Down goes Ramirez

This off-season, I was that Giants fan who could not believe Brian Sabean and Co. were not pursuing Manny Ramirez with all their money. To me, Ramirez was the only player available on the market that could make the Giants offense dangerous.

When the Giants essentially told the baseball world they weren't interested in him and the Dodgers got him, I was admitably angry. How could we sign oldies Randy Johnson and Edgar Renteria and then let the game's most feared hitter go to our arch rival without a fight?

Suddenly, we look like geniuses.

Ramirez tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs today, and boy am I happy about it. That is 50 games that the Dodgers will not have Ramirez, and conveniently it starts right before the Giants start a three-game series at Dodger Stadium.

I wrote in an earlier post that the Ramirez signing was the turning point in the NL West race. Now, with Ramirez down, the door is open for the Giants to contend for the NL West crown.

And as good news seems to come in bunches today, the Diamondbacks fired manager Bob Melvin, showing how desperate Arizona is after an awful start to the season.

The day got better when the games started. The Giants were spearheaded by two homers and five RBIs by Bengie Molina as they took down the Rockies 8-3. The Diamondbacks lost again, albeit to the Padres, 4-3 in 10 innings.

Best of all, the Dodgers scored six in the first inning, and still found a way to lose at home to the Washington Nationals. The Nats scored 10 unanswered runs, and Casey Blake was retired in the ninth with the potential tying-run on first. The Dodgers offense still scored 9 runs without Ramirez, but the loss ended their ML record 13 game home win streak to begin the season.

Next up for the Giants: Barry Zito vs. Chad Billingsley

Billingsley has started against the Giants twice and has thrown 14 1/3 innings and allowed just 3 earned runs -- both Dodger victories. But Zito has looked ace-like as of late, and without Manny in the lineup, he could throw another gem.

In any event, the Giants have a golden opportunity to take over this division in the next 49 games before LA's best hitter comes back.