NL West

• Year: 1998
• Record: 65-97
• Win %: .401
• Win % Change: -87
• Run Differential: -141
• Pythagorean Record: 68-94
• AL Finish: 13th of 14
• Manager: Buddy Bell and Larry Parrish
• Best Transaction: In December, the Tigers signed Luis Gonzalez as a free agent to fill a hole in the corner outfield spots. This worked out just fine … for one season. Gonzalez slugged more than 20 homers but was out of town within a year. We all know how that worked out.
  

Cy Young award winner Tim Lincecum was cited for misdemeanor marijuana possession last weekend in southern Washington State.

Washington State Patrol reported smelling marijuana when Lincecum initially rolled down the window, and upon inquiring about the smell Lincecum produced 3.3 grams and a pipe.

I just want to tell those members of the media who are about to explode: its OK.

Life will go on.

Look, the 25-year old Lincecum went to Liberty High School in Renton, WA just a few miles away from me and was also just a grade in front of me.

A Superior Court Commissioner ruled that there is no state law to give back Jamie McCourt her role as CEO of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“From an employment analysis, there’s no law that would support the court reinstating an employee,” said court commissioner Scott Gordon on Thursday morning.

Her husband, Frank McCourt, fired Jamie last month on the grounds that she was having an inappropriate relationship with an employee and was also doing a poor job as CEO.

Game Six of the World Series. The New York Yankees are just one win away from a world championship. They are sending Andy Pettitte to the mound. Pettitte has been one of the Yankees most clutch post season pitchers in franchise history. Given the Yankees powerful line-up; they are heavy favorites to close out the World Series without getting to a chaotic Game Seven.

According to my Arizona Diamondbacks wall calendar today is Election Day. Initially I thought they were talking about voting on the Hall of Fame candidates for 2010, but I realized that we were still a month away from that occurring.

The Cy Young, Most Valuable Player, and Rookie of the Year voting has already occurred and we will wait until after the conclusion of the World Series before the winners of those awards will be announced.

Although it's making headlines, Freddy Sanchez' new two-year contract with the San Francisco Giants doesn't really qualify as news. Most close observers of the team expected the second baseman to ink a deal in the wake of his disappointing stretch with the club.

Amidst a court struggle that will decide if Frank McCourt owns the entirety of the Los Angeles Dodgers, his soon-to-be ex-wife Jamie McCourt alleges that she owns a share of the ballclub.

Frank, owner of the franchise, fired Jamie from her post as CEO last week for reasons he cited as “insubordination.”

Like not wanting to be married to you anymore, Frank?

In a move that should come as a surprise to nobody, SI.com’s Jon Heyman is reporting that Manny Ramirez will exercise his $20 million player option for 2010.

Nobody in the Los Angeles Dodger organization should be surprised by this. This was a no-brainer decision for Ramirez. At the end of the day, Ramirez didn’t have any other options.

What was he going to do? Back out of his contract and test the free agent market?

Sometimes, all a manager can do is sit back and shake his head.

Joe Torre was forced to sit and watch a high-caliber team under perform and make too many mistakes in a forgetful 4-1 NLCS series loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.

In their four losses, the Dodgers actually outhit the Phillies 35-34.

Considering that they went 79-15 during the regular season when outhitting an opponent, that’s a pitiful result for the Dodgers.