We got Manny!

We got Manny! We got Manny! We got Manny!
We got Manny! We got Manny! We got Manny!
We got Manny! We got Manny! We got Manny!
We got Manny! We got Manny! We got Manny!
We got Manny! We got Manny! We got Manny!
We got Manny! We got Manny! We got Manny!
We got Manny! We got Manny! We got Manny!

*gasps for breath*

Today was the trading deadline for Major League Baseball. My team, the Dodgers, is the type of team that will usually make some horrible trade for an aging veteran in a vain attempt at winning their sorry division prior to being swept out the playoffs yet again. So naturally we did just that today, except this time we actually got a real superstar still in the (sort of) prime of his career. What did it cost us: Andy Laroche, a backup third baseman. Well, on our team he's a backup third baseman. Given his minor league numbers and apparent talent, he should probably have been our starting third baseman. But since we were wasting his cheap, abundant talent on the bench anyway we might as well trade him for 3 months of an aging superstar. Which is what happened, and so WE GOT MANNY!

My mother skeptically asked me about the trade, wondering why the Red Sox would want to trade Manny if he's so great. Answer: Because the Red Sox decided they don't want to win the World Series this year. Its that simple. Trade Manny = No Win. Sadly, Dodgers Trade for Manny does not automatically = Win, but whatever. We got Manny!

Unlike a lot of people, I happen to love Manny Ramirez. Sure, he's a total goofball and a bum, but who cares: dude can hit. I mean really, really hit. This is baseball: either you hit, you pitch, or you are useless. Plus, he's one of the best characters on The Dugout. Personally I can't wait to see what their response is to this trade. (UPDATE: The Dugout has chimed in on Manny's big move, and honestly it got a little dusty in here)

Given the Dodgers typical MO towards acquiring talent, I figured Manny might eventually be wearing the blue. Except I predicted it would be in maybe 5 more years when he was well past his prime and they decided to shower him with a free agent contract which was worth roughly 300% of his fair market value. That's how the Dodgers have done things for roughly 10 years: spend spend spend on players who used to be superstars but are now only a year or two from collecting Social Security. So its extra sweet to get Manny for basically nothing (in money terms) and know he's still doing it as well as ever.

As an added bonus, this trade will hurt the Red Sox in more ways than one. Besides losing Manny, they'll be paying his salary for the rest of the year, meaning the Dodgers won't have to jack up the price on the all you can eat tickets in the Right Field Pavilion. Sweet.

The only thing I don't like about this trade is that now the Dodgers have 5 outfielders: Manny, Either, Kemp, Andruw Jones and Juan Pierre. And of course, since Kemp and Either are young, good and cheap, and Pierre and Jones are old, bad and expensive, more than likely the Dodgers will have a Manny-Jones-Pierre, which will ensure either an exciting but failed run at the NL West or another first round playoff exit. But whatever, we got Manny!

Does this makes us World Series contenders? Probably not. Hell, I still think we're only 50/50 to win the shittiest division in baseball, the NL West. But who cares! We got Manny!