Red Sox, who might add landmines to wet grass in the outfield if Manny were to play --probably would've handled Ramirez's "rehab" the same.

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More MLB Links posted by Erick Pacheco

http://atdhe.net/7388/watch-mariners-vs-yankees    Yankees vs Mariners

http://atdhe.net/5632/watch-rays-vs-blue-jays : Blue Jays and Rays

  http://atdhe.net/5711/watch-red-sox-vs-orioles   Red Sox vs Orioles

  http://atdhe.net/5546/watch-rockies-vs-dodgers  Dodgers vs Rockies

Tigers and Athletics :   http://atdhe.net/6246/watch-tigers-vs-athletics

 

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MLB Links posted by Erick Pacheco

aight i got links to most MLB games today 

Yankees vs Mariners, Dodgers Rockies, TB vs Toronto and Boston vs Baltimore are there we also got minor league games    http://alexswentonsnitchtv2.webs.com/apps/blog/

http://www.pakodak.com/2009/06/mets-v-brewers-mlb/  

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Ethier Does It Again (well not really) posted by Erick Pacheco

Ethier was once again the hero last night as his two run blast in the 13 th inning finishes the rockies. Ethier's 15th home run of the season came on a 1-2 changeup from reliever Joel Peralta and scored Casey Blake, who led off the inning with a single. They way this guy is hitting he can maybe send 30 out of the park by the end of the year. This guy is going to have more fun once Manny comes back. The winner of the game by the way was James Mcdonald.

In other news:

The yankees have just acquired Eric Hinskey for two minor leaguers that will be headed to Pirates.

What about a Luis Castillo for Milton Bradley swap both are rotting there organizations.

It is said that the Giants are scouting both Victor Martinez and Jermaine Dye, the need power and that will maybe give them a push for the wild card because the west is all lock to the los angeles dodgers.

The Indians are in no hurry to trade Cliff Lee, its going to be interesting how this may change over the course of the deadline. I predict he's not going anywhere sorry.  

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Are the Dodgers running out of fuel posted by Erick Pacheco

The los angeles dodgers are about 2 loose 2 consecutive series. Thats pretty strange, the dodgers havent lost 2 straight series in a long time. Maybe we are finally seeing signs that we need ManRam. By the way he is set to make his return July 3 against the pathetic Padres. 

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Juan Pierre is not going anywhere posted by Erick Pacheco

There has been speculation that Juan Pierre might be traded to the Seattle Mariners or another major league team before the deadline. Lets me realistic though who wants to pay his contract, the dodgers are not gonna pay his contract for him to play somewhere else they rather have him as the 4rth outfielder. Unless we trade for another pathetic salary then yea, but we arent. Plus he maybe an xfactor in the world series  

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Belisario arrested on DUI suspicion posted by Erick Pacheco

Ronald Belisario was arrested early Saturday morning on suspicion of possible DUI. I guess this guy hasnt learned that drinking and driving do not mix everyone knows how a human is put on jeoperdy when someone who is drunk steps into a car. Just this April we lost an Angel player due to a drunk driver. This guy lost my respect, hopefully he understands and does not allow this to happen again. 

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Baseball links posted by Erick Pacheco

http://sports.spinidea.com/2009/06/25/boston-red-sox-at-atlanta-braves-2/

http://sports.spinidea.com/2009/06/25/chicago-cubs-at-chicago-white-sox-2/ 

  http://watchlivebaseballonline.blogspot.com 

www.stream2watch.com 

  http://www.ustream.tv/channel/mundanetv cubs then giants Phillies/Jays  http://www.ustream.tv/channel/teddybear82pw- teddybear Cards/Twins  http://www.ustream.tv/channel/sticktv2pw-  sticktv.net  http://sports.spinidea.com/2009/06/25/boston-red-sox-...

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Manny set for return as Dodgers face Pads

Manny Ramirez's much-anticipated return to Los Angeles Dodgers' lineup won't come at home, but close enough to it that his reception might not be entirely negative. [read full article]

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