Wide open. Free-for-all. Puncher’s chance.
These are the responses I get when I ask coaches, players and executives about the National League West. The absence of a dominant team is a reflection of both modest budgets and pedestrian lineups.
A week away from pitchers and catchers reporting to the desert — the entire division resides there now — it comes down to this: Manny Ramirez controls the balance of power. And he doesn’t have a team, yet.
If the Dodgers bring him back, they are the favorites. If San Francisco snares him, it shoots to No. 1 in the polls.
When I first reported that the Giants were pursuing Ramirez, the ridicule was rampant. Six weeks later, they are still lurking, capable any minute of deciding to ruin the Dodgers’ offseason. At every step, the Giants have made it clear that their interest in Ramirez is restricted to a short-term deal. The market has flattened to a point where that is now a realistic scenario.
Besides, any team that had money for CC Sabathia and has a history with agent Scott Boras can’t be dismissed out of hand.
The theory is often advanced that it’s better not to have Manny than to have him unhappy. One National League GM shuddered over the phone last week just thinking of the prospect, visions of Ramirez in Boston last July loafing, um, dancing in his head. And there’s no denying that Ramirez will be less than thrilled with anything less than a $100 million deal.
Yet a former NL GM told me this weekend, “The Giants should still snare him.”
If anyone can make awkward work, it’s San Francisco. The Giants wrote “Divas for Dummies” while tolerating, celebrating and teeth-grinding through the Barry Bonds years. Put Ramirez in the middle of the Giants’ order and they are as good as anyone in the West with their outstanding starting pitching. And Ramirez, at his pouty worst, never approaches the clubhouse radioactive levels of Bonds.
His arrival would not only make the Giants better, but deprive the rival Dodgers of their best player. The Dodgers’ offense without Ramirez is somewhere between a yawn and a hiccup. L.A. scored nearly a half-run more a game with Ramirez in the lineup.
The Dodgers will be furious if they lose Ramirez, the jilted boyfriend left holding a boutonniere on homecoming. They need Ramirez, their fans crave Ramirez, but the process has gone painfully slow because Boras is not afraid to kill the hostage. There are no stinkin’ deadlines. Just bottom lines. He’s going to let this negotiation run its course, meaning Ramirez probably won’t sign — cut and paste prediction — until Feb. 28.
If both offers are equal, logic demands a return to Los Angeles. That’s where this gets fascinating, if not a little “Oceans 11” with the Giants.
“Are they in or are they out?”
Only the division title is at stake.
Footnotes.
If the Dodgers lose Ramirez, they can afford starter Randy Wolf, second baseman Orlando Hudson and outfielder Adam Dunn on short-term deals. . . . Look for the Rockies’ Eric Young Jr. to get a look at second base this spring. He projects as a future leadoff hitter, but that can’t happen if he’s a super utility player or center fielder. . . . Chris Iannetta is looking forward to catching countless bullpen sessions next week after spending part of last week on jury duty.
NL story lines
National baseball writer Troy E. Renck looks at five major story lines in the National League:
1 Mets.
Will revamped bullpen prevent another Mets collapse? The Mets spent the past two Septembers paging Dr. Heimlich. A leaky bullpen spoiled last season, something the team addressed with the signing of record-breaking closer Francisco Rodriguez and trade for closer-turned-setup man J.J. Putz.
2 Phillies.
Can the Phillies really repeat? Second baseman Chase Utley likely won’t be ready on opening day because of hip surgery, and Pat Burrell defected to Tampa Bay, replaced by Raul Ibañez. And what happens if Brad Lidge becomes human?
3 Cubs.
Will the Cubs at last exorcise demons? The 100-year hangover continues, a burden this franchise feels. Counting on volcanic Milton Bradley to provide left-handed lineup balance seems risky at best, catastrophic at worst.
4 Giants.
Are the Giants this year’s Rays? The Giants’ rotation is deeper than Tolstoy. Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain deliver dynamic 1-2 punch. Randy Johnson is motivated to reach 300 wins. Barry Zito, at $126 million, is a respectable fifth starter. If the Giants hit at all, they could win the NL West.
5 Manny.
Manny, anyone home? Agent Scott Boras is not afraid to kill the hostage in negotiations, but this is getting strange. Who’s going to pay Manny? If it’s the Dodgers or Giants, the team that gets him becomes the NL West favorite.
AL story lines
National baseball writer Troy E. Renck looks at five major story lines in the American League:
1 Yankees.
Will Yankees fund economic bailout? They spent $423.5 million on Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett. And apologized to no one. Sadly, there are 9-year-old kids in the Bronx who have never seen a World Series parade.
2 Angels.
Did Angels play the wrong hand this winter? They let K-Rod and Teixeira go. Former Rockie Brian Fuentes will close, but he’s never dealt with this type of expectation, and the offense, yet again, appears one bat short.
3 Red Sox.
Was Boston too prudent with its money? The Red Sox resisted the temptation to outbid the Yankees, adding lower-cost signings such as Brad Penny, John Smoltz, Rocco Baldelli and Josh Bard.
4 Rays.
Will Tampa Bay get beat over head with its glass slipper? The Rays are poised to contend with strong pitching, particularly with the shift of David Price into the rotation.
5 Indians.
Who is the sleeper? The Indians, a year later than expected, are poised to make a deep October run if Kerry Wood stays healthy as closer.
