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Perspective on Papi

  By Chris Speziale | 05/12/2010 - 11:55 am | Musings
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I don't care how this thing ends. This will be how I remember David Ortiz.

Let me start by saying this: there is no bigger David Ortiz fan than this guy right here. But that aside, it’s time to let the idea of Big Papi go. The Red Sox slugger is hitting .185 with 4 HR’s and 11 RBI in 23 games. What I find interesting is that his power numbers really aren’t that bad. He’s on pace to hit 26 homers and drive in 76 runs. But he just doesn’t look that same. He’s struck out over 30% of the time, he’s hitting .207 with runners in scoring position, and his slugging percentage is down more than 130 points from his career average. This is a tough thing for Boston fans to stomach. Not only did he help carry our team to two World Series Championships, but he was a great character guy. The city loved him–Papi was an icon. Like a big, friendly, home run hitting teddy bear. Red Sox fans waited 86 years for those titles, and if we were without Ortiz, we’d still be waiting. He had more clutch hits than I could count. If the game was on the line, in the late innings, he was the guy you wanted at the plate. He’s got 12 walk-off homers, and 20 walk-off hits in his career. He won the Silver Slugger in 4 consecutive years, from 2004-2007. But no award means more to Papi, or Red Sox fans, than his 2004 ALCS MVP Award.

David Ortiz could not be stopped in October 2004. In the three game ALDS sweep of the Angels, he hit .545 and had a ridiculous 1.688 OPS (OPS is On-Base Percentage + Slugging Percentage, for those who don’t know). That was truly out of control, but it would pale in comparison to what he was about to do to the Yankees. In the 7 game series he hit .387, with 4 HR’s and 11 RBI. He also scored 6 runs (to lead the team), and had an OPS a click under 1.200. And now you’re saying. “Hey! Those numbers are worse than his ALDS numbers!” Yah, they are. But they don’t take into account the truly remarkable events of games 4 and 5 against New York. Well past midnight, the morning of October 18th, less that 20 hours before game 5 was set to begin, Papi strolled into the batters box. On a 2-1 count, he deposited a Paul Quantrill fastball into the visitor’s bullpen, giving Boston a 6-4 12 inning win.  The Sox were alive in the series, and David Ortiz wasn’t done. The next night, the Red Sox and Yankees played the longest game in ALCS history. It went 14 innings, and lasted nearly 6 hours. At the end though it was all Papi, all over again. With two out, and two on, Papi looped an Esteban Loaiza offering into centerfield, bringing home Johnny Damon with the winning run. He fouled off 6 pitches before ending the game. If you watch the video of those two games, a hush comes over the crowd when he steps to the plate. I can’t remember another player in my time that had that effect on the crowd.  The man will be immortal in Boston.  And I think we need a bronze Papi outside Fenway to greet the crowds before they enter the park.  That is what makes this so hard.

What’s getting lost, is the business. The Red Sox are a multi-million dollar franchise, and they don’t succeed in business without winning. Right now, with Papi in the lineup, the winning thing is what’s alluding us, and something has to change.  But what can be done?  I see two options.

1. You send him down -call me crazy, but this seems like the most logical thing to do.  Let’s call it back spasms.  You put him on the 15 day DL, give him a chance to get his head in order, and then you start him on a rehab assignment.  Perhaps Big Paps is just not capable of performing at a high level for a full season any more.  Last year, it took him until June to start clicking a the plate.  Maybe he just needs the extra time, and a stint with Pawtucket or Portland would allow him to have that time.  Plus, it would boost ticket sales for the Sox minor league teams. Win-win.

2. You trade him -this one would hurt a little bit, because he would almost undoubtedly end up with an American League team.  He has no defensive value, and there are a couple of teams in the A.L. that could certainly use his services.  Kansas City, LA, Toronto, and Cleveland could all use help at the hitter only position.  Here’s what I’m thinking: we swing him to Cleveland or LA for a couple of lesser known prospects that we can then package with Mike Lowell and a pitcher like Michael Bowden for Adrian Gonzalez from San Diego.  Of course, this is all contingent on San Diego falling out of the N.L. West race.  Which, I’m saying right now, you can bank on.  L.A. is starting to come on, and San Fran can out-pitch just about anyone in the National League.

There is one other thing that the Red Sox could do. Release him.  BUT, this must be the absolute last resort.  If everything else fails, you just gotta let him go.  It will be a dark, dark day for Boston sports, but you have to win.  This is not a market where you can sit back on your laurels, and wait for things to turn around. Enter Theo Epstein.  If there is any one person that is capable of making the hard decision, it’s Theo.  A large part of this column was about the 2004 Red Sox World Series run.  And I’m assuming if you’re a Sox fan, you know that they only way we got there was with the defensive help of Orlando Cabrera.  Cabrera, of course, arrived earlier in the season when Theo traded fan favorite, and Red Sox great, Nomar Garciaparra.  That wasn’t an easy decision either.  It will be interesting to see how Theo reacts to the current Ortiz situation;  Ortiz was one of his first acquisitions as general manager.  We must never forget what Papi helped bring back to Boston, but my hope is that Theo doesn’t play the nostalgia game.  If he does, it could mean the end of the 2010 Red Sox.

The Eagle has…oh no, I’m not using that cliche.

  By Chris Speziale | 04/06/2010 - 5:53 pm | Musings, Predictions
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So, Donovan McNabb is a Redskin.  Well that certainly changes things now, doesn’t it?  McNabb going to D.C. has seriously changed the landscape of the NFC East, as well as, the draft board.  Washington was rumored to be interested in one of the three elite quarterbacks in the NFL draft.  Well, not anymore! In essence, a team at the bottom of the draft now has a shot at a quarterback because the Skins will pass.  With all that draft maneuvering, the McNabb trade will leave its mark on a lot of teams in the upcoming season, but none more than the Eagles and Redskin’s.

Boy, it's gonna look a lot different when he's hoisting those fingers wearing a maroon uni. Get used to it Philadelphia.

Let’s first look at Washington, because—well, we start where…guh…the Eagle landed. Yah, I did it—moving on. This is clearly a game changer for the Redskins.  They get a pro-bowl caliber quarterback a shade after his prime in exchange for, what?  A second round draft pick in 2010 and a third or fourth rounder in 2011.  Two picks, in the later rounds, for a talented veteran signal caller?  I’ll take it.  Plus, the Redskins still have four picks in the upcoming draft; one inside the top 5.  The Redskins are most likely going to take an offensive tackle with that first round pick, and my guess would be that they make a run at a couple of young wide receivers in the later rounds. And what we’ve seen McNabb do with young talent is astounding.  If you look at the seasons that DeSean Jackson, LeSean McCoy, Jeremy Maclin and Brent Celek had last year, you’ll notice that he thrives with a group of young guns around him.  Washington would be wise to look at McNabb’s past, as they begin to revamp this team.  All that said—I think that the Redskins compete next year, maybe not for the division, but I do think that they have planted themselves firmly ahead of the Eagles.  The Philadelphia brass are going to be in some hot water, when Washington rolls into Philly next season, and lays a lickin on the Eagles.

Philadelphia has installed Kevin Kolb as their starter for next season.  Kolb, the 25 year old, Texas native, has thrown a whopping 130 career passes.  This compared to the nearly 5000 thrown by McNabb.  Can anyone say learning curve?  Kolb started two games last season for Andy Reid’s team.  The first of which, was against the now defending Superbowl Champion New Orleans Saints.  His team got wrecked.  And yes, I know that he played well—except for the 3 interceptions he threw!  But where exactly is everyone seeing this talent? That’s what I want to know.  In his next game he threw for 327 yards and two scores…..AGAINST KANSAS CITY!  Kolb is going to be surrounded with loads of young talent, and that will make him a decent starter in the NFL, at best.  However, he’ll certainly not be a standout for the Eagles, who will be looking up at Donovan and the Redskins for most—if not all—of next season.

But what I really want to talk about is how this deal went down.  Think about it for just one second.  McNabb, a year after throwing for 3,500 yards and 22 touchdowns (in 14 games no less), gets traded to a division rival.  A DIVISION RIVAL!  This is ludicrous—and clearly sent one simple message: the Eagles thought McNabb was done.  Andy Reid came out at the end of the season and stated that Donovan would be their guy.  The Eagles then, not so secretly, started to shop him around.  Then came the suitors; Oakland, Buffalo, and St. Louis all stated at least a little interest.  St. Louis, after evaluating its options, pulled away from the negotiations.  Oakland offered the 39th pick in this year’s draft, and laid in wait.  And when you get right down to it, Buffalo was NEVER going to give up draft picks.  No one even saw the Redskins coming. (Side Note: I had a conversation with my good friend Chris at a bar last week and we discussed this.  He’s a big Buffalo fan, and didn’t know what to think about McNabb as a Bill.  The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea.  Check it: You bring in McNabb for three years.  Draft Terrell Pryor out of The Ohio State University next year, and have McNabb mentor him.  McNabb makes the Bills at least a little more relevant over the next three, and then you have your quarterback of the future waiting to take over when McNabb rides off into the sunset.  But I digress.)  Washington made the best offer; the 37th pick in this year’s draft.  And the rest is history, as the cliché goes. But something just seems off about the whole thing.  The Philly bigwigs made a point to say that they went with Washington because they wanted to respect McNabb’s wishes.  Well here’s an idea: DON’T TRADE HIM!  He wanted to remain an Eagle! He wanted to finish his career in Philadelphia!  But this is a business, and the only thing that makes sense is that they clearly didn’t have faith that McNabb could get the job done.  And now—the conspiracy theory: They sent him to a division rival because they knew he would fail, thus taking one team out of that four team race, and increasing the chances of an Eagles Division Title! Whaaaaaat?!?

No disrespect to Andy Reid, but maybe this is one’s on him.  Maybe it was the coach who couldn’t put that final nail in the coffin.  Every Philly fan has griped about McNabb in the past, and they have every right too.  It’s their team, and they want to see that team win.  But here’s what I don’t get: he did.  He won a LOT of games for the Eagles.  In some cases he singlehandedly willed the team to victory.  He took them to 5 NFC Championship games, in his eleven years at the helm.  Did he win the big one?  No.  Could a change of scenery be the spark that finally puts him over the edge?  Who knows.  What I do know, is that a VERY good quarterback just got a VERY large chip on his shoulder. In two years, with an influx of new talent, McNabb could be hoisting the Lombardi trophy.  This reminds me of someone…someone in the Hall of Fame.  What’s that name?  Oh yeah!  John Elway, a quarterback with a quarter tank of gas left, but looking to prove something.  Elway’s stat line through his first eleven seasons looked like this: 34,246 YD’s, 183 TD’s, and 167 INT’s.  McNabb, through that same timeline: 32,873 YD’s, 216 TD’s, and 100 INT’s.  Um?  Wow.  I’m sure most people didn’t know that McNabb had thrown more touchdowns with fewer interceptions to start his career, than the Bronco’s quarterback of old.  Elway carried that “can’t win the big game” stigma around for a long time.  And Mike Shanahan was right there losing with him.  But they turned it around.  Big.  Elway went on to win two Superbowls with Shanahan manning the sidelines.  Now, the cosmos have aligned to bring these two super powers together, and Coach Shanahan knows what to do with a guy like McNabb. That should be something that leaves the rest of the NFC East—Eagles included—shaking in their shoulder pads.

Winter Meetings Wrap-Up

  By Chris Speziale | 12/11/2009 - 5:30 pm | Musings
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I promised you all that there would be a post every night from Indianapolis, and well…I lied.  I was a little busy trying to find a job!  The interesting this was, there really wasn’t that much going on in Indy this week.  If you’d like a list of EVERY single transaction from the last four days, you should click HERE.  I’ve always been a big fan of ESPN.com, and they did a great job keeping on top of everything, including staff hiring’s and front office stuff.  We could certainly break down every single deal that went down, but we’d be here forever.  So let’s just talk about the three biggest trades or signings that came out of the Winter Meetings this week.

Chone Figgins signs with Seattle – This was a big deal.  It was the first major signing of the off-season, and it came from the Mariners.  This was a signal; the Mariners were going to sprint out of the gate this off-season, and they wanted to spend.  Seattle wasn’t going to take no for an answer, and this manifested itself pretty quickly; the Mariners have now been linked to Jason Bay and John Lackey.  If they decide to break the bank and sign all three of those guys, they will be a force in the AL West next season.  The Mariners are also still involved in talks with Adrian Beltre. This would mean that Figgins could play a different position, as Beltre is the incumbent third-basemen; Figgins would be an upgrade over Michael Saunders in left.  Ichiro is also interested in this signing because he stands to lose his spot in the leadoff position.  It’s pretty unlikely, but possible.  They will probably end up hitting 1-2 or 9-1 with Figgins in the 2 or 9 spot. My question: Do you really want to spend $36 Million on your number 9 hitter?

Curtis Granderson is traded to the Yankees – You should always expect the Yankees to make big news in the off-season, and they certainly didn’t disappoint this year. Of the four days in Indy, this deal caused the most stir and was the only headline maker.  Let’s see if I can put this in print so that it can be understood: The Tigers trade OF Curtis Granderson to the Yankees for OF Austin Jackson and LHP Phil Coke.  Detroit also sent RHP Edwin Jackson to the Diamond Backs in exchange for LHP Max Scherzer and RHP Dan Schlereth.  To finalize the deal, New York sent RHP Ian Kennedy to the D-Backs.  This was a good trade for everyone involved, including the players.  Granderson is a great clubhouse guy, and New York fans will love his work ethic. Now the Yanks can focus on bringing back Johnny Damon or Hideki Matsui to play DH, and they’re good to go.  The D-Backs get two great young arms out of this deal as well.  Edwin Jackson should thrive in the NL West, thanks to the big ballparks, and the AAAA National League hitters.  Having said that, I think the Tigers are the clear cut winners on this deal.  They get they flame throwing lefty from Arizona, Max Scherzer and one of the best outfield prospects in all of baseball.  I think most importantly, the Tigers got a lot younger, AND received four players!  Even if only two of these guys become everyday players the Tigers win, and it’s very possible that two OR three of them could be on the 40 man roster when the season starts next April.

The Rangers big week – I wrote last week that I was surprised that the Rangers stayed in the playoff hunt so late into the season, and I am equally surprised by the moves they made at the meetings.  Surprised, and extremely impressed.  The Rangers traded RHP Kevin Millwood to the Orioles for RHP Chris Ray and LHP Ben Snyder.  Ray will be an excellent addition to the Rangers bullpen, and will most set-up for Frank Francisco.  Snyder is probably a year or two away from pitching in the big leagues, but his first season in the minors was a great success.  Out of the bullpen last year, he pitched 97 innings, struck out 86, and had a 2.88 ERA.  The Rangers also added RHP Rich Harden to the rotation, and this could turn out to be the signing of the year.  Harden is injury prone, and he is pulling in seven and a half million bucks next season.  But, when healthy, there is no one better.  In his career he’s averaged more than a strikeout per inning, while only allowing two walks per nine.  Harden has also come out in the past two days stating that he’d like to pitch two hundred innings this year for the Rangers, which would be a career high.  What’s lost in all of this is the grudge factor.  The A’s traded Harden to the Cubs before the trade deadline in 2008, and you have to believe that he wants to stick it to his new division rival, Oakland.  Texas is a tough place to pitch, but Harden has a point to prove and I think he could be one of the surprise stories of 2010.

So New York, Detroit, Arizona, Texas and Seattle all had good weeks.  And there will be a LOT more teams to add to that list before baseball Spring Training starts, and we’ll have all the news and analysis right here at ChrisSpez.com.  Enjoy!

National League Hot Stove

  By Chris Speziale | 12/03/2009 - 12:32 pm | Predictions
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As promised, here is the next installment in the Hot Stove saga.  Feels like Twilight, doesn’t it!? Ick.  Anyway, please feel free to give this a read, and let me know what you think.  And remember to check back starting next Monday night for analysis from the Winter Meetings.  I’ll break-down the deals of the day, and at some point I’d like to do a running blog, but we’ll just have to wait and see if I can work that out.  Without further ado:

East

New York – We start our trip around the National League with the Mets.  New York has a lot of players hitting free agency, including Carlos Delgado and J.J. Putz, but those aren’t the major issues facing Los Mets.  The biggest hole is in left field where Gary Sheffield roamed for New York when he wasn’t injured last season.  The Mets will most definitely be in the Holliday and Bay sweepstakes and will probably make a more serious run at Holliday.  Holliday, as one of my readers pointed out, hits better in the National League than the American.  There have also been rumors circling that the Mets are looking to trade Luis Castillo.  A possible landing spot for him would be the Dodgers, who lose Orlando Hudson this off-season.  If they can’t land one of the big free agents look for them to make a move with L.A. for one of their young outfielders.

Florida – The Marlins are in pretty good shape going into the 2010 season.  They have last years Rookie of the Year in left, and a stable of good young arms to rival any team in the league.  They traded away Jeremy Hermida to Boston, which probably means that they’re comfortable with Cody Ross in right. So what are they going to be doing in the coming months?  Perhaps shopping for a corner infielder?  They are losing Nick Johnson and will be looking for some OBP to replace him.  I see Kevin Millar as a good fit here.  We know the Marlins budget won’t allow them to offer a large contract, and Millar won’t be looking for big bucks at age 38.  He is a good clubhouse guy and a great leader.  And that, is something the Marlins covet.

Atlanta – I think the Braves this winter are going to focus on in house matters.  Martin Prado is due for an extension, and they have two big names hitting free agency that they are going to try and lock up.  Adam LaRoche is one of them, and Rafael Soriano is the other.  They signed Billy Wagner to close which signals the end of the Mike Gonzalez experiment.  Gonzalez was good, but allowed a lot of runners to reach base; it appears that Wagner did enough in his short stint with Boston last year to convince the Atlanta brass that he could handle the job.  The Braves may also take a look at some of the under the radar corner outfielders to replace Garret Anderson, like Austin Kearns or Xavier Nady.

Philadelphia – The Phillies have already been busy this off-season.  They signed Brian Schnieder right out from under the Mets noses, which strengthens an already steady stable of backstops for the Phillies.  If the N.L. Champs are going to make a splash in free agency it will be looking for bullpen help.  Everyone knows that Charlie Manuel had trouble picking his closer during the playoffs this past year and I think that will be Philadelphia’s top priority.  They’ll take a look at Mike Gonzalez, J.J. Putz, Jose Valverde and Rafael Soriano.  The interesting thing about this list is that almost all of these guys played for division rivals last year, which means that those teams may try and drive up the price.  That’s why I think Valverde is their guy.

Washington – My advice to Ted Lerner and Stan Kasten?  Break the bank!  I had the pleasure of seeing RFK Stadium this summer and have to say, it is a fantastic place to watch baseball…if your team doesn’t suck.  The Nationals only need three pieces to contend.  Yes, yes I know that’s actually a lot of pieces, BUT it’s doable.  They need a power hitting outfielder, a closer, and a starter.  Simple: Rick Ankiel, Kevin Gregg, and Ardolis Chapman.  Ankiel and Gregg will come relatively cheaply; they are young-ish and they both have something to prove.  If Chapman is as good as they say he is, and they’re saying he’s reeeeeeeal good, he could be the number one starter on that staff for the next 10 years.  Now put Strasberg in the number two spot, with Lannan and Zimmerman at three and four!  Chapman is an enigma, and because he’d provoke curiosity, he’d put butts in the seats. That’s what the Nationals need right now; they have no revenue coming in from ticket sales or merchandising.  They could sign these three guys for a combined cost of 14 million a season and they only lose one draft pick.  It’s a no brainer; I should be the Nationals’ GM.

Central

Milwaukee – The Brewers stand to lose a lot of pieces this off-season, if they don’t come to terms with their slew of free agents.  Most notably would be Jason Kendall; the Milwaukee catcher would be sorely missed if he decides to sign elsewhere.  The Brewers saw the emergence of two young players last year and have the makings of a team that could be good for a long time. To compete next year, however, they will probably go after some pitching help; someone to help in the rotation would be the key.  For this team I like Erik Bedard or Kelvim Escobar – two guys that are coming off injury, looking to prove themselves, make sense for the Brewers.

Pittsburgh – I just…well, I really have no idea what to say about the Pirates.  They don’t have any free agent holes to fill, which is nice.  And they have a young team, which is nice.  But the Pirates seem to be constantly in a state of rebuilding, and I think that until they pull above .500 for a full season we’ll see Pittsburgh play out the first half of the season, and then sell off every valuable piece.  That’s all I really have to say about that.

Cincinnati – I have to tread lightly here.  My fiancée (the lovely and wonderful Laura Gale) grew up in Cincinnati; her family still lives there, and follows the team.  But (and here’s where I get in trouble) I just can’t get on the Reds bandwagon.  When your best pitcher last season was Bronson Arroyo, you’re in trouble.  The Reds haven’t brought in a decent free agent in years, and I not convinced that this will be the year.  They could get better with a couple of smaller pieces, like Jon Garland or Jason Marquis, but at the end of the day they’ll need their young starters to pitch well beyond their years.  What’s frustrating about the Reds is that they won’t pull the trigger on a big name until these guys consistently fail; they have too much invested.

Chicago – The Cubs are doomed.  It’s just that simple.  The front office can’t seem to get anything right.  And that’s why I think they should lock the check book in the desk this winter.  The team has the talent to win the division, and make a deep playoff run.  They just need to stay healthy, and come together as a unit.  We’ve seen all different kinds of teams win the World Series in the last decade, but I think what stands out most are the teams that squeaked by with chemistry.  Look at the 2003 Marlins, the 2005 White Sox, the 2006 Cardinals, and I could keep going.  But the point is that they all won with smaller payrolls and an emphasis on chemistry.  And the Cubs can do just that; they will, of course, make some smaller moves to sure up their bench, but other than that, the Cubs brass should just let their previous work speak for itself.

St. Louis – The Cardinals need help in there starting rotation.  Doesn’t that sound crazy?  Joel Piniero, Todd Wellermeyer and Smoltzy have all filed for free agency leaving a HUGE hole behind the wonder twins at the top of the rotation.  I would put good money on the Cardinals making a run at John Lackey to give them an unstoppable one, two and three.  The only other hole that the Cardinals would need to look at would be at third base.  Mark DeRosa held the hot corner last year and will almost definitely be moving on to greener pastures this year.  It’s certainly possible that they’ll give rookie David Freese a look over at third if they can pull in Lackey, but if they get out-bid they could be in on the Adriane Beltre or Chone Figgins talks.

Houston – The Astros will lose at least three major pieces from the team last year.  Valverde will move on, Tejada is likely going to find a home on a contender so that he can end his career with a winner, and LaTroy Hawkins will be one of the most sought after set-up men in the league.  To fill these voids the Astros will turn to the free agent market rather than calling up prospects from the farm.  They will probably make offers to Marco Scutaro, Adam Everett or Orlando Cabrera to replace Tejada.  In the bullpen Rafael Betancourt, Brandon Lyon, and Joe Beimel make sense in Houston.  The problem with the Astros is that they are getting older and need to compete now.  They’ll make some moves before spring training, but if they don’t contend we’ll see a fire-sale like in Pittsburgh, where they sell off pieces to restock their minor league system.

West

Colorado – The Rockies came on incredibly strong at the end of last season based on chemistry.  That should continue, with seven of nine position players returning, and four of five starters.  So what’s not to like?  Well I’ll tell yah.  The bullpen took a massive hit.  They stand to lose Joe Beimel, Rafael Betancourt, Juan Rincon and Matt Herges.  They will most likely re-sign one or two of these guys, but will also be taking a look at the list of relievers on the market, and picking up a guy or two.  The bullpen is a big if, but the Rockies of the last couple years have been scrappy, and I think if they can make one or two decent signings, they could challenge for the N.L. Championship next season.

San Francisco – This may not be a well received opinion, but, there is no way that Tim Lincecum should have won the Cy Young this year.  This is, of course, just my opinion but I wanted to throw it out there.  Moving on…the Giants have a great starting rotation, and this is what is going to sustain them through next season.  They couldn’t hit last year, and they most likely won’t hit next year, unless they make a huge move.  The answer?  Jason Bay hitting home runs into San Francisco Bay!  The thought of hitting in front of the Kung Fu Panda for the next 6 or so years has to be enticing to Bay, especially with that starting staff.  The Giant pitchers will be good for many years to come, but if they hope to make any noise in the playoffs they’ll need a Bay…I mean bat.

San Diego – The big news surrounding the Padres this off-season is the possible departure of slugger, Adrian Gonzalez.  That said, the Padres front office doesn’t want to move him, which is just plain silly.  San Diego is about three good development years away from contending, and Gonzalez is only under contract through the end of next season.  If they hope to get ANYTHING of value from his departure it will be via trade.  Atlanta, Boston, New York (N.L.), and Chicago (A.L.) could all be a landing spots for Gonzalez, but the prospect asking price will be incredibly high.

Los Angeles – I would love to see Brad Penny go back and pitch for the Dodgers again this season.  He struggled in Boston for most of last year but I think he’s still got gas in the tank, and could completely dominate in the National League West.  The Dodgers need arms like most teams do, but I think they’ll be checking out the bargain basement deals this winter.  Penny is a name that jumps out; I also think that Pedro Martinez could be on Torre’s short list.  We all know that Pedro and Manny had a torrid love affair and would be stoked to reunite in sunny SoCal.  Add that to the fact that Pedro has already come out and said that he wants to pitch a full season next year, and you’ve got a match made in heaven.