Los Angeles Dodgers

"Oh [expletive]."

That's what I'd be thinking if I were a sports agent right now—more specifically, an agent representing one of Major League Baseball's forthcoming crop of free agents.

The problem might be just the same in the other major American sports, but it's baseball season, so I'm talking small ball.

Yesterday, an ice cream man was making his run through my neighborhood, and I decided to treat myself to a cool treat.

"How about a scoop of Strawberry Santana?" he asked. 

"No," I said. "Its taste isn't long-lasting enough."

He tried again.

"How about some Lime Lincecum?" he offered. 

Again, another denial from me.

"The texture is too thin," I replied.

On his third attempt, the flustered ice cream man resorted to his premium flavors.

It is impossible to approach Dodger Stadium without driving through a set of hills. These hills serve as a preamble—an overture, as it were—to the joyous occasion that is seeing the Los Angeles Dodgers host another major league team.

After passing through the parking lot gates, you soon view the stadium structure and notice a low thrumming drumbeat. As you cross the threshold of the fan entrance and have your ticket scanned, the other instruments become audible and amplify once you are first able to see the lush green field.

There are your players, your stars, your superstars, and then there are the icons.  Performers who change everything for a team. By necessity, there are only a few icons, and the Dodgers have one of these now in Manny Ramirez.

It goes beyond what he is able to produce in the lineup or on the field. It becomes part of the mindset of a team and its fan base. It puts some style in the swagger, swinging the hips and bringing a dance step to the feet.

The Los Angeles Dodgers flew down to Houston riding high after sweeping their opening homestand against the Giants and Rockies, and having won a total of eight straight games. The Astros help bring them back to Earth taking the first two games of the series before the pitching of Chad Billingsley (pictured above) prevented a sweep in the final game.

Manny Ramirez continued his torrid batting, going 5-for-12 with five RBI. It wasn't enough however, as the Dodgers struggled to deliver in the clutch, a measly combined 3-for-29 with runners in scoring position.

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Colorado Rockies
Free Pick: Colorado Rockies (-110)
Friday, April 24, 2009, 9:10 p.m. ET—Baseball Odds
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Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Houston Astros o9.0 (-125)
Tue April 21st 2009 8:05p - MLB Baseball Odds
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The Los Angeles Dodgers have one of the hottest offenses in baseball, and while the Houston Astros have been struggling, the Dodgers may carry this Over by teeing off on Russ Ortiz.

It’s still early, but the Los Angeles Dodgers started the 2009 baseball campaign by answering some of the preliminary questions about the youth and inexperience of their roster.

The Manny Ramirez contract negotiations, and eventual re-signing, captured the national headlines. But many seemed to wonder, outside of the aging $45 million fan favorite, if the roster had anything left to offer for a legitimate pennant chase.

The Los Angeles Dodgers began their first homestand by rolling over the San Francisco Giants.

Not much changed when the Colorado Rockies came into town.

The Dodgers completed their sweep of the Rockies on Sunday with a 14-2 win, including a seven-run fifth inning led by Matt Kemp's grand slam to right field. Kemp would add a solo homer in the eighth inning to give the Dodgers their fourth multi-homer game this week and third in three days.

Andre Ethier and Orlando Hudson also each drove in three runs for Los Angeles.

I hate when the Giants suck.

Don't get me wrong here, I'm not exactly a Giants fan. In fact, I've been rooting for the Dodgers since I was 7—almost two decades of bleeding bright blue. 

On a scale of teams I hate from 1-10, the Giants are hovering somewhere around 13 on any given day, right next to the Yankees and not far above the Red Sox. So don't go thinking I'm weeping over their latest misfortune of a lineup.

Baseball is less fun when the Giants suck.