Manny Ramirez

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez was showering when Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins hit a double to win Game 4 of the NLCS 5-4 Monday at Dodger Stadium.

“I was taking a shower,” said Ramirez, 37, a 12-time All-Star selection and nine-time Silver Slugger Award winner. “I came out and saw it on television. Then everybody started coming in and they turned the television off.”

If you want to know what Jimmy Rollins's walk-off double looked like from the Dodgers’ bench, don’t ask Manny Ramirez for his vantage point.

"Actually, I was in the shower," Ramirez said. “I only saw the highlight.”

This was the gross response of Ramirez when asked what his thoughts were about Jimmy Rollins' walk-off double.

Highlight?

You do realize that hit sealed your team's defeat and put them one game away from elimination, right?

That's right, I said it. The Los Angeles Dodgers saved their 2009 season by beating the Philadelphia Phillies today 2-1. No, it's not hyperbole. It's reality.

If the Dodgers had dropped game two today, they would have headed into Philadelphia down two games and facing Cliff Lee, who has looked spectacular this postseason, looking very much like the Cy Young winner that he was last season. Dodgers have not done well against left-handed starters on the road this season, so today was a must win.

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

About The Philadelphia Phillies:

The Phillies march into the NLCS by virtue of winning a four game series against the Colorado Rockies.

In the NLDS, the Phillies were led by six players hitting above .300 in the series.  Leading the charge were RF Jayson Werth (.357, two home runs) and Shane Victorino (.353, home run). 

As the Los Angeles Dodgers finished their three-game sweep of the Cardinals, it occurred to me that this is one club whose success has seemed to be taken for granted.

Last year, as the Dodgers did the same to my Cubbies, most everything that was talked about and written seemed to focus on how poorly the Cubs played and very little, if any, respect was accorded the Dodgers for winning the series.

Beginning tonight at 9:37 PM Eastern time, the Los Angeles Dodgers will take on the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodgers Stadium. Both teams are tremendously talented and lead their respective leagues in several categories.

Both the Dodgers and the Cardinals have strong pitching and stacked hitting lineups. The question is, who has the advantage at each position?

This slideshow breaks down the projected lineup each team will put out on the field during this NLDS, of course I my lineups may not be completely accurate but I am going by what they most likely will be.

In 1964 the Philadelphia Phillies, under manager Gene Mauch, were having their best season in nearly 15 years.

Led by pitching ace Jim Bunning, who threw a perfect game that year, and slugger Richie Allen, they had a six game lead in the National League with ten games to go; the pennant and a World Series date with the New York Yankees seemed safely theirs.

The Phillies then proceeded to lose ten straight games and the N.L. crown to the St. Louis Cardinals. It was an epic collapse that Philadelphia fans bitterly remember to this day.

On Tuesday, July 14th, Major League Baseball hosted its 80th All-Star game in St. Louis, Missouri. On hand were some of the St. Louis Cardinals legends, guys like Lou Brock, Red Schoendeinst, Bruce Sutter, Ozzie Smith, Bob Gibson and Stan Musial.

"Manny was of a mind, 'Just let me take batting practice.'  I encouraged him to play games.  If he's going to miss 50 games, then he's going to have to do something."  Joe Torre stated this in a recent interview with Sports Illustrated's Dan Patrick.

Yes, Manny should continue to play and practice baseball.  With him missing 50 games, that is a lot of time to get out of shape.

Why should Manny get to return before his 50-game suspension?

Isn't it amazing how sports shape our perceptions of people?

Remember just two years ago when Barry Bonds was chasing the all-time home run record? Who gave him the most grief on the road?

Dodger fans.

The same Dodger fans who have turned their head to the fact that their guy actually was caught for PEDs. The same Dodger fans who doesn't believe that Bonds could have taken steroids unknowingly doesn't think or doesn't care what Manny Ramirez does, because he's their guy now.