'I'M BACK': MANNY RETURNS TO DODGERS

After four months of negotiations, the deal that everyone has been talking about finally got done Wednesday as Manny Ramirez signed a 2-year $45 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. A press conference was held Thursday at the Dodgers spring training facility in Glendale, AZ and the key members of the front office as well as Joe Torre were all smiles.

"I'm happy to be back," Ramirez said. "Like I told Joe, we got some unfinished business. I'm here to play the game like I did last year...That's what you guys are going to get from me."

Ramirez was aquired during the second half of last season and had an immediate impact on the club. He hit .396 with 17 HR and 53 RBI in just 53 games with the Dodgers and helped lead his team all the way to the NLCS. His separation from Boston was a popular story as well, because teammates were starting to get annoyed with him. It appeared at times he wasn't playing that hard and his numbers showed. However, once he got to Los Angeles, it was a totally different Manny. The fans loved him and almost became obssessed with his likeable character.

"That emotional bond (with fans) was tremendous and I think that's what you're always looking for in sports," Dodgers owner Frank McCourt said. "Manny can bring joy and happiness to people in LA."

McCourt also pointed out that Ramirez's contributions are going beyond the baseball diamond. After signing this deal, Ramirez agreed to donate $1 million to a Los Angeles charity in which baseball fields are built for children. McCourt also said if Ramirez wants to, there's the chance to build a field in the Dominican Republic as well.

"I told Manny in our conversations that we are going to put a provision in every player contract, as long as I'm the [owner] of the franchise, called the Ramirez provision," McCourt said. "Every contract will have a Ramirez provision with a blank line and it will be up to the player to fill in how much he is going to give to the community in which he plays."

Manager Joe Torre spoke to the media as well, and he was very pleased to have Ramirez come back to the Dodgers. The former Red Sox star was somebody Torre always had to worry about when he was manager of the New York Yankees. Now, the 68 year-old-manager can continue to pencil him into his own lineup.

"To have a player that I tried to find a way to get out for eight years be on your ballclub for his first full year is pretty special," said Torre, who also jokingly added,"Of course the hair is another situation."

It was a very relaxing and laid-back atmosphere at the press conference, despite just having a grueling four-month negotiation. The first thing that Ramirez said standing up at the podium as he gazed out at the reporters was "I'm Baaack."

It was just Manny being Manny.

Shawn Marosek

JOE TORRE JUST MIGHT BE MY NEW BEST FRIEND

In a new "tell-all" book, Torre dishes about how corrupt and cruel the New York Yankees team and staff really are. Not exactly, but some people are excited to see if Joe Torre's new book, The Yankee Years, will reveal some not so niceties the Yanks might have been involved in.

So far, reports are saying that "teammates" of A-Rod called him A-Fraud, and I'm not surprised. If it wasn't from jealously of not making as man millions upon millions as A-Rod is making with the Yankees, it could be from the ridiculousness of the amount of money he's getting paid, and his not so wonderful baseball skills that have been shining through. Though he seems to be doing pretty well personally, when he can hit the ball, A-Fraud can't get his team to the playoffs, or apparently anywhere near it. But it's not just A-Fraud that isn't catching a break in this book. Torre apparently is calling some of the players "prima donnas." And why shouldn't he? Some of these players are making more money than God himself and are not showing anything for it. I wouldn't be surprised about complaints from these "primadonnas" about not getting more money, or having to work too hard. Boohoo. You don't work a full calendar year but some of you make more money than high grossing Hollywood films. That's just gross to me.

Another aspect of this book involves Steinbrenner and GM Brian Cashman. That's not surprising either. If the players are prima donnas, then Steinbrenner is the Alpha Prima donna. So word yet about how badly Steinbrenner or Cashman are ripped apart, but that makes the anticipation for reading this book even higher.

I have to admit that I am not much of a non-fiction fan, especially sports non-fiction. But this might just be a treat for non-Yankee fans. Think this book will fly off the shelves on its release day (Feb 3rd) in Boston? I'm not so sure about that. But definitely in Los Angeles. This seems like a good book to request from the library: the wait will be long, but can score good tidbits along the way. Definitely worth skimming if A-Fraud and Steinbrenner are the antagonists.

Jaclyn Kahn

Yankees Wait On Replacing The Irreplacable

After reports that the New York Yankees front office would make a decision as to who will manage the team in 2008 today, it turns out everyone will have to wait.

The organization has put off finalizing the managerial spot until the conclusion of the World Series, which could be over by Sunday night based on Boston's two convincing victories over the Rockies.

As of now, three people are in the running for manager: Yankees bench coach Don Mattingly, 2006 N.L. Manager of the Year and former Yankee catcher Joe Girardi, and Yankee first base coach and 2003 A.L. Manager of the Year Tony Pena. It's not bad having two former Mangers of the Year as candidates, but the fact of the matter is that the Yankees shouldn't even be making this decision.

By making an offer they knew he'd refuse, the Yankees essentially cut loose one of the greatest Yankees managers of all time in Joe Torre. His success runs parallel to managerial greats like Casey Stengel and Joe McCarthy, and for the Yankees to give him the boot may very well have triggered the end of their current success.

No other manager in the Steinbrenner era has kept the team in such a consistent state, keeping problems in the clubhouse and out of the papers. There's no doubt this ability was a big factor in the Yankees' 12 consecutive postseason appearances under Torre, and I believe whoever is running the show now took that for granted when they made their 'offer' to him.

The decision could also significantly affect the composition of the team next year, as catcher Jorge Posada and closer Mariano Rivera, both free agents, were extremely close to Torre. With Torre gone, it is entirely possible for both Posada and Rivera to part ways with the organization they've called home for their entire careers. Left-handed pitcher Andy Pettitte, who already left the team once for Houston, has a player option for 2008, and could very well leave for a second time with Joe no longer at the helm.

If everything goes wrong, the Yankees' may end up looking for more than just a manager this offseason. The fact of the matter is that Torre held this team together for 12 seasons, and while many players came and went, the Yankees could always count on their home-grown boys: Posada, Rivera and Derek Jeter. On Opening Day 2008, Jeter might be the only one remaining.

Some might say the Yankees Dynasty was at the beginning of the end when Luis Gonzalez hit a broken-bat single over Jeter's head to win the 2001 World Series. It took six years, but I think it's safe to say it's foundation has been eradicated.

Steve Duby