Manny being money

Although Twins' fans must live with the issues that face a "small market" (more accurately, mid-revenue) team, for other reasons it's intriguing to be a fan in the big markets of New York and LA, the only two cities with two baseball teams that seem to be obsessed with each other. (I would suggest that the two Chicago teams are only concerned with each other.)

Deals in LA and NY get made as reactions to the what the other team in town is doing. First we had the Torri-Torre thing, and lately it was Mark Teixeira. The Dodgers had to do something after the Angles traded for Mr. Teixeira and kept getting all the attention and headlines, and what the Dodgers did will probably give them (and Joe Torre) the division title. Manny Ramirez has also had an immediate impact at the gate.

And if Mr. Ramirez keeps his attitude up, or at least wants to be in the lineup each day (which is a fair bet under a guy like Mr. Torre), the Dodgers' latest reactionary move will land them a post-season birth and also line their pockers. (Remember, Boston is paying the Dodgers about $7 million to take Manny off their hands, so financially the Dodgers appear to be big winners in this deal.)

Granted, Arizona is the main competition for the Dodgers, so fans should have turned out the past three days, but below is the attendance for the previous mid-week meeting at Chavez Ravine between the D-backs and Dodgers; a weekend series with the Cardinals - always a solid team - in May, as one comparison; the intra-city, weekend scrap with the Angels, last weekend's homestand with lowly Nationals; and this weekends's matchup with Arizona.

Manny is going to be money in the bank for the Dodgers, who haven't exactly been filling the stadium up till now.

Arizona (April. midweek)
42,590
38,350
-------
80,940

Cardinals (May)
52,281
44,785
46,566
-----------
143,632

Angels
50,419
55,784
48,155
---------
154,358

Nationals
47,313
42,122
38,660
---------
128,095

Arizona
55,239
54,544
52,972
----------
162,755