When blue is in fashion.

If you have paid any sort of attention to Heidi Klum in the last ten years, you know that "one day you are in, and the next you are out." Granted, the supermodel is touting her famous phrase describing fashion and its designers and purveyors, but the tag line still makes so much sense to the world of sports.

I was just reading a horrendously sad article about Los Angeles' once beloved outfielder and slugger, Manny Ramirez. The 41-year old returned from China this year to attempt playing baseball in America again, only to sign a minor-league contract with the Texas Rangers. Unfortunately for Manny, he's only batting .250 (compared to a season-finishing .396 in 2008) with just three home runs and nine RBIs this season (compared to 37 and 121, respectively, in 2008), and shows little hope of playing in the majors again.

I remember the day Manny came to LA. It was July 31st, 2008. It was a little overcast, and really hot. My friend and I were walking up to the stadium and just sweating like hogs. For the first time I can clearly remember, there were big lit up signs on the roads leading up to Dodgers Stadium. They said, "GAME SOLD OUT." I couldn't tell you the last time that had happened.

The crowd was electric. There were lights flashing everywhere from Dodger fans new and old taking photos as Manny made his way to home plate for his first at-bat. Everyone chanted MANNY, MANNY in unison. The Dodgers didn't win that game, but it didn't matter. The fever for Manny Ramirez spread like wildfire. Signs went up all over town with the new #99 player plastered about. Elysian Park was suddenly dubbed Mannywood. The entire team stepped up and started playing like never before.

That was one the best seasons of baseball that I watched with the Dodgers. I'll never forget it. I'll always thank Manny for that season, in some way.

There's no need to discuss the demise of Manny in the MLB. It's all too common anymore, anyway.

But it makes me think: how many more Mannys will the Dodgers have? The MLB? And how many will go down as legends that we know and love forever? How many will retain a legacy untarnished? And how many will end up as a 41-year old playing terrible ball in the minor leagues while the rest of us joke about it on the internet?

As I watch the Puig-Mania already start to tease at a backlash as his insane hitting streak starts to fizzle, I want to remember that we love this game, and this game isn't about a player. It's about a team and a community. Take the good with the good, and take the bad as a team. I want to watch my favorite team succeed over and over again. Who doesn't?

But I don't want to disregard those who have come in and out like a flash of lightning when they contributed so much to our game at some point. And sometimes those contributions were not even on the field. So, no matter what happens next for any of these guys, they still created such special and memorable moments for us on the field. I know that I will cherish many of those moments forever, and I look forward to many more.

Weaver is back in the southland.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have brought pitcher Jeff Weaver back on a minor league contract for a whopping $800,000 for the year. How much did Manny make last year?

Just sayin'.

Maybe we'll get to see the Weaver family wear their fucked up half and half jerseys during the Freeway Series again this year.

Sweet.

Dodgers blowing their lead.

The Los Angeles Dodgers took one in the rear in the 10th inning when Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who went 2-5 with 2 RBIs, lined one into center field with one out and the bases loaded.

Another blown save by the crumbling Dodgers after starting strong from the get go. Matt Kemp scored on a single by Andre Either (3-4, 1 RBI) at the front of the first inning, and my hopes were up. Casey Blake homered out to deep left center field, and we were rockin'. But our dear, sweet child of a pitcher, Clayton Kershaw allowed two runs on 4 hits before being yanked from the mound after 6 1/3 innings.

The Dodgers relief pitching and game changing errors have narrowed their lead in the NL West to just two games. I'm getting tired of being let down by my team late in the game, although Los Angeles manager Joe Torre remains hopeful that the boys in blue will hold on to their #1 slot. I recall us kicking some major ass with a killer offensive lineup sans Manny Ramirez a few weeks ago. Hint, hint.

Get it together, boys. And tell Frank I said to pony up a little more in the budget for some real pitching.

It's [supposedly] official!

(image via ESPN.com)

According to sources, Manny Ramirez has finally signed a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and is on a plane headed west to take a physical before starting spring training.

Details of the deal haven't made it to me just yet, but I'll certainly disclose the goods as soon as I get them!

WTF Manny...maybe you need a new agent.

(image via zimbio.com)

Okay, the third time should have been the charm. Apparently old man moneybags wasn't hearing number three, and has now rejected the fourth offer by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Dodgers owner Frank McCourt knows what's up. In a statement earlier Thursday evening, he said, "when his agent finds those 'serious offers' from other clubs, we'll be happy to restart the negotiations."

I'm starting to believe that Scott Boras smokes crack. Is he really going to throw Manny's final years in baseball out the window because he can't negotiate a reasonable contract? This is absurd. No one in their right mind is going to pay a 37-year old man with a bad attitude, and a poor fielding record more than $45 million for two years!!!!!

NO ONE.

Sure, the Dodgers could use a .396 at the plate, but I'm not sure they're going to see it. Although GM Ned Colletti says that Wacky Ramirez isn't needed quite yet at spring training, I have been counting down the days until we play ball.

Manny?

Honestly, I'm pretty much over it. Breaking news says that the Los Angeles Dodgers just offered left fielder Manny Ramirez $45 million over two years. This is the biggest of the bags of money the thirty-six year old has received. He's an idiot to turn it down at this point. Obviously, no one else in the whole league has their checkbook out. Sign Manny, sign!

Or just go away and leave us alone already!

Either way, I'll be just fine with the Dodger roster. Manny or no Manny.

Did you know that he's a gemini? It kind of makes sense. He went from bleeding Dodger blue to kicking his feet up and waiting to count how many zeroes would make it on to the end of his next paycheck.

Jerk move.

I don't need to counter the above statement with how great of a ball player he is. We all know he can slug. He also rolls around in the outfield pretty well, too.

The most wonderful time of the year.

Honestly, screw Christmas. This is, by far, the most wonderful time of the year. NBA finals are closing in on us, and it's starting to look like we might have a repeat of last year. Kobe Bryant and his Lakers are 8 games up on the competition, with a 4-game winning streak. I'm not a huge Lakers fan, but when they're on a roll...you know. The Celtics are looking at a killer chance to up Cleveland by half a game tonight over Denver. But, at this rate, even if they manage to claw their way back into the finals, I think the end result is already apparent. We'll see what the coming weeks bring the NBA. Boston needs to sharpen up some tools a little bit. Call me crazy, I'd kind of just like to see Kobe eat it a little bit. That ego isn't going to fit in this city if we let it grow any further.

March madness is on it's way, and this is absolutely the best thing since sliced bread for me. I get two solid weeks of white knuckled distractions, lots of reasons to hit up the local brew spot with the guys, and before it's even all said and done, we get baseball. While most polls have their money on Connecticut right now, all four polls I've been keeping my eye on (AP, ESPN, RPI, and our very own Yahoo user's poll) have Oklahoma in second. UNC is taking third across the board, while Pittsburgh (ranked #1 by the Yahoo users), Louisville (go Cards! yes, I'm biased here), and Duke seem to be the three teams we'll be seeing fighting for their spot in the final four. As we know, anything goes at the beginning of this tournament. I'm thrilled to see who takes over my brackets.

With Manny Ramirez screwing with every team in the league, I'm curious to see where he ends up reporting for spring training. Although negotiations have intensified with the Los Angeles Dodgers, it's quite possible that his adamancy for a high ticket salary could leave him watching from the sidelines if he doesn't pick a dugout. Realistically, he'll end up somewhere. The question is where, and moreso, for how much.

The Boston Red Sox are weighing the strength of their team as they start training for their first full season without the powerhouse who managed to average a .396 in 187 at bats during 53 games after coming to the Dodgers mid-season through a three-way trade with Pittsburgh to give Boston left fielder Jason Bay. Although the Boston camp is talking optimisitcally, it will be interesting to see how the team fares without their wacky slugger.

(image via Yahoo! Sports)

Down in Florida, everyone is making a big deal out of a pulled hamstring. According to sources, New York Yankees short stop, Derek Jeter, was complaining about a sore right hamstring Sunday after drills. Jeter told press that "it's no big deal," and will continue training Monday. CC Sabathia, who apparently lost the right to have punctuation in his acronymic first name, also missed out on a day of training due to the flu. However, the left handed pitcher threw 40 pitches to teammates at batting practice the following day. The left-handed pitcher and batter is expected to open the Yankee season on the mound. Let's hope that $345 million infield proves to be worth all of that dough.

There will be much more said as the spring training games start rolling out, and we'll see how well these teams really work together. I'll be making some pretty happy travels out into the desert to check out some of these re-worked rosters as we make our way into the season in April.