I'm hoping Manny is spending this extra time, while waiting to sign with the Dodgers, working on his pitching.
Dodgers GM Ned Colletti told us back in early December the team was going to take it slow in free agency, wait for bargains in spring training and then again at the trading deadline.
But I had no idea the plan was to make the team appear worse than last year's outfit.
The Dodgers need Manny desperately now for diversion, given a pitching staff that stinks, but what difference will he make at the plate if Mutt & Jeff, and yes I'm referring to Weaver, are pitching?
Last season, Joe Torre placed good pitching over hitting, and that will teach Torre to go on a book tour -- no one now paying attention to the guy who is going to run himself ragged walking out to the mound.
The Dodgers should have held on to Brad Penny rather than getting angry at him -- especially knowing their strategy is take advantage of the trading deadline.
Penny told Yahoo.com's Tim Brown that Larry Bowa was not in his corner, Bowa confirming it to our Dylan Hernandez and giving it to Penny like he might an umpire.
But Bowa's wrong on this one. Bowa didn't think Penny was tough enough, and almost everyone in baseball isn't as tough as Bowa.
Penny favored his arm because it's his livelihood. Bowa and several other coaches expected Penny to push past the pain because it's their livelihood.
But right now who would you rather have trying to crack the starting rotation? Weaver, Eric Milton, Shawn Estes or Penny?
Even Manny understands the value of good pitching. Last season he had the same question every day after asking where he might be next season: "When's Big Brown coming back?"
Big Brown was the team's nickname for Penny, who owns horses, and Manny said the playoffs would come down to pitching.
This year the Dodgers' choice for opening day starter is a guy coming off a broken leg or another coming off a sore shoulder. At last they won't have to worry about pitching come the playoffs.
In the meantime, though, it'd be nice to know how effective Manny might be out of the stretch.
HAD A meeting with Lamar Odom in New York, maybe more a scolding than just a meeting, and ever since he has been playing as instructed.
"Thanks, Coach Simers," he said before Tuesday's game, and I have no idea why they're paying Phil Jackson so much.
