Mitch Kupchak must have been working the phones for Ned Colletti today because there's no way in hell Colletti was involved in the grand theft superstar that took place today when the Dodgers thieved Manny Ramirez from the Red Sox, giving up what basically amounts to Kwame Brown and Javaris Crittenton.
Colletti somehow swung this deal without giving up Matt Kemp or Andre Ethier, AND convinced the Red Sox to pay the remainder of Manny's 2008 salary. The Dodgers will send the Pirates Andy LaRoche, who was made expendable after Blake DeWitt passed him on the depth chart, and Bryan Morris, an A-ball pitcher coming off Tommy John surgery. It should be noted that the Red Sox get Jason Bay from the Pirates, but had to give up two good prospects in addition to Manny.
Manny can only make the Dodgers better. He's immediately the team's best hitter and this means less playing time for Andruw Jones. Worst case scenario, Manny leaves after the season and the Dodgers get a couple of draft picks to replace LaRoche and Morris in their farm system. Meanwhile the Diamondbacks struck out on Mark Teixeira and just about everyone else they were going after. Thanks for coming out Arizona, see you in the 2009 playoff race.
In conclusion, the Dodgers get a Hall of Fame outfielder for an expendable third baseman and an A-ball pitcher coming off Tommy John surgery. Thank you, Boston.
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Doctor X -- the 'Baseball Medic' -- is an anonymous U.S. government trauma specialist with a Duke University sports medicine background and more than 20 years experience in emergency medicine. From time to time he considers MLB rumors, events and news reports as they pertain to baseball players' injuries, illnesses and various other disabilities, both on the field and off.
MLB Rumors editor Greg Fieg is a former sports news editor and award-winning writer whose bylines have appeared on the wires of the Associated Press and in numerous publications, including San Antonio Express-News, San Antonio Light, Houston Chronicle and Philadelphia Bulletin. He formerly was posted in various positions on the U.S.-Mexican border with Freedom Newspapers, and was a regular, independent contributor to United Press International.