2009 MLB Season | giants50's Blog

We'll see Manny in New York next year most likely, according to sources. Manny Ramirez will most likely want to go to New York out of any place. The Giants said they could not afford him, the Dodgers offered too little, the Athletics weren't in it but talks started and they are out of his sweepstakes, the Los Angeles Angels owner said that Manny Ramirez will never be an Angel, and the Mets general manager Omar Minaya said that his team is not interested and doesn't want him. Talks have been going around and they were really going around in December after the New York Yankees acquired CC Sabathia but they have died down as the weks have passed. Who knows where Manny will go but I don't think he will be staying with the Dodgers and will not be playing the NL or the west teams on opening day. If no one gets Manny by the next month, there are problems that will be going around and someone will have to step up. Manny will never accept Red Sox money ever again and if it comes down to a matter of days before spring training, the Yankees will buy Manny and he seems like a good fit with them. He knows how to play on a good team because he has won 2 World Series in his career and has been to 3. He has experience and if the Yankees can manage to sign him, he will be excellent playing in a star lineup and he will be an All-Star along with helping the Bronx Bombers winning yet another Wworld Series title, number 27 in their history. The Yankees got their guys early. They took 3 of the 4 top free agents within the same week and putting Manny on the roster would give them the top 4 free agents signed in the 2008-2009 MLB offseason, but they need to keep these guys together for a while. The Yankees really need to sign Derek Jeter at the end of the 2010 season because that man will always be a Yankee and he will refuse to sign with another team because of his love and loyalty to George Steinbrenner and his team that has won so much. Jeter got the contract he got in 2001 after he won the World Series 4 of 5 years because he was the leader of an excellent dynasty but after the 2001 season, the Yankees never won again and missed the playoffs last year for the first time since 1993. This has to change and Steinbrenner has brought in excellent players. The Yankees have to complete their mission of winning the World Series this year before time runs out and Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui become free agents at the end of the 2009 season. Steinbrenner has waited a while and has expected a lot of this team after they won 4 of 5 titles between 1996-2000. The Yankees are interested in Manny because they are interested with everyone that hits the market in a big way, stsrting with their first free agent signing in franchise history in 1977 with Reggie Jackson from the Oakland Athletics. They have signed a big time player over the past 8 years ever since they lost the World Series in 2001. That year, they signed Mike Mussina and that paid off as he has had a great tenure with the Yankees that ended with his first 20 win season of his career followed by his retirement. In 2002, they signed Jason Giambi to a 7-year, 120 million dollar contract. In 2003, Hideki Matsui came from the Yomuri Giants in Japan and signed a small contract that expires after next year. In 2004, Gary Sheffield came from the Braves followed by Alex Rodriguez from the Texas Rangers. Alex opted out of his 10 year contract 4 years through it and signed a new one that expires in 9 years. Sheffield was traded to the Detriot Tigers in the 2006 offseason and he is one home run away from joining the 500 club. In 2005, the Yankees signed Johnny Damon to a four year contract worth barely more than the Red Sox offer to him, just short of what Damon wanted from his team and he chose the Yankees. In 2006, the Yankees signed right fielder Bobby Abreu after trading for him from the Phillies and he stayed for 2 years and he is currently on the free agent market but the Yankees will not pick up his contract because they will move former left fielder Xavier Nady to right field and make room for Manny Ramirez in left field. In 2007, Bernie Williams, who played all his 16 years with the Yankees, retired from the team and left them devastated. The Yankees signed Roger Clemens to play for them for half a season for 28 million, the largest contract per year for any pitcher of all time. The contract was just for one year though and he retired at season' end with a 6-6 disappointing record for the money he made. Andy Pettitte was also signed to a two year contract and is still on the free agent market after his contract expired at the end of the 2008 season. He went 14-15 in 2008. Joe Torre left the Yankees in 2007 after being fired by owner George Steinbrenner because the Yankees did not win a playoff series since 2004 when they beat the Minnesota Twins in a best of 5, ALDS. In this offseason the Yankees have added three big free agents but the question is, can they win the World Series? Well, they have spent money and have done everything that they can but they better win it with all the money George Steinbrenner has spent on players with a large price tag on them. These are heavy people that can provide wins and lead an amazing team this year even without Bobby Abreu or Jason Giambi. Giambi has signed the one year, 5.25 million dollar contract with the Athletics the year after he was making 22 million in year salary. Abreu was talking with the Tampa Bay Rays a couple of months ago but the Rays have already signed Pat Burrell, putting him at left field and moving Carl Crawford over to center where he was before and B.J. Upton to right field, the position where Bobby Abreu would play if he came. The Athletics still have money to spend and they will if they have to get Abreu. They had the worst batting average in baseball but they had great pitching so all they need is a little bit of hitting and they can win. Manny is getting involved with other teams but the only offer from the Dodgers is not even close to what Manny wants. He wants 4 or 5 years at least because he would love to play longer. Manager Joe Torre is confident that Manny will stay and so are the Dodgers. That might mean going to the Yankees which would upset the fans but it would win the Yankees a hell of a lot more games. It will be great to see which team he will go to since the Mariners and the Orioles have joined the conversation along with the Nationals and the Dodgers. Right now it looks like Manny will be heading to the west side part of the nation but who knows. No one has yet to sign him because of his value and because not many teams can afford him. Bobby Abreu has now signed a 1 year deal with the Los Angeles Angels worth 5 million dollars, certainly too little worth for Bobby with all the success he had with the Yankees last year. Alex Rodriguez had been getting into trouble with Congress and George Mitchell in the steroid scandal he has been in. He was said to have used steroids in 2003, but he admitted using them in 2001 and 2002 as well. Those years he won an MVP in one year, and hit 52 and 57 home runs in the other two years, all with Texas and none with the Mariners or Yankees. In his other ten season playing in Major League Baseball, Alex Rodriguez has averaged 39.2 home runs, making it clear that the banned substances made a difference in his stats. Speaking of Mariners, they are interested in signing Ken Griffey, Jr., who pleyed for them for 10 years from 1989-1999 until moving to Cincinnati to play with the Reds. Pettitte, Jeter, Posada, and Rivera have backed up A-Rod in his steroid issue and commisioner Bud Selig has yet to rule out any punishment for him. Other players involved were Mark McGuire, Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Jason Giambi, Rafael Palmeiro, and Roger Clemens, all who were bound for the Hall of Fame until using steroids and now it has become a question whether these guys will make it or not with the home run king and the 7 time Cy Young Award Winner along with the single season record for home runs and a guy who is in the 3,000 hit club. All of this commotion was obviously started by Jose Canseco, who got all these guys in trouble and the steroid ban caused in baseball, ruining some players chances to go to the Hall of Fame. Manny Ramirez has yet to have been signed and Ben Sheets will be on the disabled list and free agent list all year next year because of the surgery he is getting. Takashi Saito, Brad Penny, and John Smoltz all have signed with the Boston Red Sox, giving them bullpen along with backup starting. Ervin Santana signed a four year deal with the Angels and Randy Wolf has signed a one year deal with the Dodgers. Jamie Moyer signed a two year deal with the Phillies about a month ago which will make him the oldest player to pitch in a game when his contract is over and possibly the oldest player ever to play alongside Julio Franco. Greg Maddux announced his retirement from baseball, Edgar Renteria and Randy Johnson have both gone over to play for the San Francisco Giants. The Yankees signed former Red Sox backup catcher Kevin Cash to a minor league deal. Miguel Tejada has been caught in another lying scandal and witnesses have said that he and Barry Bonds were witnessed juicing on steroids and Tejada denied but the courts have evidence. Tejada also lied about his age and he is 33 now instead of his made up age at 31 which was caught in July of 2008 during the All-Star break which Tejada did not participate in. The Mets have made some moves by signing an 8^th inning man and a closer to boost their bullpen from blowing another division lead by signing JJ Putz and Francisco Rodriguez. The Angels came back by signing Rockies closer Brian Fuentes to a two year deal worth 17 million. Matt Holliday was traded to the Athletics from the Rockies for A's closer Huston Street. Nate McLouth has re-signed with the Pirates on a three year deal to avoid salary arbitration. The Boston Red Sox have signed former Rangers and Nationals left fielder Brad Wilkerson on a one year minor league deal. Alex Rodriguez will be having his speech since admitting to steroid use and he will be supported by some long time teammates such as Andy Pettitte, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Jorge Posada. Some new teammates will be there such as CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, and Mark Teixeira. Alex has said that he used banned substances because he had lots of pressure on him and that he had to perform at a higher level in Texas. Rodriguez has apologized to fans, friends, and family and has told a reporter Peter Gammons that he got his substances from trainers and coaches but is not sure what substances he has used. There has also been evidence from Sports Illustrated reporter Selena Roberts that he tested positive for steroids and A-Rod apologized to Roberts for his actions toward what Roberts said to him because A-Rod yelled at Selena for stalking him and breaking into his house when his kids were sleeping in his house. Roberts also said that A-Rod took steroids in high school while playing baseball. Rodriguez wants to see the tests and is deeply sorry if he did use steroids. In the December 2007 interview on 60 minutes during the Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens situation, A-Rod denied using steroids or banned substances. Alex has said that his best years with the Yankees and Mariners were clean. Alex Rodriguez also used banned substances because he had missed two weeks of spring training and he needed substances to help him heal quicker and to play and also to continue his consecutive game played streak. He called himself an idiot in a press conference for using steroids and said he was stupid for his wrong doing. He was introduced to the substances by experimenting with them and admitting he only started using them because of a back injury and he continued to use them afterward. Bud Selig has said that he tried to put up a steroid policy in the MLB, but the union rejected it and Rodriguez would have been violating the policy if the union hadn't rejected it and had accepted it. Larry Izzo of the New England Patriots will testify in the Barry Bonds steroid case because he was involved with the Bonds situation with BALCO and banned substances. Bonds has said that Izzo supplied him with steroids and he will testify before the grand jury. He denied using them but he will testify with Bonds. The New York Mets have denied in trying to get Ivan Rodriguez. "Pudge" finished the year last year with the Yankees after being traded at the end of July from the Tigers for Kyle Farnsworth. Xavier Nady has reported to Yankees spring training although he has been in trade talks with the Nationals. David Ortiz has supported White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen by saying that he doesn't like the idea about jail or courts, but if a player tests positive for banned substances he should be suspended for a full 162 game baseball season and the playoffs. The Atlanta Braves are close to re-signing pitcher Tom Glavine for only one year worth about 2 million dollars. Jeff Francouer re-signed with the Braves for 1 year worth 3.4 million dollars. Orlando Hudson signed with the Dodgers, replacing the retired Jeff Kent at second base and he signed a 1 year contract worth 3.4 million as well. The Cleveland Indians re-signed Shin-Sin Choo to a one year deal. The Mets signed Phillies pitcher Freddy Garcia to a minor league deal. Manny Ramirez still has not gotten a contract agreement yet and we are at February 22. The team is saving a locker in spring training because they are confident he will come back. Manny Ramirez signed a two year, 45 million dollar contract with the Dodgers and said in a press conference that he would like to work for Joe Torre. Tom Glavine signed a one year deal for the Braves, his former team in which he won the 1995 World Series with. Alex Rodriguez tried out to play in the World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic and it was revealed that he had a cyst in his hip. He got surgery on the hip and he will be out until the middle of May with the injury for the Yankees. Japan won the World Baseabll Classic this year for the second straight time, defeating Korea for the 3^rd time in the classic. The USA lost to Japan in the semifinals to Daisuke Matsuzaka. The baseball season is nearly underway in just 10 days. The Yankees will be playing their first game at the new stadium against the Cubs in an exhibition game on April 3 and CC Sabathia will be pitching both the first game ever and the first regular season game ever at the new stadium. The Mets will play their first game at Citi Field on April 13. Busch Stadium in Saint Louis will be holding the All-Star game this year. Joe Girardi is considering plaing Drek Jeter at center field next year but Jeter said it will be unlikely to happen.

Playoff Predictions: Division Series:

AL:Yankees defeat White Sox Red Sox defeat Angels

NL:Cubs defeat Mets Phillies defeat Diamondbacks

ALCS: AL: Yankees defeat Red Sox NL:Cubs defeat Phillies

World Series: Yankees defeat Cubs