I'M BACK!!

Hello readers, sorry for my lack of posts. I've been moving into my new pad in Chicago and haven't had time to write. Anyhooooo....

A lot's been going on in the Lakers front office. To begin, Dr. Buss--taking a page from the McCourt playbook--has rescinded the 4 year, 36 million dollar offer to LO. From what I've read, it appears that there aren't many, if any, teams that are willing to meet Odom's request for a $10 milly a year. It appears as though the Lakers are using this lack of interest as leverage to try and get LO to sign for less. This whole debacle is eerily similar to the contract negotiations between Manny and the Dodgers front office at the begining of the year. If you don't remember, the Doggies, knowing that Manny was attracting very limited interest, played hard ball with Boras and our dreadlocked savior from day one. Manny, like Odom, had no other offers on the table, and Colleti and Mccourt played chicken, allowing the negotiations to drag on.

I can't tell if this is a smart move or a death sentence for the Lakers. Much like Manny and the Dodgers, Odom has been a huge part of the Lakers' success. However, unlike Manny, Odom doesn't carry the baggage and unreasonable demands that Manny did-- If Marcin Gortat can get $7 million a year, then Odom has every right to ask for $10. If the Blazers, Mavs, or any other team willing to spend offers Odom the kind of money he wants and he leaves, the Lakers are in trouble. This is a bold move by the front office, and time will tell if it's a smart one.

On the diamond, the Dodgers entered the All-Star break with the best record in baseball. They're number one in virtually all of the power rankings, and our bullpen has been lights out thus far. However, don't expect the Dogs to dominate in the second half. Chad Billingsly has thrown more pitches than any other hurler in the Majors, our bullpen is starting to show signs of vulnerability, and we still don't have a consitent back-end starter. Look for the Dodgers to pursue some veteran arms to help shore up the rotation and bullpen. Don't expect the Dogs, however, to make a push for an ace such as Halladay or Dan Haren--the cost of trading for one of these studs would likely include Kershaw and a couple prospects. One name that hasn't come up yet, but should, is Ben Sheets. The dude has been out of the league all year, but don't forget he was the NL's starting pitcher in the All Star game only a few years back. If his arm isn't strong enough to start, it should be strong enough to come out of the bullpen. I'm also gonna go out on a limb and predict we see the return of Joe Beimel. He's just the type of guy we need with Belisario hurt, and he's voiced his interest in returning to LA on more than one occasion.

DB