Monday, June 22, 2009

Los Angeles Dodgers: Best team in MLB -- without Manny!


Albuquerque, New Mexico, get ready!

The Manny Ramirez soap opera/show is coming to town starting Tuesday, June 23.

Yes, Ramirez will officially begin his “rehab” (for baseball, not drugs) when he joins the Albuquerque Isotopes for a four-game series against the Nashville Sounds, leaders of the Pacific Coast League American North division.

Sorry, Albuquerque, but it’s a circus when Manny comes to town. There’s going to be plenty of out-of-town media for the show, but at least it’ll bring a few extra bucks to the local economy.

Interestingly, Manny’s drug-related suspension does not end until the Los Angeles Dodgers play July 3 at the San Diego Padres. But according to the MLB collective bargaining agreement, he can begin a minor-league rehab 10 days earlier.

His projected schedule?

Ramirez will go to Class A Inland Empire for a three-game series starting Saturday, June 27. Following that stint, he'll work out in Los Angeles on July 1, travel with the Dodgers to San Diego on July 2 and rejoin the lineup on July 3, according to the Los Angeles Times.

So, how have the Dodgers fared without Ramirez?

Seems like they’ve hardly missed him at all. They are 25-16 in Ramirez's 50-game absence – the best record in baseball during that time

So much for the theory that as Manny goes, so go the Dodgers!

2 comments:

sam said...

Why does Manny get to start back 10 days early? How can you call it a suspension if he's playing somewhere?

Anonymous said...

I guess it's no surprise that the people of Albuquerque cheered for Manny. He's a Dodger and a hero to them. I guess he's going to get a pass on his drug past.