Exit Red Sox Nation -- Enter the Bronx Zoo: Baltimoreans Reclaim City for Just One Night

The Stinking Red Sox nation is gone for another year, thank God! For three nights, Orioles Park in Camden Yards was bathed in red where every Red Sox triumph was greated with a roar of the Beaner faithful who sucked the charm out of charm city with their New England ways. The Red Sox beat the Orioles in predicted fashion barely giving the Birds a chance to come up for air for the first two nights only to give the Boston gang a kick in the arse and a hardy "see you later" by sending them home with an 11-6 Orioles' victory.

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Tonight, Camden Yards will be silent. It will take a full day to get the stench of clam chowder and Boston style baked beans out of the atmosphere while security does last minute exercises to prepare for the Bronx invasion this weekend, three games where Baltimore becomes, "Huh, you gotta problem with that," Yankee Stadium on the Patapsco. As Friday progresses from afternoon into evening, the charm of charm city, will be replaced with a more agressive surely tone where you wonder where all these guys named "Vinnie" came from, and "hon's" became replaced with "huh's." The hometown faithful will fear showing black and orange in theire own ball yard as pinestips and caps with NY on the front panel take control. However, let's have some fun with our guests.

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Ask them how the Mets are doing? "Hey aren't the Mets higher in the standings than the Yankees?"

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Inquire, "Wow, you've come all the way down here to see the Yankess play in Baltimore. You know Washington has a new ballpark too. Have you come down to see the Mets play in Washington?"

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Remind them: "Hey, the Red Sox were just here. Man, they're looking good. I think they could kick the Yankees ass right now."

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Ask them where there's a good place to eat in New York the next to last weekend next month. "We've got several bus loads of people heading to New York who want to see the Orioles play one last time in Yankee stadium. Gee, we'll never forget those grand slams Mark Belanger and Gary Roenicke hit."

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Other questions:

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"Hey, doesn't Hank remind you a lot of his old man?"

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"Steinbrenner, he lives down in Tampa doesn't he? Is he running the Tampa Bay Rays? They're in first place now."

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"How do you like those commercials about Joe Torre becoming an LA kind of guy. You think the Yanks would be doing better if he were still around?"

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"You know Babe Ruth's from Baltimore. Right out there in the outfield, his family used to have a pub!"

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Keep pointing at various Yankees on the field and ask them what that guy's name is. If it's somebody you never heard of, say, "Hmm, I hear he's pretty good, isn't he?"

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When the Orioles hit a fly ball to centerfield start crying, "I miss Melky Cabrera!!!"

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Ask them how "Cindy" Ponson is doing in their rotation. Follow up with all the times he got in bar fights and puked on people in Baltimore. Ask them how many times he's gotten arrested since he joined the Yankees.

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Ask "How's that Carl Pavano acquistion working out?"

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Say, "Hey, it's almost the end of the month. Do you think the Yanks will add Barry Bonds (or Roger Clemens) for a little September magic?"

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If they ask for directions, send them out on I-95 or 295, tell them to follow the signs to Washington. The good restaurants are just about as far as driving from Bronx to Brooklyn. Once they find New York Avenue, tell them, they're almost there!

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Ask, "Gee, if things keep going the way they are for the Yankees, you think Steinbrenner will fire the manager. You think they might get Billy Martin back??"

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Orioles: It's Off to Detroit and Then What - A Look at the Rest of the Season

O-R-I-O-L-E-S, ORIOLES!!!

The rest of the year is not going to be easy, but the Orioles are heading in the right direction regardless of how the stats size up compared to this point last year.

Orioles score 8 runs in the 8th to break 3-3 tie to beat Cleveland Indians 11-6; gain split for series.

Beginning tomorrow night in Detroit, the Orioles begin a stretch from now until September 24, the completion of their next to last series of the season, where they will play three series, ten games that are not against teams in their respective division races. (Their opponents – Cleveland, Toronto, and Oakland) The Tigers are the least competitive of the contenders they’ll face. In fact, it might be polite to call them contenders at all. As such a feisty Orioles performance could all but finish the Tigers’ chances of any post season play. Of remaining contenders, the New York Yankees, yes, those guys, are the weakest of the lot in 3rd place at 64-57, 9.5 behind first place Tampa Bay, six games back in the Wild Card chase. The remaining contenders are Tampa Bay and Boston from the East, Chicago and Minnesota in the Central. Of these five contenders, two will be division winners and one will be the Wild Card as there is no strong competition still standing in the West.

This year on August 14, the Orioles stand at 58-62 only slightly ahead of their pace on the same date, last year at 55-63. On August 14th of last year, the Orioles shut out the Yankees 12-0 and beat them again the following night, they’d go on to Toronto and lose two out of three, and came home on 20th to be rained out against Texas. Little would anyone expect as they beat the Texas Rangers the following night, they were on the eve of one of the most dreadful days in Orioles history as they’d play a double header to makeup for the rain out. In the first game, at the end of the third inning, all looked well as the Orioles led 3-0; however, what would follow would make the sinking of the Titanic look like a pebble thrown in the brook. The Rangers scored six runs in the top of the 4th, nine runs in the 6th, ten runs in the 8th, and for good measure six runs to start the 9th. The final tally was 30 runs for the visiting Rangers on three for the lowly hometown Woe-O’s. They’d drop the nightcap 9-7 then go on to lose 26 of their remaining 37 games still finishing in 4th place over Tampa Bay, but guess where Tampa is this year?

Those who’ve followed the Orioles so far this year can see progress though the results right now show only three more victories and one less loss. Were the Orioles to maintain their present pace, they’d finish at 78 and 84, a nine game improvement over last year, hardly the .500 or slightly better finish that would officially mark a return to modest respectability. Let's be realistic, given the opposition the Orioles face between now and the final weekend, maintaining the current pace will be extremely difficult especially on the road where fans will be roaring their support for the home team being hot in the pennant chase. There will be no pennants in Baltimore. The prospects of a winning season are not very likely, but for a team that was predicted to finish in dead last (where they will most likely finish barring a Toronto collapse), this is a team that the experts would have expected to lose 95-105 games and look like fools getting there.

The Birds only have two starters from their opening day roster, Jeremy Guthrie and Daniel Cabrera. Starting centerfielder, Adam Jones is likely out for the year, with the shortstop position remaining a revolving door. The three remaining starting positions in the rotation consist of personnel going up and down the Chesapeake between Baltimore and Norfolk.

What success the Orioles have had this year has been earned with honor as the breaks have not gone their way. The remainder of the year is going to be rough, very rough.

The bright side is a number of players are shaping up to be solid every day players for the future and the bullpen is greatly improved. When rosters expand on September 1, Orioles of the future from Norfolk and Bowie will have the chance to play in tough competition to help them grow into the foundation of the Orioles who could be contending for top honors two or three years in the future.

The biggest change between this year and last regardless of what the end results might show is that in August of 2008, the Orioles DO have a future. Bring on the contenders. Let the Camden crazies play spoiler as the season heads down its final stretch. It might not be winning ball, but it will be enthusiastic all out baseball.

The Stretch Drive Begins: July Meat Market Ends; The Stretch Drive Is Underway; Winners and Wheepers to be Determined

The 2008 season's trading season turned out to be quite productive with some huge names involved in the process. Here's a summary of the deals that could influence contenders' chances at reaching post season play. Let's look at the deals and see where the contenders stand into October. Right now, only the American League West is not competative. the Los Angeles Angels are running away from a weak division. The National League West also provides another odd scenario. It's quite possible the division winner could finish below the .500 mark as the Diamondbacks are only two games over the Dodgers who presently hold at 50/50!

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The Trades

July 7: Milwaukee Brewers gain CC. Sabathia from Cleveland. This was a wise move for Milwaukee to add a dominant starter long before the deadline as they attempt to wrestle the top spot in the NL Central from the Cubs. Outfielder Matt LaPorta was the most significant player sent to Cleveland. Since the Indians are loading for the future, this deal looks good for Milwaukee.

July 8: The Chicago Cubs prompyly answered the Brewers move adding a proven starter, Rich Harden from the Oakland Athletics. The remainder of the deal consisted of prospects in a two for four deal. The A's appear to be in fire sale rebuild mode. The Cubs were wise to keep growing as opponents strive to knock them down.

July 17: The Arizona Diamondbacks acquired first baseman, Tony Clark, from the San Diego Padres. The Padres have mailed in the season. Clark gives Arizona a veteran hitter than could help them contend in the mediocre NL West chase where the top team struggles to keep above the .500 mark. No big impact looks likely from this deal.

July 17: The Philadelphia Phillies added starter, Joe Blaton as the Oakland fire sale continues. Second baseman, Adrian Cardenas, appears to have huge potential for Oakland, but surrendering starting pitching is risky business unless they intend a protracted rebuilding process. Proven pitching is always a good thing for a contender. Philadelphia has an excellent shot at winning the NL East.

July 20: The Brewers aquired second baseman, Ray Durham, from the San Francisco Giants for farm hands. Durham gives Milwaukee a little more punch from their infield. Durham is a proven vet. Not an earth-shaker move, but this move can help the Brewers develop needed depth.

July 22: The Arizona Diamondbacks acquired reliever Jon Rauch, who'd been Washington's closer, for bullpen depth. DC got infielder Emilo Bonifacio for emergency infield depth just called up today, 8/1, from Columbus.

July 25: The New York Yankees acquired outfielder, Xavier Nady and bullpen lefty, Damaso Marte for four minor league prospects to the Pittsburgh Pirates who have shown little interest in retaining first line major league talent in recent years. Nady provides the Yankees a righthanded bat with some power to give them depth on offense. Marte, who closed on occasion for Pittsburgh helped the Yankees build more bullpen depth that would provide trading material days later.

July 26: The Los Angeles Dodgers hovering around the .500 but in great shape to contend for first place in the miserable NL West grabbed Casey Blake for catching prospect, Carlos Santana, a switch-hitting power hitter and Triple-A level pitcher, Jon Marek. Blake should start at the hot corner but can play shortstop and second base as well.

July 29: The Los Angeles Angels, already sporting the best record in baseball, secured power-hitting superstar, Mark Teixeira. This could be a short term acquisition since Teixeira is a free agent represented by Scott Boros. The Angels gave up players of little importance to their operation. This move could make the Angels the top choice to prevail in September. After years of Atlanta Braves dominance, it is a strange sight to see them in fire sale mode in July. The end of the Bobby Cox era draws closer.

July 30: In a deal that could enhance playoff chances for both teams, the Detroit Tigers traded veteran, all-star catcher, Ivan Rodriguez for right-handed reliever, Kyle Farnsworth. The Yankees urgently needed a top notch catcher with Jorge Posada lost for the season undergoing shoulder surgery. Gaining Damaso Marte ealier gave the Yankees room to move. The Tigers bullpen has been a shambles. Any hope for a playoff berth in Motown demanded bullpen help. Both teams have increased the chances of October baseball with this deal.

July 31: In a youth for experience move, the Florida Marlins acquired Arthur Rhodes for Gaby Hernandez. The Marlins still could contend against Philadelphia and New York in the NL East. A proven lefty in relief will help improve the chance of fish on the playoff menu.

July 31: The Chicago White Sox sought to secure their hold on first place by gaining future hall-of-fame home run threat, Ken Griffey Jr. This deal is probably more suited for the White Sox improving their shot of advancing in the playoffs than winning the division as Minnesota is clearly a step back from the Sox and Detroit has been horribly inconsistent so far this year. Cincinnati got a relief pitcher and a minor league infielder in return. Since leaving Seattle, for Griffey to be injury-free at this point in the season is notable enough as his years with the Reds have been full of frustration only having close to 500 at bats in three seasons since joining the Reds for the 2000 season. Could returning to the AL be the luck Griffey needs to finish his long march to Cooperstown with one last big hoorah?

July 31: In perhaps the most puzzling deal of this year's big auction, the Boston Red Sox ridded themselves of all the antics, mood swings, and hissy fits of ultra-slugger, Manny Ramirez, as Sox manager Terry Francona surely was quoting the Popeye verses, "That's all I can stand cuz I can't stand no more!" Even to the television audience, fans could see Ramirez dogging it strolling leisurely to first base. Joe Torre, who has surely been there and done that in baseball, was given a new challenge that could make all the headaches of the Bronx zoo and ultimately being told to bust a move out of town by Hank Steinbrenner seem tame. When Manny Ramirez is on, he can carry a team on his back with his homerun and RBI slugging talent. The problem is Manny Ramirez is more of a slug than a slugger. Say no more.

In return, the Red Sox gain Jason Bay who will take Ramirez's spot in left field. Bay hit 32 homers in 2004 and 35 in 2005 with over 100 RBI's both of those years. Given his place in Pittsburgh's line up with not much punch to back him up, he has been pitched around and walked frequently. Bay is not a household name in the American League having been buried in the relative obscurity of playing in Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, to round out the three team deal, Pittsburgh aquires prospects from Los Angeles, 3rd base prospect, Andy LaRoche and class A future starting pitcher, Bryan Morris. Brandon Moss a left-handed hitting outfielder from Boston's farm system. The Sox also contributed Craig Hansen, a righty reliever prospect.

Should Manny Ramirez keep his head on straight for two months, he could ignite the Dodgers leading them to the NL West crown. For him to perform well for Joe Torre would be one more way for him to stick it the Red Sox as Torre took their rivals in New York to post season every year since the 1994 strike.

Jason Bay will get no honeymoon in Boston, Being Manny Ramirez's replacement will come with high expectations where Bay will play for crowds at Fenway never realized at moribund PNC Park,, one of the nicest of the new ballparks on the Alleghany where old Three Rivers is but a parking lot for the two new venues.

One can only imagine the hell that Ramirez brought to the Sox clubhouse. Rarely does a team give up its top hitter when favored by many to secure the East title.

The Pennant Races Broken Down

No team bought a championship with the many moves desribed above. What might be more fortelling are the teams with strong potential to win divisions who did nothing, The Tampa Bay Rays, Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, and St. Louis Cardinals.

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American League

AL East

Tampa up by 3.0 over Boston. They're playing Detroit at home this weekend and will host the Los Angeles Angels on 8/18 before traveling to Chicago o face the White Sox. In September, they face Boston and New York both at home and away and finish the season against Detroit. The Rays face plenty of contenders down the stretch. Will the Yankees and Red Sox post season experience knock Tampa Bay out of the playoff picture? They made no moves to improve. The Red Sox host and visit the White Sox in August and visit Yankees stadium for the last time Agust 26-28. The schedule favors road games where the Sox have struggled this year, but their opponents spare New York and Chicago are way out of the chase. September features a Fenway friendly schedule playing Tampa as noted above and then finish the year against the New York Yankees in their own ballpark. The Yankees embark on a ten game road trip next week with stops in Texas, Los Angeles, and Minnesota before coming home with only their last games at home against Boston to finish August. The Yankees must improve and come home winners especially besting Minnesota to enhance their wild card prospects should they not win the division. September will be very tough on the Yankees who vist Detroit then fly south to Tampa then to the West Coast visiting Seattle and then the Angels once more. Their final home stand features Tampa Bay then Chicago before closing the "House that Ruth Built" against Baltimore. The Yankees will have to play far better than they have all year to contend for either the division or the wild card. It will take all-star performances around the field and on the mound for the final series in Fenway to be meaningful.

The Red Sox look like they're in the driver's seat to win the East, but Tampa is a team of surprises. The Yankees are a money team but only are they six games down in the loss column, they must dominate their toughest opponents on the road. New York has also struggled at times against Baltimore and even Toronto. Get ready to hear Hank Steinbrenner's finger pointing and whining as Yankee Stadium could close in a whimper.

AL Central

The White Sox have a slight lead over Minnesota with Detroit down seven games in the loss column. Chicago faces Detroit and Boston at home next week. Solid home play could almost burst Detroit's bubble. They have four shots against the Red Sox in Chicago to try to secure a first round home field advantage in the post season. Tampa Bay comes to town on the 22nd before travelling to Boston at the end of the month. Chicago hosts LA and Detroit early in September before traveling to New York then later Minnesota in their next to last series before coming home to finish. The key to success for Chicago is taking advantage of the generous number of games still to play on the Windy City's south side. Griffey homered contributing to a Sox win to start the month. Repeating this scenario should make things look good for the pale hose. Wow, August looks nice for the Twinkies. They host the Yankees and visit the Angels, but they will be on the road from 8/21 to 8/4 as the Republicans have something planned in their city in this time frame. September again only features two series against contenders assuming Detroit is still afloat when they vist on 9/5. The Twins then head to Tampa on the 19th. The Twins schedule is not too tough, but they can't do as much as other teams to blow up their rivals. Though the Tigers have the most ground of any team to make up for post season play, their only action against contenders is early in the month visiting Tampa then Chicago. The Tigers must dominate in August as their September schedule is tough starting with one game against the Yankees beofre the Angels come to town. They're off for a quick series in Minnesota, and then face another quick road trip to Chicago. Detroit hosts Tampa Bay in Detroit to finish the year. Detroit has much ground to cover.

AL West

There is no contest out west. The Los Angeles Angels enhanced by the addition of Mark Teixeira lead Tampa Bay by four games for home team advantage through the entire playoffs. The Angels are the American League's most dominant team.

AL Prediction

Boston should win the east. Chicago appears to have a little more punch than Minnesota but a tougher schedule. It looks like a slight edge for for Chicago. With the Angels winning the west, it's between Tampa Bay, New York, and Minnesota for the Wild Card. Tampa is six games ahead of the Yankees and four over Minnesota in the loss column. It's hard to believe this, but it looks like the Rays (what happened to the Devil) will enjoy post season play for the first time.

Boston will compete against the Angels for the championship with the Angels looking poised to go to the World Series.

National League

NL East

August begins with Philadelphia, New York, and Florida two games apart in the loss column. The Phillies face contenders for all but three series in August currently visiting St. Louis then hosting Florida. They get a home breather then go out west to LA and San Diego returning home to host the lowly DC Nationals before Manny's fanny and the Dodgers play four games with brotherly love. The Mets visit for two games before heading to Wrigley Field to finish the month. The Phillies continue to face Washington three games in DC and then finish the year at home against the Natty boys. This is a good thing as long as they don't get lost in Baltimore traveling to and from. They have tough competition aside from home and away with Atlanta but Atlanta won't lie down. They visit New York, then host Florida and Milwaukee. Their last road trip takes them to Florida before finishing at home against their weakest division rivals. The New York Mets will fight to give Shea Stadium a brief reprieve before being demolished to make way for the Mets new CITI Bank Field. They host Florida, but finish the month on the road with two games in Philadelphia then Florida. September won't be as easy staring in Milwaukee but all play after that against contenders will be at home with home and away series against Washington and Atlanta. They'll finish their stay at Shea facking the Cubs then the Marlins. August will not be easy for the Fish. They leave for Philadelphia and New York next week, then host St. Louis and the Cubs. It's then off to the coast then Atlanta with three games in Arizona. August completes with the Mets coming to Miami. 9/5 to 9/10 consists of two series against contenders on the road, St. Louis then Phillie. They begin a long home stand finishing with Philadelphia 9/19 to 9/21. If all goes well, their season will be decided in Shea Stadium for the final series played in the Flushing Meadow relic.

NL Central

The Chicago Cubs have the best advantage of the NL first place teams four ahead of their divisional rivals and a five game advantage for home field through out the play offs. The remainder of August looks favorable for the Cubs. They host St. Louis next weekend and finish the month at home against Philadelphia. In between while only playing nine games on the road in August, they travel to Miami to face the Marlins. They have no further away destinations only also making stops in Atlanta and Pittsburgh. They'll need to take care of their August advantage as September only features nine games in the "friendly confines and tougher competition for most of the month. The action heats up on September 9th when they visit St. Louis. The following week they host division contenders Milwaukee and St. Louis. There's no let up as they hit the road for the finale travelling to New York then Milwaukee. St. Louis gets the least attention of the contenders. Hello, this is Tony LaRussa's team with Albert Pujois, remember him? They are starting against Phille, travel to Chicago and Florida in the middle of the month, then play Milwaukee two home games toward the end of the month. September begins in Arizona, then contenders come to the Budweiser Bowl, Florida and Chicago. They go the the road one last time for nine games finishing the tour in Chicago before hosting Arizona for four games and get to nap against a hapless Cincinnati to finish the year.

NL West

Arizona leads Los Angeles by two games but faces a much tougher schedule. The Dodgers and Diamondbacks meet head to head to start the final stretch drive. it's smooth sailing for Arizona until hosting Florida 8/22 - 8/24, then it's three games in San Diego before hosting the Dodgers. In September, the Snakes host and visit St. Louis while visiting the Dodgers early in the month. One game into August, the Dodgers stand at .500 but are still in contention. .500 teams in the other five divisions are buried far out of contention, a little good fortune for Torre's terrors? The Dodgers have a much tougher schedule in August than Arizona. They visit St. Louis next week then by way of San Francisco com home to host contenders Philadelphia and Milwaukee. They finish the month with ten games on the road, six against contenders, Philadelphia then the Snakes. The Dodgers only face their division rival, Arizona at home the first weekend of September. The entire rest of their September season is against teams sure to finish with losing records.

NL Predictions

The Phillies appear to have a slight advantage over the Mets and Fish to win the NL East and first round home field. Chicago should hang on and secure the Central. If Manny Ramirez is happy, it looks like the west belongs to the Los Angeles Dodgers. With their player moves and depth, the Brewers will win the Wild Card. Chicago gets home field advantage through out the playoffs.

The World Series

The universe will hear Harry Carrey belowing from heaven. "Cubs win. Cubs win. Cubs win." True, the Angels secured home field advantage because the American League won the All-Star game, but nobody's going to get the Cubs' goat this time. Lou Pinella has these guys believing. There will be no Bartman types stealing defeat from the jaws of victory like the last time the Cubs looked strong in October.

The New Biggest Jerk in Baseball

For years, "The Biggest Jerk in Baseball Trophy," was the exclusive property of Barry Bonds. How could any fan feel sympathy for the supposed best player in the game (at least from looking at the stats) who cried and whined about everything? Fans don't feel much pity for someone who cops the attitude, "Awh, boo-f##king-hoo, nobody knows how tough it is raking in these millions of dollars playing baseball...." Add to that, just believe what your eyes tell you, a trim slender body with an angular head as a young player with the Pittsburgh Pirates compared with the chunky, moon-faced slugger with the Giants, this is nothing that came from bellying up to the dinner table. Barry Bonds can throw out all the excuses he wants, the dude took tons of steroids. Regardless of where his legal battles take him, do not insult baseball fans' intelligence and try to argue this fellow is a victim of circumstances. Far too many audit trails point right to Bond's locker. Even if it was just "skin cream" which is doubtful, many substances are absorded through the skin including "Androgel," a form of testosterone absorbed through the skin. While he might have snagged Hank Aaron's home run record, what made him strong in his forties could kill him in his fifties as the long term health prospects of steroid users is not good. Bonds sold his soul to the Devil for baseball immortality when he could have most likely had a very respectable, Hall-of-Fame career without doping up. One of the most accomplished players mentioned in the same breath as Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and Willie Mays, is a whining, sarcastic thug who no young athlete in his right mind would dare want to emulate.

The heir-apparent to Barry Bonds for the "biggest jerk award" has to be Manny Ramirez, not since his surly teammate Albert Belle who even chased away trick-or-treaters, has the American League had such an arrogant snot of a player. It may seem like ancient baseball history, but Belle and Ramirez were Cleveland's troublesome teammates. Though Cleveland Indian fans might miss the powerhouse team they enjoyed in the early days of Jacobs Field (or whatever it's been renamed now -- RMF avoids the commercialized name in his writing so as not to provide free advertising for Corporate America), few fans along the shores of Lake Erie miss either one of these fellows. Let another city have the headaches.

While the Boston Red Sox are in an excellent position to compete in post season play if not win the Eastern Division outright, Ramirez is not happy. Instead he pouts and complains perfectly willing to let his dissastisfaction be known far and wide though nobody is really sure just what it is that has him so unhappy -- having some of the most consistent stats of any player while playing for the decade's most successful team? Ramirez says he would welcome a trade. If not, he should hope to receive a thank you note from the Red Sox brass informing him they will not play their options releasing him to the free agent market at the end of the year. For all Manny Ramirez brings to the team, his temper and foul attitude can poison a club house. How many franchises will welcome those headaches for a contract of up to the $100 million over four years Ramirez is seeking?

Surely, Ramirez will be the subject of a lot of hot stove conversation in the off-season as speculation would surely focus on what team might see itself one player short of serious contending where Ramirez's fat bat would look tempting in the heart of the lineup.

For the reasons cited above, Manny Ramirez is the Biggest Jerk in Racing.

Hey Manny, it's not too late, get a haircut and smile. Maybe people might like you then if you keep pounding balls over the "Green Monster." In the meantime, be quiet and do your job. Few people in the world have been given your opportunity and make a fortune doing so.

On this day that Baseball recognizes its legends with the Hall-of-Fame inductions, it's hard not to look at the current players who look like they have achieved the kind of numbers that make a place in Cooperstown almost a certainty in the future. Manny Ramirez will be there for all his batting prowess for the Indians and the Red Sox. If the sports media who votes for Hall-of-Fame members seriously considered "character" as one of the qualification for membership, Manny Ramirez would be the odd man out. Only steroid use appears to have kept players out given Mark McGwire was not on stage with Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn when the first player to break Roger Maris's record became eligible. Today, fans realize that all efforts which have exceeded the 61 homerun mark set by Maris in 1961 could be tarnished as there is little doubt Bonds and McGwire used performance enhancing drugs and hormones with whispers Sammy Sosa did the same. If just being a total jerk were grounds to keep a player out, then perhaps Ty Cobb's membership would have to be revoked. That would not be right. As such, some time within the next decade, we might have to hold our nose and suck it in as Manny Ramirez could very likely take center stage on a late July Sunday afternoon in Cooperstown, New York.

In the meantime, RMF will create his "Hall of Shame" in cyberspace. Your nominations please?