Manny Ramirez - Matt York/AP

So one of the benefits of living in Giants Territory is that I do get a good window of what Giants fans are thinking.  This issue of Manny has really tripped them up.

The Dodgers would be equally torn if they were looking at him for the first time.  But since he came in and basically was the MVP for the end of the year, they can look past all of his faults.

Manny is still all the talk on the talk shows up here.  I’m heard a lot of good arguments up here, most of which are really valid.  There are definitely too camps.

The first camp says take him now and pay the money.  They believe that with their strong pitching rotation (the Dodgers can only dream of a rotation that deep right now), that they just need one bat to really contend.  Many analysts feel that getting Manny would put them favored in the division, bring in ticket sales and make them a winning team for the first time in 6 years.  (Yeah – 6 losing seasons and the natives are definitely restless.)

The other camp says that Manny would not be worth the cost.  Not just in actual dollars, but in what would happen once he got there.  The Giants don’t have a strong hitters lineup.  They have Aaron Rowand and Benjie Molina, but no one that could really protect Manny.  Because of this they feel adding Manny will just be like Bonds a few years ago, where every team just  walks him to get to the weaker better.  Honestly, I think they are totally right.  Not that the Dodgers are a ton better, but they definitely are stronger than the Giants in terms of pop in the lineup.  Adding Manny to the Giants would not be the same as adding him to the Dodgers because he just wouldn’t have the protection or leadoff guys to support Manny.

Even more, if they add Manny, it would be for a long term deal, which goes against their rebuilding with youth.  I heard Dwayne Kieper (Giants radio announcer) on the air yesterday saying that they figured last year would be the worst, this year would hopefully bring a winning record, and next year they would be in the playoffs.  Adding Manny short circuits this, but also adds an aging outfielder they have to maintain and deal with.

It is interesting too all of the rumors on how Manny is in the clubhouse.  Most ball players and announcers like him, but the Red Sox players agreed to dump him last year, so who really knows.  I’m sure he’s a driven athlete (he has to be to be Hall of Fame caliber), but he does polarize, and his baggage of faking injuries speaks loudly.

I still don’t think the Giants are major players unless it is a 1-2 year deal.  Even then, I would think the Dodgers could easily outbid them for that length of a contract.

I will say this, as much as I don’t want Manny to be Giant (it would be horrible up here), I would at least have a lot to blog about for many years.  Let me know your thoughts on Manny being walked…