At first I thought, wow, didn't all those guys play with the Dodgers at one time.

The previous best was 166, by Chipper Jones at age 35.

Through 2001, Chipper had a 141 OPS+ for his career, with 227 HR. I figured he would pretty rapidly.

Wrong!

From 2002 to present, Chipper has a 150 OPS+ (5th best in MLB during that span). He even moved back to 3B in 2004, although with his hitting that doesn't really matter. He's a no-doubt HOF. Now I just have to convince my uncles and brothers ("Chipper was never really feared.") of this fact.

http://blogs.pe.com/prosports/mlb/dodgers/

It appears that the Padres are not backing away from their projected 2009 payroll of $40M. They have 4 players with guaranteed salaries totaling $27.5 M (Peavy, Giles, Gonzalez, and Tall Chris Young).

That leaves $12.5 M for 21 players or slightly less than $600K per player which is above the minimun salary but really outside of rookies and 2nd year players, every other player will probably make at least $1M a year.

Source: Cot's

Nice to see Cot's Baseball Contracts go mainstream!

Lots of factors involved: opposing pitchers in the Division, protection in the Lineup, whether Manny was on the team, etc.

It will never ever die. Even if Peavy get's traded to the Cubs there will still be trade rumors about Peavy to the Cubs.

Towers is not receiving as much flak. Most people recognize the Moores' divorce and its devastating impact on the club. Also, many feel Towers' hands are tied somewhat by Sandy Alderson.

I'll say this for Alderson: he's pretty proactive about getting the club point of view out. He has a weekly radio appearance and often does interviews outside of that. However, he tends to talk in a very monotone voice and can seem quite boring to many.

>>Yesterday we heard from Ed Price that the Dodgers were internally considering guaranteeing a third year for Manny Ramirez. Ned Colletti's comments today are along the same lines:

"Scott outlined what they will need and we're not interested in doing five years or four years, a long-term deal. We want the player back and we're willing to pay a very high salary to bring him back -- but short-term."<<

(Not sure where their source for that quote is...)

http://tinyurl.com/6ay7my

I really feel like this is a localized thing that may be due to the dry air in the office. I do not have these symptoms anywhere else.

Repko is pretty useless with Jamie Hoffmann the new AAA defensive guy. That leaves Proctor, who's been effectively replaced by younger, better options.

35 - I thought it was Tim Robbins.

38 - I agree. Though I could see Proctor brought back. When he's healthy (and not abused by you know who) he can be effective. They will already have a lot of young 'uns in the pen.

Really glad they got rid of that dumb can't-resign non-tenders rule.

32 Should we offer Manny 3 years $70 Million?

Insert snark here.

official - Doesn't get misused - a deal is only official if a team announces it.
done deal - Should be reserved for deals that are truly complete, yet someone jumps the gun with it weekly. See also: finalized
set to sign/acquire - One step below the done deal. Doesn't leave much wiggle room. See also: on the verge, on the brink, tentative agreement
close to a deal - This trade or signing is likely, but I'm leaving some wiggle room. See also: nearing a deal, closing in on
working to sign/acquire - Things are coming along positively, but I'm not ready to call it close. See also: escalated, making progress, heating up, stepped up efforts
in discussions - They're talking, but I'm not making any promises.
life support - Faint chance of this deal occurring - I'm not ready to call it dead.
dead - Should be reserved for talks with 0% chance of being revisited, yet we frequently see dead talks "resurrected."
inquired - One party called another to ask about something or express interest. The party receiving the inquiry may have zero interest.
internal discussions - Rarely misused. Front office guys from one team are talking amongst themselves about something.
shopping - Implies a GM is aggressively calling other teams to try to find a trade partner for a player. GMs seem to dread the word because it makes them lose leverage. Also applies to an agent trying to find a team to sign his free agent.
believed to be - Meaningless phrase, yet a popular way to hedge. Can be combined with phrases above for a double hedge. See also: appear to be, seem to be, apparently

I think Rosenthal is the #1 user of "believed to be"

I'm all for telling Boras where to stick it, but that comes with a price: you don't get to sign his clients, some of whom are very good players. If you can live without Manny, go right ahead and anger his agent.

If I buy a lemon from someone that oversold the lemon, glossy pictures and all, I would want to tell that person to take back his lemon before I bought from him again.

Manny would be the victim of having Boras as an agent as well as being a mental risk.

http://tinyurl.com/5vuckd

I do not think scary is what they were going for.

But Kendall is a catcher. How much does that matter? I don't know.

Please don't re-sign Angel Berroa.

Thank you,

C.X. Kinbote

I don't know if it was culled to worst-of-the-worst, though.

I do know that Juan Pierre didn't make the list.

This is like watching the San Andreas Fault. Some days you can see it move probably, and other days it's going to sit there. And in a week or two it may move a lot. It's a slow process. It speeds up and it slows back down.

He had the 5th lowest OPS+ for an OF with 200 PA since 1901:

http://www.bb-ref.com/pi/shareit/cWfv

Moose! I want to name my kid Moose.

Man, he was bad.

http://tinyurl.com/6yjnjb

And if somebody was bad, they probably got stuck at the bottom of the lineup...

http://tinyurl.com/5uwy92

So which would you rather not have:

Andruw Jones, sucking in CF for 209 AB, to the tune of a 34 OPS+...

...or good ol' Mario Mendoza 1979, who got 409 AB to hit for a 25 OPS+... but at shortstop?

"The OPS+ figure of 25 Mendoza posted in 1979 wasn't just the lowest of any regular No. 9 hitter since 1957, it was the lowest presented by any regular at any batting order position since 1957, lower even than the mark presented by Luis Gomez as a regular No. 8 hitter in 1980."

http://tinyurl.com/57klyp

That's not the question. The question is -- if the Dodgers don't sign Manny, what are the likelihood that Jones will put up, say, a 90 OPS+ or better?

Royals agree to terms with Ramirez

Then you find out that the Royals signed a left-handed pitcher named Horacio Ramirez to a one-year, $1.8 million deal plus incentives. He could earn an additional $1.1 million as a starter and $500,000 as a reliever.

On the otherhand, perhaps now KLAC can devote all the extra time to UCLA coverage.

Just announced by Mason and Ireland, KSPN 710 has just acquired the rights to the Lakers starting in 2009.

The Clippers are ending their deal with the station at the end of this year.

I need two WR's from this group: Ginn Jr, Domenick Hixon, or Braylon Edwards

and a QB: Big Ben, Garcia, or Shaun Hill.

I think I am more afraid of giving him away and seeing him be comeback POY for someone else than I am of paying for the same 2008 Druw.

People like to bash Rome, but I can't think of a show that's gone downhill more then the Cannons. I really like that show when Chet was on it, and even Werndel.

113 - That's my gut instinct right there, though Ginn over Braylon is giving me an ulcer. The week I sit Braylon is the week he snaps out of it.

Thanks all. I'm pretty much on the same wavelength as you guys.

What?!?!?!?!?!?

KLAC is the Lakers! They can't move them now! They've been on KLAC for over 30 years. They've been on KCAL for over 30 years. They've been on FSWest/FSN/PT for nearly 25 years.

Man, my world is rocked!

I would start Jeff Garcia, he has clicked wth the uber-talented Antonio Bryant, this should equate to 250 yds @ TD's...

Shaun Hill is an interesting pick, but Miami's D occasionally shows up big.

Eli is @DAL, which could be a shootout. Just make sure he targets Hixon a lot, could you?

I've yet to add anyone officially to my Timmermann brand obelisk--but Kurt Warner could be the first if he wins the MVP. I have to hope Minnesota embarrasses him.

TJ, Kevin Walter, Desean Jackson, Braylon, Michael Jenkins.

Thanks for the tip on Rhodes, I've got him but didn't know Addai was hurt (darn law school finals taking over my life).

I survived the loss of Tom Brady and now have Tyler Thigpen v. SD, along with Dwayne Bowe at WR.

Michael Turner and Stven Jackson, Wes Welker and Antonio Bruant.

Jason Witten at TE:)

I play in a keeper league which is how I scored on Welker and Turner.

Does anybody know any way to get around MLB's blackout policy on the internet?

I want to get rid of my TV, but I'd miss baseball. If I had my out-of-state mom with her out-of-state credit card sign up, would I get the Dodgers on my machine in L.A.?

http://www.stlukeseye.com/Conditions/DryEyeSyndrome.asp

Careful with the drops though, as I assume that eye drops are much like nasal spray in that one risks becoming dependent on them with too much use. So check that out if you decide to use drops. I would suggest shortening the time between lookaways, i.e., instead of every 30 minutes, make it every 15 minutes that you spend about a minute and a half or so looking around the room and focusing on objects at varying distances, cut down the glare, and consciously open and close your eyes a few times at periodic intervals. If that don't work, be sure to see a doctor.

Well, my team finished 11-2 and now, the biggest game of the year, my top two RBs (Gore and Jacobs) are injured. I'm forced to play 4 WRs for the first time ever.

QB-Jay Cutler
RB-Chris Johnson
WR-Roddy White
WR-Randy Moss
WR-Vincent Jackson
WR-Santonio Holmes
TE-Owen Daniels
K-Matt Bryant
DEF-Tampa Bay

I don't really like my chances.

http://blogs.pe.com/prosports/mlb/dodgers/

I mean, no. No, I didn't.

WR- TJ, Jennings, d. Bowe, Desean jackson, A. Bryant.

Out of those 5, which 3 should I use?
TE- Cooley or Boss?

The world is just upside down when a player might be forced to play for $25million.

Matt Cassell returned to practice today, in case you're worried about his dad passing away being a reason he sits out on Sunday. Raiders got tough secondary, but remember Favre's inspired play when his dad passed away?

For those looking for WR's, Devin Hester is my fill in this week, so if he's available, you got 10 minutes to pick him up. I think he may have a big week (but I could be wrong).