Then I’d sign CC.  I would match the Yanks offer.  He wants to play on the West Coast and it’s only 2 mil more a year to match the offer.  Just do it, Ned!

You have to trust the fact that Kemp, Loney, Ethier, DeWitt and Martin will mature into better players next year.  DeWitt too!  You just have to believe that they will

I would not be afraid to go into Spring Training and let Hu and DeJesus battle for SS.

Lineup:

1.  Pierre  LF  .300/65 SB/110 Runs
2.  Martin  C   .385 OB%/20 SB/Good Hit and Run
3.  Ethier  RF  .300/25/100 - Time to graduate to #3
4.  Beltre  3B  .290/30/110 - Picking up where he left off
5.  Loney  1B  .300/20/95  - Good, Very Good
6.  Kemp  CF  - 275/25/90 - Trying to find his groove
7.  DeWitt - 2B  - .260/18/70 - Learing his trade
8.  Hu  SS  - .230 with Good D

Rotation:

Sabathia, Billingsley, Kershaw, Kuroda, Schmidt or McDonald

Closer:

Elbert or Lindblom

I noticed that Baseball America named Carlos Santana the Cleveland Indians #1 prospect over #2 Matt LaPorta.  They said in part:  Kelly Shoppach’s big year means that the Indians won’t have to rush Santana, who will begin 2009 on a prospect-laden Akron club. He has all the ingredients to become an all-star catcher and could reach Cleveland by the end of 2010.

SAD!  VERY SAD!  For 2 months of Casey Blake?  Felony Stupid, as Lawdog would say!  Dumber than a bag of hammers.

P.S. Check out the new Dodger sites on the Links at the Right.  I have links for the Hot Stove League and Spring Training.

Much of the available evidence suggests that Jason Varitek is in sharp decline. But there is mitigating evidence, too.   Varitek, 36, filed for divorce on July 28 and dealt with previously unreported physical issues last season, according to his former Red Sox teammate, Curt Schilling.

“Jason would be the last, and likely never would, to make any excuses for the poor offensive year and a half he has had,” Schilling wrote on his blog, 38pitches.com.

“I will tell you that what he had to endure physically and mentally absolutely impacted him in a negative way performance-wise. People don’t know that he twice last year had a serious viral sickness. He was completely wiped out on two different occasions.   “Both times he lost significant weight and strength and he did so in the midst of playing. Back on the field in a time frame I would guess was not in his best health interest.”   Schilling admittedly is biased in favor of Varitek. Scott Boras, Varitek’s agent, also defends his client. But the Red Sox’s approach to Varitek in free agency will provide a clear indication of whether the team believes that he can rebound.   Here’s the problem: The impact of Varitek’s defense and leadership is not measurable. Nor is the impact of his physical and emotional difficulties last season.

1. Gordon  SS

2. Martin  3B

3. Kemp  CF

4. Lambo  1B

5. Ethier  RF

6. Russell  LF

7. DeWitt  2B

8. May  C

9. Kershaw  P

Orioles prospect Matt Wieters knocked in two runs as the Surprise Rafters edged the host Scottsdale Scorpions, 4-3, on Monday afternoon.

Wieters led the Rafters with a pair of two-out RBI singles. In the first inning he drove the ball to left to knock in Julio Borbon, and in the fifth, he sent one into center that plated Andrew Lambo.

The catcher, hitting .290 with 10 home runs and 12 RBIs in Arizona, has knocked in a run in each of his last three games.

Brandon Snyder (Orioles) was 2-for-3 with an RBI single in the eighth, and Lambo (Dodgers) and Joe Dickerson (Royals) both went 2-for-4. Dickerson also had a sacrifice fly and notched his third Arizona Fall League double.

Borbon (Rangers) left the game after singling, stealing second and scoring on Wieters’ hit in the first.

Rangers lefty Beau Jones (2-0) struck out one in a perfect inning to earn the win for Surprise (11-24). Travis Schlichting (Dodgers) allowed a hit but shut down Scottsdale for his third save.

Well, Wieters is hitting .290 with 12 RBI in the AFL, but he has 1 HR, not 10!

By the way, Andrew Lambo is at .323.  If Wieters is the #1 prospect, then Lambo is ahead of him.