Dodgers Diaries

The season is now just three games long. Three games for the Dodgers to determine whether they are in the race or not. Three games for them to decide whether Manny Ramirez is worth holding onto for five more weeks.

Judging by the fact that Manny hasn’t started the past three days and is not in the starting lineup Sunday, that decision has already been made. Manny is as good as gone. They’re being extra cautious with him, assuring he won’t get injured before a trade can be consummated.

So why go on with the charade that they’re actually in a pennant race? Why not make it official and unload Hiroki Kuroda to the Yankees at the same time? Vicente Padilla’s on the DL, otherwise he’d be another fire sale candidate. Might as well showcase Ted Lilly one last time and include him in a deal. He’s been great as a Dodger, and I hope he signs here in the offseason, but unless he can also play left field and OPS .900, he’s not going to do it alone. Lilly is in fact a terrible hitter, even as pitchers go.

It pains me to see three outfielders wearing White Sox pinstripes while still collecting deferred money from Los Angeles (Manny, Fat Andruw Jones and Slappy Pierre). Only a three-game winning streak can stop that from happening.

-- JOHN ROSENTHAL