Down and Yao-t: Ming Leaves Playoffs

Houston Rockets center Yao Ming will be out for the rest of the playoffs with a broken left foot. Yao left Friday night's game against the Lakers limping after posting a double-double. Exams revealed a hairline-fracture in the foot which will require 8-12 weeks of recovery. Yao has been the focal point of the Rockets' offense after Tracy McGrady went down with an injury. Ron Artest's flagrant-2 foul from Friday was downgraded to a flagrant-1 by the NBA. If any player collects four flagrant-foul points during the playoffs, they are automatically suspended for one game. Both Artest and Kobe Bryant have one point, and Derek Fisher has two.

Stults Throws Gem in Victory

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Francisco Giants 8-0, snapping a two-game losing streak and their first win without Manny Ramirez. Eric Stults was dominant, pitching a complete-game shutout while only allowing four hits, no walks, and striking out five. Juan Pierre doubled twice, knocked in three and scoring a run, and Orlando Hudson had a double and a run scored. Juan Castro also had two RBI-doubles, and Russell Martin walked three times and singled to reach base in all four plate-appearances. Aaron Rowand and Edgar Renteria had the Giants' only extra-base hits as both doubled.

Dodgers Are Stumped in Loss

The Los Angeles Dodgers fell to the San Francisco Giants 3-1, their second loss in a row. Chad Billingsley had five solid innings before giving up a run in the sixth and two in the seventh, delivering him his first loss of the season. Barry Zito was lights-out for San Fran, pitching six innings and allowing only one run. The Dodgers could not pull through in the clutch, batting a collective 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Rafael Furcal had a leadoff double but never made it to third, and Casey Blake had an RBI-double. Russell Martin had two hits, and Matt Kemp scored the only run for LA. Edgar Renteria had two hits, an RBI and a run scored for the Giants.

Game 3: Five's For Fighting

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets 108-94, taking a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. The Lakers were without the services of Derek Fisher after his suspension, but made the most of his absence as all starting five Lakers scored in double-figures. LA held Houston to just .417 shooting from the field and forced 17 turnovers, compared to the Purple and Golds' six. The Rockets had 19 offensive rebounds, but could not outscore the Lakers in all four quarters. Kobe Bryant finished the game with 33 points, and Jordan Farmar had an impact in his first career start, getting 12 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, and two steals. Lamar Odom added 16 points and 13 rebounds, and Trevor Ariza scored 13 points and grabbed 4 steals. Ron Artest led the Rockets with 25 points before leaving the game with a flagrant-2 foul in the final seconds of the fourth quarter after hitting Pau Gasol hard. Yao Ming added 19 points and 14 rebounds.

Editor's Note: Lynch-Mob is Unfounded

Manny broke the rules, there's no denying that. But he doesn't deserve severe punishment. A 50-game suspension is enough. There's no need to deliver him a lifetime-ban like LA Times columnist Bill Plaschke suggests. He took a female fertility drug that only serves a baseball-related purpose when taken with PED's. So far, no evidence has surfaced connecting Manny with hardcore steroids like testosterone or HGH. Put the nooses away guys, in this country there's innocent until proven guilty.

Bullpen Crumlbes in First W/O Manny

The Los Angeles Dodgers fell to the Washington Nationals 11-9, their first loss at home. The loss came just hours after Manny Ramirez was suspended for 50 games after testing positive for a banned substance. The Dodgers broke out of the gate early, scoring six runs in the first inning, including a grand slam from Matt Kemp. Randy Wolf was solid, allowing only a run in six innings of work. However, the bullpen could not hold the lead, as Ramon Troncoso, Corey Wade, Will Ohman, Brent Leach, Guillermo Mota, and James McDonald combined to give up 10 runs, 13 hits, and two walks in just three innings of work. LA tried to come from behind in the ninth, scoring two runs, but ultimately fell short. Casey Blake came up a homer short of a cycle, and Kemp finished with five RBI's. James Loney and Russell Martin both had two hits, scored twice, and one RBI. Adam Dunn had a double and three runs batted in for the Nats, and Anderson Hernandez scored three times. Nick Johnson three hits, three RBI's, and two runs scored.

Fisher Suspended

Derek Fisher was suspended for Game 3 of the series with the Houston Rockets. Fisher was issued a flagrant-2 foul, which meant automatic ejection from the game. It also meant his play would be reviewed by the NBA to see if a suspension was in order. Fisher received the foul after pushing Luis Scola near the end of the third quarter. Fisher will either be replaced by Jordan Farmar or Shannon Brown in the starting lineup.

Editor's Note: Not Quite Sure What to Say

Part of me is angry at Manny. Angry that he did something so foolish and reckless. A list of all banned substances is available to every player. He could have easily checked if that drug is on the list. He has too much to lose by not checking it. Now he has let down the team. His bat is absent from the lineup, and who knows what this will do to his teammates who've taken advantage of his presence. This brings the entire team down, as well as all of Los Angeles. But the other part of me is angry at Major League Baseball. Angry that they are so strict that they have even banned a substance just because it is related to steroids. Many have argued that the new rules against PED's have become too strict, and that many non-HGH-and-steroid substances are perfectly fine. J.C. Romero was the last victim of the new rules, getting a 50-game suspension for purchasing an over-the-counter drug. Nevertheless, Manny's suspension has shocked me to the inner core. So much so that I can't even decide what to think or say.

Editor's Note pieces on the Lakers will be suspended. A piece will instead be written concerning the Manny Ramirez situation each day of the next few days.

Baseball Rocked by Manny's Suspension

Manny Ramirez was suspended for 50 games after testing positive for a banned substance. His suspension will begin with today's game against Washington and should end by July 3rd. Manny tested positive for human chorionic gonadotropin, a woman's fertility drug typically taken after extended use of testosterone. The news sent shockwaves through the baseball world, as Manny was one of the last few sluggers not associated with PED's. Juan Pierre will take Manny's place in the lineup, and Xavier Paul will be called up from Triple-A to serve as the fourth outfiedler.

Game 2: Lakers Even Series

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets , evening the series at one game apiece. The game became very physical very fast, with five players collecting technical fouls and Derek Fisher was ejected with a flagrant-foul 2. The Lakers opened up the gate early with a 41-point first quarter, but the Rockets quickly turned the tide by tying the score at halftime. However, LA out-scored Houston by 13 in the second-half and held on to win the game. Kobe Bryant put up 40 points to lead all scorers, and Pau Gasol added 22 points and 14 rebounds. Fisher had 12 points as the Lakers were a perfect .500 from the field. Ron Artest led the Rockets with 25 points, and Carl Landry added 21 points off the bench. Artest was also ejected after engaging in an argument with Bryant.

Dodgers Become Top Home-Warriors

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Washington Nationals 10-3, their 13th straight victory at home. The Dodgers snapped the 1911 Detroit Tigers' record of most consecutive home-wins to start a season. Clayton Kershaw pitched five innings of 1-run ball to get his first win of the season, despite running a pitch-count of 99. Rafael Furcal had three hits and scored three times, and Orlando Hudson doubled and drove in two runs. Manny Ramirez had a double and two RBI's and Russell Martin had three hits, including a double. James Loney knocked in two and Casey Blake scored twice. Christian Guzman had three hits for the Nats, including a double, and Jesus Flores had a homer.

Dodgers' Clock Strikes 12 with Win

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-1, their 12th straight victory at Dodger Stadium. The twelve wins ties the 1911 Detroit Tigers for the record for most consecutive home victories to start a season. The Dodgers scored all three runs in the first inning, and Jeff Weaver shined in his first start since 2007, allowing only one run in five innings while pitching on a strict pitch-count. Jonathan Broxton had a perfect ninth for his eighth save of the season. Andre Ethier had two hits, an RBI and a run scored, and Orlando Hudson doubled and scored a run. Augie Ojeda had three hits for the D-Backs, who went 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

Editor's Note: Asleep at the Wheel

It was a tough one to watch. The Lakers were punched, kicked, and pounded every which way with blood literally falling onto the hardwood. Call it rust, call it a wake-up call, call it Houston's tenacity, whatever you call it, this loss is inexcusable. The main problem has become the perimeter. The Lakers shot a combined 2-for-18 from behind the arc, just after they finished the Utah series shooting .446% from downtown in five games! The Rockets have the advantage in the frontcourt with Yao Ming, leaving the outside even more important. Derek Fisher showed his age when trying to keep up with Aaron Brooks. The pressure falls on Sasha Vujacic, Shannon Brown, and Jordan Farmar to hit their shots. Without any backcourt offense, the Lakers will struggle to contain Houston.

Dodgers Make History with Win

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-2, their 19th win of the season. It also marked their 11th straight home win, the first team in the N.L. in modern history to open the season at 11-0 at home. Eric Stults got his third win of the season, throwing just under six innings, allowing only two runs on five hits. Manny Ramirez and Andre Ethier connected for back-to-back homers, and Manny also had an RBI-double. Matt Kemp had a double and scored two runs, and Casey Blake also scored twice. The D-Backs turned a triple-play in the second inning, only the second in franchise history. Mark Reynolds had a home run for Arizona.

Game 1: Rockets Stun Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers fell to the Houston Rockets 100-92, dropping the first game of the Western Conference semi-finals. The Lakers managed to shoot just .448 from the field, including a meager 2-for-18 from behind the arc. LA committed 26 fouls, and sent Houston to the line 29 times. The Purple and Gold only had 19 free-throw opportunities, and hit just 12 of them. Kobe Bryant scored 32 points and collected 8 rebounds, and Pau Gasol added 14 points and 13 rebounds. Yao Ming dominated with 28 points and 10 rebounds, and Ron Artest scored 21 points and threw in 7 assists. Aaron Brooks easily overcame his matchup with Derek Fisher to get 19 points. The Lakers lose their home-court advantage with the defeat.

Kobe is a Distant Second in MVP Race

LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA's MVP award for the season, collecting 109 of 121 possible first-place votes. Kobe Bryant was a distant second with just two first-place votes after winning the award last year. Dwyane Wade came in third and Dwight Howard finished in fourth.

Dodgers Receive Mark of 10

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 7-3, sweeping the series 4-0 and extending their home winning-streak to a franchise-record 10 games. Chad Billingsley got his fifth win of the season, pitching seven innings of two-run ball while striking out eight. Juan Pierre had two hits, two runs scored and an RBI, and Orlando Hudson doubled twice and knocked in three runs. Andre Ethier had a double, run and RBI, and Juan Castro had two hits and scored a run. Billingsley helped his own cause by singling in a run and later scoring. Brian Giles and Jody Gerut both went deep for the Padres, and Edgar Gonzalez doubled and drove in a run.

Manny Ramirez sat out with tightness in his hamstring, the same hamstring that caused problems for him in Spring Training. Manny will most likely be back in the lineup for tomorrow's game against Arizona.

James McDonald and Jeff Weaver switched roles, with McDonald going into the bullpen and Weaver starting on Tuesday. McDonald has struggled in the starting role, giving up 14 walks in less than 15 innings and compiling an 8.16 ERA. Weaver was called up from Triple-A, and he pitched four scoreless innings of relief after McDonald left in the second inning in Thursday's game.

Editor's Note: Lakers Have Clear Advantage

The Lakers will play the Houston Rockets in Game 1 of the Western Conference semi-finals tomorrow, looking to remove Yao Ming and his buddies from playoff contention. If there was ever a case where the second series was easier than the first, the Lakers have found it. They swept Houston in the season 4-0, and nearly hold the advantage over the Rockets in every category. Houston won't contain Kobe Bryant, and they have openly said they have no plans to. Yao Ming is big, but he's slow and will have trouble if he can be successfully double-teamed by Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. Ron Artest cares more about getting into Kobe's head than the actual game. The Lakers' main concern will be the perimeter defense. Houston has the fire power to rain three-pointers down all game with guys like Aaron Brooks, Shane Battier, Von Wafer, and Luis Scola. The pressure will be on Derek Fisher, Shannon Brown, and Sasha Vujacic to protect the arc. Other than that, this series appears to be a piece of cake.

Dodgers Are Walk-Off Happy

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 2-1 in 10 innings, their ninth straight home victory. The two teams entered extra innings tied 1-1, but the Dodgers loaded the bases in the bottom of the tenth, and Andre Ethier sent a fastball to the right-field wall, sending Rafael Furcal home as the winning run. Randy Wolf pitched a gem, allowing only one run on two hits, but walked four and left in the middle of the sixth. The bullpen helped out, shuting out the Friars in 4-and-two-thirds innings, allowing only two baserunners. Russell Martin had three hits, and Wolf doubled and scored LA's first run. Furcal sent Wolf home on his first base-hit of the game. The Padres finished with only three hits, and Edgar Gonzalez provided the only offense with a solo-homer.