Manny Ramirez, a Great Trade, But Is He a Teaser?

A .417 batting average, nine homers, 26 RBI, a .508 on-base percentage, and a .731 slugging percentage. Manny Ramirez has done all the Los Angeles Dodgers have expected and more in the 30 games he has been with the team. 

The Dodgers needed a power threat in the middle of their lineup where a true number four hitter has been lacking for years. Ramirez brings a presence not only to the team's offense, but in the clubhouse as well. 

He immediately becomes an influence and mentor to the Dodgers younger players and he also raises the bar for everyone on the team to perform better. The best part about the trade is that the Dodgers gave up nothing for Ramirez and aren't paying one penny of his contract...Here's the bad news:

Because Manny Ramirez is such a fan favorite and gets an overwhelming ovation every time his name is mentioned at Dodger Stadium, it makes people believe that the boys in blue have a fighting chance. 

Also, the fans have realized that Ramirez solidifies the Dodgers lineup and they want to see him back in blue for years and years to come.  The problem is, the future hall-of-famer is a free agent after this season and the asking price for his contract might be too high for Dodgers' GM Ned Colletti and Owner Frank McCourt. 

Ramirez has a four-year $100 million contract in mind and his agent is Scott Boras isn't going to accept a "hometown discount" if that is what is comes down to. So after all the hype of bringing "Manny being Manny" to Los Angeles it might have been a big mistake for the Dodgers' in thinking about next year.

Let's say, for the sake of argument, that the Dodgers surpass the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League West and make the playoffs. 

If the Dodgers do not end up with a better record than either the Mets or Phillies (depending on who wins the National League East) or the National League Wild Card comes out of the Central Division, the Dodgers will face the Chicago Cubs. 

If the Dodgers face the Cubs, who have better starting pitching and a slightly better offense up and down their lineup, the chances of the "Blue Crew" advancing are very slim. 

Keep in mind that the Cubs would have home field advantage in a five-game series.  To make a long story short, the chances of the Dodgers making it all the way and winning the World Series aren't very high when they are currently in the weakest division in Major League Baseball.

The question the Dodgers have to ask themselves is, yeah we got Manny and it makes for a very exciting last two months of the season, but is it worth the drama in the off-season and the agony to say to the Dodger fans that they were unable to retain their only power hitter since Shawn Green and Gary Sheffield? 

Manny says, "I like it here, man" but can the Dodgers reciprocate those feelings?