According to a report on ESPN.com, MLB investigators are looking into accusations of a financial scandal involving Dominican prospects. A few teams have already fired employees over this, and more people are expected to be implicated.

The scandal started in March when a White Sox scout was confronted by U.S. customs officials after returning from the Dominican Republic with $40,000 in cash. The way these employees would get their dough, is inflate the player’s value, and then demand a cut from the player’s families. The families would do this, because they still got their dough.

When the Minnesota Twins called up Francisco Liriano from the minors on Friday, to make room on the roster for him, they waived Livan Hernandez.

Hernandez, was 10-8 with a 5.48 ERA with the Twins, averaging almost exactly six innings in his 23 starts; he had allowed 199 hits in 139.2 innings, with 29 walks and 54 strikeouts. If he clears waivers, the Colorado Rockies and New York Mets are among those expected to show interest in Livan. If he were to catch on with someone, they would pay him the pro-rated portion of the minimum salary for the rest of the year.

So after being traded to LA, after his first day, Manny Ramirez says he wants to stay in LA, saying he finally has found his peace of mind that he has been looking for forever.

“I like this city, the environment, the energy in the fans. I think that I’ll play here for the remainder of my career.

“I just feel comfortable. Regardless of how hectic Friday was — traveling from Boston with only a few hours of sleep, going to a press conference and later play a game — I started to feel the peace of mind that I was searching for.”

Manny even showed himself as being a team player, as opposed to the me-first feeling he showed in Boston:

One of [Manny's] initial steps in Los Angeles was meeting with manager Joe Torre to discuss the politics of the club (beard, mustache, goatee, sideburns and dreadlocks included).

“I told him that if the rule is to get a haircut, then I’ll get one because I don’t want any special privileges. But Joe replied by saying that I should get an apartment and take care of my personal stuff first, after which I should see a barber.”

Has Manny changed or is this another turn of Manny being Manny? Only time will tell

Following a training camp scuffle between Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith and cornerback Ken Lucas that left Lucas with a broken nose, the Panthers have suspended Smith for 2 games. Smith will miss the opening game at San Diego and then the home opener against Chicago. He will not face any additional punishment from the league.

I 100% support the Panthers. However, I would not have suspended Smith for 2 games. I would have given him the maximum of 4 games to make a statement. I do not care that he is an elite WR or anything like that. Giving him 4 would have been the perfect way to send a message that this sort of behavior will not be tolerated. At any rate, kudos to the Panthers for taking a stand and not tolerating this behavior. Hopefully, Lucas will be okay.

On Friday, August 1, San Diego Padres SS Khalil Greene went on the DL with a broken hand 2 days after punching a wall in a fight of rage following a strikeout. Greene is expected to miss 6-8 weeks, and might miss the rest of the season.

All I can say about it, is serves him right for punching a wall. How about smashing a bat on the ground or taking it to the water cooler? Much more effective way to take out your anger, and you’re still able to play. A broken bat is much better than a broken hand.

For the 4th day in a row, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has delayed making a decision about reinstating Brett Favre to the Green Bay Packers, giving Favre more time to mull the 10 year, $20 million offer from the Packers to not play.

“There isn’t a perfect solution to this, but [Packers president] Mark Murphy is at least trying,” Favre told ESPN’s Ed Werder via text message on Thursday night. “We know what they want and where I stand. His solution, although awkward and unsettling for most, may be the best in the end.”

Packers coach Mike McCarthy believes that this deal would benefit both #4 and the Pack, saying

“Brett needs to stay a part of football. Obviously, he’s a part of the Green Bay Packers.

He also quashed talk that this was a last-ditch bribe to keep Favre from not reporting to camp while also keeping him away from the Vikings, saying

“This is really something that’s been out there all along.”

He went on to say that this was first brought up during Favre’s retirement conference in March.

This whole thing has evolved into a massive joke, and it reeks similar to the way former Chicago Bulls GM Jerry Krause destroyed the dynasty. He got rid of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Phil Jackson so he and Jerry Reinsdorf could build their own dynasty, even though they could all still perform at a high level. Just like the Packers are now with Favre, committing to Aaron Rodgers, because they have stressed moving forward, even though Favre is still way better than Rodgers.

Anytime you get compared to Jerry Krause for the way you treat a legend, you know you are a villain.

While Manny Ramirez was traded away on Thursday, July 31, lost in the shuffle was the trade of another future hall of famer, one Mr. Ken Griffey Jr. At 3:30PM Eastern time, a half hour before the trade deadline, the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox agreed on a deal that sent Jr. to the White Sox in return for minor leaguers Nick Masset and Danny Richar.

This deal should help the White Sox, as they get someone to step in in place of the inconsistent Paul Konerko and Nick Swisher, but with Jim Thome at DH, and Carlos Quentin and Jermaine Dye at the corners, and Swisher and Konerko in CF and at 1B respectively, playing time will have to be cut somewhere in order to get Junior ABs. It seems likely that that player would be Paul Konerko and his batting average hovering around the Mendoza Line.

However, despite the improved offense, this deal does not make the White Sox title contenders, as Junior has hoped for in waiving his no-trade clause to come over. This team still needs more pitching.

Manny Ramirez wants out of Boston. Manny Ramirez wants to stay in Boston. The Red Sox are looking to trade Manny. The Red Sox are not looking to trade Manny. It’s just Manny being Manny.

No more. On Thursday, July 31, the Boston Red Sox had enough with Manny Ramirez’s antics and traded him to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 3-team deal also involving Pittsburgh Pirates, that sends Jason Bay to the Sawks, Manny to LA, and four minor leaguers going to Pittsburgh.

Third baseman Andy LaRoche and right-handed pitcher Bryan Morris will go to the Pirates from the Dodgers, while outfielder Brandon Moss and right-handed pitcher Craig Hansen will go from Boston.

Manny is in the final year of an 8-year, $160 million contract with 2 options for 2009 and 2010 at $20M each. As part of the trade, the options were dropped. After being in trade rumors for several years, the Red Sox finally traded Manny. It seems that what Manny said to ESPNDeportes.com on Wednesday was the final straw:

“The Red Sox don’t deserve a player like me. During my years here, I’ve seen how [the Red Sox] have mistreated other great players when they didn’t want them to try to turn the fans against them.

The Red Sox did the same with guys like Nomar Garciaparra and Pedro Martinez, and now they do the same with me. Their goal is to paint me as the bad guy. I love Boston fans, but the Red Sox don’t deserve me. I’m not talking about money. Mental peace has no price, and I don’t have peace here.

This deal makes the Dodgers the favorite to win the joke known as the NL West, adding an impact bat into a lineup that has been lacking one, with the expected impact from .167 hitter Andruw Jones never coming. It also improves LA’s outfield, adding someone productive to compliment Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier in place of scrubs Juan Pierre and Jones. The Red Sox get an outfielder still in his prime in Jason Bay, who is not quite the hitter that Manny is, but is pretty dam good, and as an added bonus, doesn’t give them a headache. As for the Pirates, well, this deal won’t do much for them, at least in the near future. That streak of 15 straight losing seasons, about to be 16, doesn’t seem anywhere close to ending.

After being examined by 2 doctors who found major ligament damage in his pitching elbow, Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Tim Hudson is likely going to need Tommy John Surgery.

Hudson was examined by the team’s lead orthopedist, Dr. Xavier Duralde, and by Dr. James Andrews of Birmingham, Alabama. Both doctors said surgery was likely, but Hudson said he would try to rehab it for a little while. Hudson is likely going to miss the rest of this season, and most of 2009. The injury to Hudson was a major factor in trading away Mark Teixeira, as all the injuries made it impossible for the Bravos to contend this year.

A few days after losing starting catcher Jorge Posada for the season to shoulder surgery, the Yankees acted quickly, acquiring Pudge Rodriguez from the Detroit Tigers in return for former Cubs reliever Kyle Farnsworth.

This deal fills big holes for both sides. The Yankees get a catcher who can produce at the level of Posada, while the Tigers get some more bullpen help. To make up for the loss of Pudge, the Tigers will move Brandon Inge back to catcher, while the Yankees now have a void in the pen.

While this deal certainly helps both sides, it remains to be seen whether or not this will push them into the playoffs.