It's Hall of Fame season, which means this year's edition of the annual-and-often-heated debates over the bonifides of those up for induction. While it should be semi-obvious to most (the government only lets me vote in their elections because of those pesky constitutional obligations) that I don't get a say in this particular ballot race, I point it out to make clear I haven't thought as deeply about each player's candidacy as I would if I were given a vote. In short, I'm probably the wrong guy to get into an argument about this stuff ... unless you're hoping to change my mind on a guy, in which case I might be your huckleberry. 

Anyhoo, here are the guys I'd be voting for this year:

You just gotta love that clever title, kids.  That's why I make the big bucks. 

In news certain to create a stir in Blue Country, Ned Colletti is reportedly on the horn in alternating conversations with Team Adam Dunn and Team Omar Minaya (commonly referred to in some circles as "the New York Mets").  The former set of calls would be to learn the interest (and price tag) Dunn has in playing left field for the Dodgers, a decision that would theoretically signal the end of a Manny Ramirez pursuit.  While the Man Ram era's quick conclusion would likely disappoint many Dodger loyalists (and for those covering the squad, going from Manny to Dunn is certainly a "colorful" downsize), the Dodgers would be getting a decent consolation prize. 

Granted, Dunn will never hit for Manny's average or clutch, and is a given to whiff at a rate that'll make Matt Kemp blush, but he's definitely capable of going yard.  He's popped 40+ every season since 2004, a feat, as ESPN's Jayson Stark notes, no Dodger batter has notched over a full season during the same timespan.  Again, he's no Manny (and all things being equal or possible, that's who I'd get), but the Blue could do considerably worse.

If you happen to be one of the gazillion Dodgers fans hoping the Blue will bring back Manny Ramirez, you should have been rooting for the Angels to re-sign Mark Teixeira.  Well, for now at least, that doesn't look like it's going to happen.  The Halos have pulled out of the bidding for the slugging first baseman, and while the door is never totally closed on a player still available on the free-agent market, the Angels tend not to play a lot of games when it comes to this sort of thing.  I think Teixeira will land in Boston, close enough to his native Maryland but not requiring him to actually play for the Orioles or Nationals. 

Had LAA been able to ink Tex to a long-term deal, the Manny Market would have continued to shrink.  Instead, he could end up in Boston, the one team in baseball that absolutely, positively wasn't going to make Ramirez an offer.  Instead, the Angels will remain in the hunt for a bat, and while they haven't exactly flooded Scott Boras' office with flowers and Cheesecake Factory gift cards, they haven't closed the door to Manny either.  The Dodgers have been careful -- and smart -- not to bid against themselves for Ramirez.  Now, though, they may have to start bidding against other teams, resurrecting the question of how high they'll go. 

Or at least my take on the starters, check out the Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness eval of the rotation that was.  Granted, the blog's analysis doesn't shake out much different than mine, but hey, it's always fun to read a well-constructed look at Blue hurlers.  And when MSTI eventually analyzes the relief staff, if a new fangled Sports Illustrated formula weighs into the equation, Big Jon Broxton might find himself docked a few letters.

AK 

BK already passed judgment on the position players.  Now it's my turn to criticize athletes pulling off feats I couldn't accomplish in my wildest dreams.  Okay, not exactly.  The part about me not being a good pitcher is true (for those who care, I was actually a pretty good catcher until knee and roster issues forced a disastrous switch to the outfield), but I didn't spend much time bagging on the hurlers.  And why would I, since arms provided the team's greatest strength over the course of 2008?  With few exceptions, nobody who took the hill on a regular basis did much to hurt the Blue.  Thus, the majority have report cards worthy of fridge space.  Or at least good enough to avoid winter school.  Not "summer" school, because baseball takes place in the summer.  Get it?  Get it?

I'll be here all week.  The 9:30 show is completely different from the 8:00.  Try the veal...

Derek Lowe: After a tough May, Lowe steadily continued a recent trend of getting better as the season progressed.   A 3.65 August ERA could have been in the 2's were it not for one wretched game against St. Louis and he was barely touched by a September bat.  Terrific in an NLDS series opener, the Philly followup wasn't quite as lights out, but give props for a gritty short rest Game 4 likely to be debated all offseason (I still think Joe Torre made the right call pulling him).  Even at 35, he appears firmly on Father Time's good side.  Unfortunately, word persists the free agent is set on moving east, which would be a blow for the Dodgers.  In part because they could use him, and in part because after spending his early time in Blue often coming off like a talented flake, Lowe, in my observations, matured into a considerably more accountable clubhouse leader.  Kinda sucks to see that transformation happen with one foot out the door.  Final grade: A

Report card day. When judgment is handed down from on high and pampered members of the athletic elite tremble in anticipation of scathing, potentially reputation-destroying evaluations from their online overlords. 

Okay, maybe not.  But we'll still deliver them anyway.  Today, position players.  For much of the year, the Blue struggled with injury and inconsistency, unable to score runs or generate excitement.  A great deal of energy, much to my consternation, was still centered on the "kids vs. vets" debate, a storyline that distracted from the team's fundamental problems and tended to gloss over the problems both camps faced.  Overall, the Dodgers got a solid amount of production from the group of players likely to be part of the core over the next few years, but it wasn't all moonpies and bubble gum. 

When it's all said and done, the grades reflect what most of us saw from the team, especially pre-Manny: Great potential mixed with frequent eye rolling. 

A couple housekeeping notes:

Manny related comments from the time I spent in the media throng surrounding Dodgers owner Frank McCourt after Wednesday night's season ending loss in Game 5 of the NLCS:

"No, it's not a no brainer, because it takes two to (sign him).  It's the old expression, "It takes two to tango."  So we'll see."

"Sure, I sit there every game, and can see what (Manny) has meant to the team and how he's connected to the fans.  But people just can't lose sight of the fact that I don't sit there in some chair in a big office and decide exactly who's going where.  There's another side to this, and players make decisions as to where they play.  I can't make any predictions because it's up to the player.  As much, or more, than it is to me and the organization.  We just have to realize that.  It's a fact..."

Q: You said you can't predict what players are going to do and where they're going to go, but you can control the team's interest, the organization's interest.  Is it something where you anticipate making as much of a push as you can to bring him back? 

A: "I'd like to bring back all these guys.  I love this team.  This team did what no Dodgers team has done in twenty years, so I'd like them all back.  But it's not that easy.  We have to figure out who fits on this club for next year, and who really wants to be a Dodger.  Who wants to be here.  So it's a process, and we're certainly going to make our interests very, very clear to the players we want back, and those conversations will be pretty apparent to (the media) as time goes on." 

Comforting, no?

Considering how rarely a K-Brother opinion turns out to be accurate, we decided it wasn't enough to simply offer our takes on today's NLCS series kicking off.    Thus, we contacted Philadelphia Inquirer columnist John Gonzalez for a perspective local to the City of Brotherly Love.  In particular, Blue Notes readers may be amused by his answer to the final question, which could rally the L.A. masses around an unlikely hero.

1.  Ryan Howard struggled at times during the season, came alive in September, but was quiet in the NLDS.  How should the Dodgers pitch to him... assuming they should pitch to him at all?

I would prefer that the Dodgers groove several pitches right down the heart of the plate. Barring that, they can skip pitching altogether and set up a tee that Howard can attack at his leisure. At least until he gets going, I'd like the same policy adopted for Chase Ultey. In exchange, the Phillies promise not to intentionally walk Manny more than three times per game.

You wouldn't believe how many compliments I get on that hat. 

My last two big ticket playoff predictions (Lakers in six, Cubs in five) haven’t exactly earned me first ballot consideration into the Prescient Sports Journalists Hall of Fame.  Plus, I'm close to having my hat revoked.  But the fun thing about sports is there’s always another series to call incorrectly, so with that in mind that I deliver some thoughts about the Dodgers vs. Philadelphia in the NLCS.  The Phils, like the Blue, played well down the stretch and, like the Dodgers, rolled over their first round opponent with relative ease.

Against the Cubs, the Dodgers were the plucky underdog, seen by most (represented pictorially by these ESPN.com baseball writers) as some wings on the way to Chicago's World Series main course.  Now, the prevailing opinion favors LA.  I tend to agree, but I definitely think it'll be close.  There are a lot of variables that will determine the outcome, and here, in no particular order are some of my favorite things to look for:

• The Treatment of Ryan Howard vs. the Treatment of Manny: If both guys are hot, neither manager would be wise to challenge them.  But while Manny is pretty much bulletproof in the box- nobody gets to be one of the great hitters in baseball history with holes in his swing- Howard is vulnerable.  He's a homer machine and drives in runs, but also strikes out like nobody's business.  Howard is especially vulnerable against lefties, against whom his already prodigious strikeout numbers actually jump, making Hong-Chih Kuo and Joe Beimel especially important.

When people talk about the Dodger "kids," it's a club with membership generally consisting of Chad Billingsley, Jonathon Broxton, Andre Ethier, James Loney, Matt Kemp and Russell Martin.  When they talk about rookie pitchers, Clayton Kershaw takes center stage, with guys like Scott Elbert and James MacDonald even gaining chatter in a "can't wait until he's finally here" kinda way.  In the meantime, however, there's a member of the roster that would seemingly fit into either camp (rookie hurler, just turned 25), yet probably couldn't get identified in a police lineup by the average fan. 

His name is Cory Wade, and since getting called up with little fanfare on April 24, he's very quietly embarked on one of the better 2008 campaigns of any Dodger.  ERA of just 2.56.  37 strike outs against 13 walks.  Opponents hitting a scant .223.  A more often than not reliable sixth/seventh inning option. Basically Scott Proctor (cited by Wade as an early mentor), only considerably more effective.  Yet for some reason, whether you're talking about fans or media, Wade has managed to fly under the radar all season. 

And as far as he's concerned, everyone should keep up the good work.