Dodgers Third Base Coach Wants Manny Back

Larry Bowa is a hard-nosed, tell-it-like-it-is baseball manager who is now Joe Torre’s right hand and third base coach.

And Bowa does not believe in the subtlety of negotiation.

"Without Manny in the lineup I won't say we can't score runs, but we'll be like we were at the beginning of last year," said Bowa…
"Manny is sort of that constant in that lineup," Bowa said. "With the kids, you don't know what you're going to get."

Here’s betting that the kids grew up a lot last year and will be back better than ever this summer.

Still, point taken, the Dodgers were 54-55 before Manny put his dreadlocks under a blue cap. But it’s never been a question of wanting Manny back. Everyone from the front office to the guys sitting in top seat in the bleachers wants him back.

But not at four years, $100 million. That ludicrous ideal remains the official starting negotiating price for Manny from the Scott Boras camp. And it’s not happening. The Dodgers right now are the team with the leverage in negotiations thanks to a depressed market.