Dodgers anxiously await Manny's return
The Dodgers will welcome Manny Ramirez's return with open arms when he returns from a 50-game suspension on Friday, hoping his presence gives the slumping lineup a boost.


The Dodgers will welcome Manny Ramirez's return with open arms when he returns from a 50-game suspension on Friday, hoping his presence gives the slumping lineup a boost.
That's right, when the calendar flips to Friday, Manny Ramirez will be back in the lineup after an extended absence ready to help the Dodgers generate some runs against the Padres.
Pinch-hitter Rafael Furcal hit a game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the eighth as the Dodgers squeaked past the Colorado Rockies, 1-0, on Wednesday afternoon at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers made a handful of personnel moves Wednesday, in part to prepare the roster for the Friday return of suspended outfielder Manny Ramirez.
The Loney Lounge is open and ready to play. That's the way it was Wednesday afternoon at Dodger Stadium after the Dodgers' 1-0 victory over the Rockies, when James Loney played host to 40 kids from RBI Los Angeles.
The countdown to Manny Ramirez's return to the Dodgers is just about over. On Wednesday, the Dodgers played their final game without Ramirez, who was suspended 50 games for violating MLB's Drug Policy.
Chad Billingsley allowed three runs on five hits, striking out 11 in 7 2/3 innings, but the Dodgers mustered just two hits off the Rockies' Jason Marquis in a 3-0 loss on Tuesday.
Dodgers starting catcher Russell Martin didn't start Tuesday night, and he will also sit Wednesday, which, combined with Thursday's off-day, offers a three-day breather for the struggling backstop.
Now that suspended Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez's Minor League assignment is over, attention has quickly shifted toward his imminent return to the Dodgers' lineup. Ramirez is scheduled to return to the team Friday when the Dodgers begin a three-game series at the San Diego Padres.
A day after he pitched 4 1/3 innings for Class A Inland Empire on Monday, Eric Stults was back in the Dodgers clubhouse before Tuesday's game against the Colorado Rockies. The lefty will probably head to Triple-A Albuquerque for more rehab, his injured thumb pain-free.
Andre Ethier hit a walk-off two-run home run in the 13th inning to give the Dodgers a 4-2 win over the Rockies on Monday in front of 41,288 at Dodger Stadium.
Randy Wolf tossed a 68-mph curveball past the bat of a guessing Chris Iannetta for strike three and the third inning was seemingly over on Monday. But there was just one problem -- it was just the second out of the inning.
Dodgers suspended slugger Manny Ramirez ended his fifth and final Minor League game Monday night, going 1-for-3 with two strikeouts in five innings of play for Class A Inland Empire.
There's no question that the Rockies have been baseball's hottest team over the past month. But the key for the Dodgers slowing down the Rockies comes from within, according to manager Joe Torre.
Dodgers manager Joe Torre said Monday that suspended slugger Manny Ramirez will play in his final Minor League tuneup Tuesday morning with Class A Inland Empire.
Dodgers manager Joe Torre said left-hander Eric Milton will remain the club's fifth starter moving forward, but that because of the schedule, the team will need just four starters for the next few weeks.
The Dodgers' "All-Star" is Barbara Palilis of Los Angeles, chosen by fans across the nation for founding a skills program which targets teens and young adults with disabilities.
Since becoming a Dodger, Hiroki Kuroda has been an important starter. He provides valuable experience to a young starting rotation. Although Kuroda has been limited to a few starts this season, he will play a role in the success of the Dodgers for the rest of the year.
This is the final week for fans to vote Dodgers second baseman Orlando Hudson onto the National League All-Star team.
Though Manny Ramirez provided plenty of fireworks during his first game as an Inland Empire 66er, the sizzle in his bat was absent on Sunday.
Right-hander Hiroki Kuroda struggled early, and the Dodgers offense couldn't make up for it in their 4-2 loss to the Mariners on Sunday in front of 49,355 at Dodger Stadium.
With the Dodgers' loss against the Mariners on Sunday, the club wrapped up Interleague Play, and it's something manager Joe Torre won't miss. They'll return to their National League schedule on Monday against the Rockies
Dodgers manager Joe Torre said Sunday that he's "curious" to see how Manny Ramirez responds both physically and mentally when he returns to the club on July 3.
Dodgers manager Joe Torre had a private meeting with reliever Ronald Belisario, who was arrested early Saturday morning on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol near his Pasadena apartment.