NL Baseball

When the inaugural World Baseball Classic was first announced back in 2005 and played in 2006, I really had no strong feelings about it one way or another.

This second day of March, now just another manic Monday, looked destined to be a landmark date in baseball's sordid drug history, the date on which the trial of the game's most notorious slugger began in federal court in California.

Two of baseball's $100 million men play for the New York Mets.
Carlos Beltran signed a seven-year, $119 million contract in 2005. Johan Santana signed a six-year, $137.5 million contract in 2008.

Put the Mannymania on hold.
Yes, Los Angeles is a star-studded town, and yes Manny Ramirez became a Dodger darling in his two months with the team at the end of last season. No doubt if he finally signs with the Dodgers there will be a positive reaction from the fans.
But get serious.
The fortunes of the Dodgers this season aren't tied to whether Ramirez returns.

Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and general manager Ned Colletti made a new two-year, $45 million contract offer to Manny Ramirez during a 2-1/2-hour meeting with agent Scott Boras at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, according to a baseball source familiar with the negotiations.

New York Mets manager Jerry Manuel has talked about the difference between a player's first year in New York and his second. For catcher Brian Schneider, the comfort he feels has more to do with familiarity of his pitching staff than his busy surroundings.

You might think it prudent to wait for Cactus League results before issuing a Colorado Rockies prediction for 2009. Not me. Baseball's exhibition season may have more charm than the others, but it has no more predictive value.
First, a review:

Manager Jerry Manuel knows if his New York Mets are to make a serious postseason run in 2009, they will need Carlos Delgado to pick up where he left off at the end of 2008.
After struggling through June (.228, 14 home runs, 45 RBI), Delgado took off in July and put up MVP-like numbers (.313, 24 home runs, 70 RBI) through the end of the season.

Oklahoma State University pitcher Andrew Oliver's legal victory against the NCAA last week could impact the NFL and NBA more than it does baseball.
Oliver challenged the NCAA rule that allows an athlete to retain an attorney but forbids the attorney from direct involvement in negotiations.

As Joe Torre gathers his entire team together Thursday for the first time this spring, the Los Angeles Dodgers manager has said he might make light of doubling this winter as co-author of "The Yankee Years."