the great lull

Honestly, I haven't been a big follower of Major League Baseball in a long time. The first strike hurt, but I followed through Sosa and McGuire's home run chase. It wasn't steroids that turned me away from the game. It was just that my favorite team, the Dodgers of Los Angeles, were mediocre for a long period of time after 1988. They had that run of Rookie of the Year award winners in the 1990s, but those guys could never put it together to make a serious playoff run. There's was a brief bit of excitement when Lima time hit, but that team was done in four games. Then came last year and the one incredible trade that the Dodgers have made in the last 25 years: the Manny Ramirez deal. And now I care. Yes, call me fairweather or whatever. I love this team. I have a coffee mug and an old '88 World Series T that's all worn out and was originally my brother's back in '88. Then the Manny roids thing happened. I remember when I heard that. I was in O'Hare airport waiting to catch a plane to Minnesota and I called my family. Manny, steroids, out for 50 games. Shock, disbelief, but no despair. This team was too good for that. They had built such a big lead in the West with Manny that I reasoned if they could go .500 while Manny was out, they'd still be leading the West or close enough to make a run into the playoffs. The suspension would be a blessing in disguise because Manny would come back in July completely fresh and ready for the stretch run. It worked out better than any Dodger fan could hope. The team didn't just tread water; they ran roughshod over the National League going 29-21 and opening up a seemingly insurmountable lead in the West. Manny's back and completely healthy, well-rested for the time of year that really matters. And as a result, the Dodgers look like the only legitimate team in the National League.

Every other team is deeply flawed. The East is terrible. The Mets are broken and play like they expect to lose. Somehow Jerry Manuel isn't getting the heat that Willie Randolph felt despite the fact the two have similar records as manager of the Mets. The Phillies don't look like the Phillies of last year, and I think they only really get up when they know they have a chance to humiliate the Mets. The Marlins are young and so very up and down. I actually kinda like the Braves to win that division. They've got one of the best managers in baseball and their rotation isn't too bad. Plus, it just seems like every time this division is in flux like this and no one wants to step up, that the Braves just sort of shrug their shoulders and say "well I guess we've got to win this division again."

And then there's the Central. Milwaukee, ugh. St. Louis, a threat because of Pujols, but they've got holes all over the place. The Cubs? History is in their heads and we won't know if they can shake it until they get to the World Series. The Cubs haven't been all too good in years after going to the playoffs though and it looks like this year might be more of the same.