Are the thoroughbreds fading down the stretch?

Are the thoroughbreds fading down the stretch?
If you read our previous blogs you’ve noticed that most of the focus had shifted to the Wild Card races, and we’re not the only ones, but over the course of ten days the frame of the playoff snapshot has widened dramatically and there are a lot more features involved now. The NL West that we had all but given to the Padres, who must have been reading too many blogs like ours, as after going on one last vacation before the Summer ended (losing 8 in a row) are now a dog fight with the Giants who now find themselves only 3 games back. Moreover the schedule defiantly favors San Francisco who has only 46 games left with teams over .500 and those four are with the floundering Padres, and 2 with the fourth place Dodgers. Meanwhile the Padres have the Cards and Reds for three games each in addition to the four game set with the Giants. I knew it, just when we got on the wagon and even apologized San Diego would revert back to their old ways. Well, if they choke this lead away, it will be one they will remember for another quarter century. Joining the Padres in the land of watercolors, are the Atlanta Braves who picked a bad time to go 5-5 as the Phillies are up to their old tricks of coming on strong at the tape and now have closed to within one game of the Braves and host them for 3 games later in September. Atlanta may have been caught looking ahead to that series and have not really taken care of business against the soft stretch with the Mets and Marlins, but can still even up the roadie as nothing helps get you healthy like a trip to Pittsburgh. Despite the slide the Braves do have a couple of things going their way as they have 16 games remaining with the cellar dwellers (Pirates, Nats, Mets, Marlins) and secondly, if they do find a way to lose the East, the second place finisher will still have plenty of breathing room to hold on to the wild card. On the flip side of the coin, is the Evil Empire who, much like the Phillies always seem to peak around time the season is about to change. After trading blows with the Rays for most of the year a seven game win streak has afforded them a little breathing room however small at a game and a half. These two have consistently been the best two clubs in baseball for the entire season as they battle for best record down to the final month of the season. We will not even begin to speculate where this is going to end up and the two teams still have seven huge games left with each other before seasons’ end. As a fan of the game I just hope they don’t burn out before they get a chance to meet and decide the ALCS. Who will be left standing both the NL and AL? Let us know here and in our In-Game chat rooms.
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You know what your’re getting with Many so buyer beware

Last year the Dodgers were floating on the cusp of the division lead and the last Wild Card spot when they required Manny Ramirez, and then you know the story. An unprecedented offensive barrage by a new acqasition not seen in recent memory, that just fell short of a National League title. Then of course, once the ether wears off and Mannywood shuts down for the winter and things cool off faster than the weather, and then Manny gets bored and needs a change of scenery. Then perhaps an injury, an ejection, the need to ‘rest’ during a hot afternoon game and then the writing is on the wall. So now fast forward to 2010 where the Chicago White Sox find themselves four games out and in need of one more stick to perhaps push them over the top. “Who ya gonna call”? yep, and he probably will be just what the doctor ordered in the short run. He will provide that added punch in the middle of the lineup or as a DH, he will make the hitter in front of him much more productive, he will be a great clubhouse guy and keep the other guys loose, he will get clutch hits, and most of all put plenty of ‘cheeks in the seats’. Will it be enough to overcome a 4 game deficit with less than 50 games to go? That remains to be seen. However what you can count on is after the season regardless of if the Sox take the decision or not they will get a wild card of their own. It’s the quintessential ‘Enterprise rent a player’ that has defined recent MLB era (along with roids) but it does make for great theater, and even in retrospect the Dodgers would probably still sign up for that program and the Sox should too. Manny doesn’t promise the world, and certainly doesn’t deliver it, he’s a short term fix, a tourniquet for teams in need, but when the bleeding stops he will leave you in a lurch and wound will not be healed. But all of that is in the fine print at the bottom of the page so buyer beware. Will Manny take the White Sox to the division crown? Let us know here and in any of the quick links.

Manny’s stock price continues to defy gravity despite being inactive

For someone who has two hits in 53 games Manny’s stock could never be higher. When the rumor mill first posted that Manny may be on the open market there were several teams interested in retaining his services, most of which are contenders. The front runner who actually claimed the Rasta Monsta off waivers are the White Sox who could certainly use his stick as they are 4.5 games out of the AL Central and have only scored more than 5 runs twice in their last seven games. They looking to add Manny as a DH as they are need for some power, particularly from the right side of the plate. Adding insult to injury their former DH Jim Thome is getting’ his stick on for the team the Sox are trying to catch, the Twins. But can Manny make the mental transition from the lax atmosphere of LA, even though they are equally in the hunt (5 games out of a playoff spot) to the intense media scrutiny of Chicago? Speaking of the Dodgers, and not to bury the lead, but all of this talk may be for not as they in the position to take a series from the Rockies with a win tomorrow possibly getting them within 4.5 games of the Wild Card and have a 3 game series with the team sitting on top of that table, the Phillies. Although a sweep is somewhat out of the question, if they can win the series then they will be in striking distance and don’t expect to see Ramirez in pinstripes any time soon. Perhaps the club with the brightest immediate future, interested in the Mannysweepstakes are the Rays who will either go in as the AL East champ(w/home field) or as the AL Wild Card, in either case MR’s impact would be immediately felt and welcome, and could you just imagine Manny in the new Yankee Stadium, in October, with a chance to knock New York out of the playoffs!!?? In any of the scenarios it appears the remaining 4.8 million will be more that palatable price. Where do you think Manny’s impact will be the most impactful?