After the Rollins home run off of my boy Billingsley in the first inning, I made my peace with the end of the post season for my Los Angeles Dodgers. It was the true absolution that I needed from the dreams of a World Series that were invading my brain and distracting me from my day to day life! Everyone was saying how it was possible to still come back from a 3-1 deficit but I knew better in game 4 when we gave up those home runs that this was the finish line for not only my hope but for the cohesiveness of the team. It unraveled that night before my eyes as they lessened their grip on the series that was for them and handed it over to the Phillies. Yes, they handed it over! I said it!


Whatever spark that they felt they needed in Game 3 meant nothing and burned out quicker by the next game. Why do they leave it to one guy, one phenom to carry the weight and the balls out of the park? Why do they need to prove to anyone that they shouldn't be messed with? Why, damn it?


When we acquired Manny I dared not to breathe the words that I thought before the trade deadline... we're done let's just rebuild. When Manny came aboard the greatest thing to come out of it all for me was the fact that baseball was fun again. I didn't care whether we won the West or not anymore. I was happy and it was fun to watch how this one guy could motivate these kids to actually play some real ball! For that very blessing is the curse of this 2008 team: they never became one. How can you become a team when half of it is missing because of X Y Z?


We won the West. To get that far without any consistency, without any real star before Manny, with our Kids, and on and on, is amazing. I won't take that away from them. I thank them all for the ride!


The next thing to tackle until baseball season resumes? All the holes that are going to be wide open when everyone starts dealing and leaving. Who is going to stay? Who is going to move on? And of course the burning question for sure... how much are we willing to drop for Manny? Will Manny want to stay with us given the game that we played tonight which was solely his game really as he produced the only run of the night?


Do I think we will get Manny? No. It's a business and while the McCourt's may be willing to put up the money and the fans are willing to take up a collection I don't know that Manny would want to come back to us unless he got to handpick his team mates!


It's been one hell of a season, my dear Dodgers. I can't wait until next year because you know next year is our year! I can feel it already! :)


My final scorecard for you, my friends. Enjoy.