I was getting ready to accept and help

A few days ago I was getting ready to accept the Dodgers off season moves and start to explain why they can have the best team they've had in awhile....and then they went out and got Andrew Jones and now I don't have to stretch the truth....as much.

The fact that they acquired a center fielder who batted .222 last year isn't exactly a reason to start printing World Series tickets....but Andrew Jones won 10 straight Gold Gloves and unless something terrible has happened....there is now an arm in center field....and from what I've heard....a bit of an attitude.

I've decided to approach the 2008 Dodger season with.....
IF THEY HAVE CAREER YEARS
or
IF THEY HAVE CLOSE TO CAREER YEARS

LINE UP

FURCAL .290
PIERRE .320
JONES .270 (35 HR)
KENT .295 (27 HR)
LONEY .330
KEMP .325
MARTIN .300
GARCIAPARRA .315

The fact that a guy who batted .372 and .357 a few years ago.... will bat eight on the 2008 Dodgers says something about the potential of this line up. Of course I'm a huge Nomar fan and I think he still has some fire left in that body. He was regarded as one of the best shortstops in baseball just a few years ago and then an injury here and there.... and we are lucky to have a player of his caliber and as far as being a human being....he's the real deal. Luis Gonzales might be the nicest guy to ever play baseball, but Nomar isn't that far behind. I think they should sign Luis just for insurance.....as long as they can get him for $5 or $6 million. I loved listening to him and of course someone needs to help feed the triplets so why not Frank and Jamie?

Combine the everday LINE UP with Penny, Lowe and Billingsley and two of the better relief pitchers in baseball in Broxton and Sieto and the POTENTIAL IS HUGE.

I'm not even going to discuss the upside potential of some of the younger players....no need to add pressure to their lives.

After all the life of being a Major League baseball player is so so stressful.......
and that's a ha ha ha.

I haven't even mentioned the new manager....what's his name......Joey Torrinismo ???????

AND what if Jason Schmidt recovers and they sign that Japanese ACE?

THIS IS A TEAM TO BE RECKONED WITH IF THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING ELSE.

If it wasn't for one three week stretch in August this would be a team that everybody would be talking about....but alas that infamous stretch in August completely reduced them to a team that no bodies talking about.

I'M TALKING and it's pretty early but what the hell....there's no bowl games for a couple of weeks.....and being a Ram fan I don't have any interest in the 2007 Pro Football season even though the Green Bay story is pretty cool.

And of course Miami and New England have their stories but it's not grabbing me.

I'll probably watch some of the playoffs but maybe I'll go golfing instead.

When do the pitchers report to spring training?......

I'm itching.

And I have a feeling that the Dodgers aren't finished wheeling and dealing. I hope they don't go crazy....because I think what they have is good enough to win 95 games and 95 games in the West should be plenty.

Michael Timothy McAlevey